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Effects of n−3 and n−6 fatty acids on the activities and expression of hepatic antioxidant enzymes in autoimmune‐prone NZB×NZW F 1 mice
Author(s) -
Venkatraman Jaya T.,
Chandrasekar Bysani,
Kim Jong Dai,
Fernandes Gabriel
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
lipids
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.601
H-Index - 120
eISSN - 1558-9307
pISSN - 0024-4201
DOI - 10.1007/bf02536628
Subject(s) - lipidology , clinical chemistry , antioxidant , enzyme , chemistry , biochemistry , medicine , endocrinology , biology
Menhaden fish oil (FO) containing n−3 fatty acids dramatically extends the life span and delays the onset and progression of autoimmune disease in (NZB×NZW)F 1 (B/W) female mice as compared to those fed corn oil (CO) rich in n−6 lipids. As an inefficient antioxidant defense system has been linked to autoimmune diseases, the present study was undertaken to determine whether the protective action of n−3 lipids is mediated through their antioxidant defense system. Weanling B/W mice were fed a nutritionally adequate, semipurified diet containing CO or krill oil (KO) or FO at 10% level (w/w) ad libitum until the mice were 6.5 months old. All diets contained the same level of vitamin E (21.5 mg/100 g diet). We compared the effects of feeding n−6 and n−3 lipids on survival, kidney disease, hepatic microsomal lipid composition, peroxidation, and on the activity and mRNA expression of the antioxidant enzymes catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in 6.5‐month‐old B/W mice. The results showed that when compared to livers from CO‐fed mice, livers from KO‐ and FO‐fed mice showed: (i) significantly higher ( P <0.001) activities and expression of CAT, GSH‐Px and SOD; (ii) significantly lower ( P <0.001) arachidonic acid (20∶4n−6) and linoleic acid (18∶2n−6) and higher ( P <0.001) eicosapentaenoic acid (20∶5n−3) and docosahexaenoic acid (22∶6n−3) levels in hepatic microsomes; and (iii) significantly lower ( P <0.001) estimated peroxidation indices and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances generation. The data indicate that one of the mechanisms through which the n−3 lipids delay the onset of autoimmune diseases in B/W mice may be through maintenance of higher activities and expression of hepatic antioxidant enzymes.