The Journal of Nutrition Vol. 127 No. 6 June 1997, pp. 1198-1205
Copyright ©1997 by the American Society for Nutritional Sciences

The Ratio of Dietary (n-6) to (n-3) Fatty Acids Influences Immune System Function, Eicosanoid Metabolism, Lipid Peroxidation and Vitamin E Status in Aged Dogs

Manuscript received 19 July 1996. Initial reviews completed 20 August 1996. Revision accepted 20 February 1997.

Rosemary C. Wander^*, Jean A. Hall^, , Joseph L. Gradin, Shi-Hua Du^*, and Dennis E. Jewell^**

^* Department of Nutrition and Food Management, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331-5103;  College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331-4802 and ^** Science and Technology Center, Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc., Topeka, KS 66601-1658

We studied the effects of feeding experimental diets containing (n-6) to (n-3) fatty acid ratios of 31:1, 5.4:1, and 1.4:1 to 20 healthy female geriatric Beagles (9.5-11.5 y) for 8-12 wk on various indices of the immune response. Compared with the 31:1 diet, consumption of the 5.4:1 and 1.4:1 diets significantly increased (n-3) fatty acids in plasma (2.17 ± 0.64, 9.05 ± 0.64, 17.46 ± 0.64 g/100 g fatty acids, respectively, P < 0.0001). Although supplementation with (n-3) fatty acids did not significantly alter the humoral immune response to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH), it significantly suppressed the cell-mediated immune response based on results of a delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) skin test. The DTH response after intradermal injection of KLH at 24 h was significantly lower in the group consuming the 1.4:1 diet compared with the group consuming the 5.4:1 (P = 0.02) or the 31:1 diets (P = 0.04), and remained significantly suppressed at 48 h in the group fed 1.4:1 relative to the group fed 31:1. After consumption of the 1.4:1 diet, stimulated mononuclear cells produced 52% less prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) than those from dogs fed the 31:1 diet (224 ± 74 and 451 ± 71 pmol/L, respectively, P = 0.04). Plasma concentration of -tocopherol was 20% lower in dogs fed the 1.4:1 diet compared with those fed the 31:1 diet (P = 0.04), and lipid peroxidation was greater in both plasma (P = 0.03) and urine (P = 0.002). These data suggest that although a ratio of dietary (n-6) to (n-3) fatty acids of 1.4:1 depresses the cell-mediated immune response and PGE₂ production, it increases lipid peroxidation and lowers vitamin E concentration.

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