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Flax seed oil limits bleomycin‐induced pulmonary fibrosis and related right ventricle hypertrophy in rats
Author(s) -
Malberg Ian,
Shaffiey Shahab,
Herndon Betty,
Molteni Agostino,
Choi Seojin,
Ransom Brian,
Baybutt Richard
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.22.1_supplement.710.1
Subject(s) - bleomycin , ventricle , saline , medicine , fibrosis , pulmonary fibrosis , lung , pulmonary hypertension , cardiology , pathology , gastroenterology , chemotherapy
Dietary oils high in α‐linolenic acid have reduced experimental ventricular fibrillation and lowered platelet aggregation, both major causes of cardiac morbidity and mortality. The present trials investigated effects of flax seed oil, high in α‐linolenic acid, on pulmonary hypertension occurring secondarily to lung pathology produced by intratracheal (i.t.) bleomycin in rats. 24 rats received flax seed oil as 0, 5, 10, or 15% of diet for 4 wks, when 12 received bleomycin i.t. and 12 received i.t. saline. At necropsy 2 wks later tissues were fixed for histochemical scoring of pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis. Hearts were dissected, weighed and right ventricle/left ventricle (RV/LV) ratio was determined. Heart and lung scores were compared in bleomycin or saline controls to flax seed oil intake by ANOVA and post‐tests. Septal fibrosis, significantly elevated by bleomycin in the 0% flax seed oil group, was significantly decreased by all doses of the oil, (p<0.001 – 0.05). Right and left ventricle + septum weights were calculated for animals receiving bleomycin compared to the saline controls for each flax seed oil group. The RV/LV bleomycin‐treated groups showed an inverse dose‐response to the percent flax oil in the diet which correlated with the level of fibrosis measured in lungs. These data suggest that moderate levels of dietary flax seed oil limits bleomycin‐induced pulmonary inflammation/fibrosis and that reduction is concurrent with normalization of the RV/LV ratio elevation in the heart.