Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dzt6s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T06:16:55.576Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Cold-pressed flaxseed oil reverses age-associated depression in a primary cell-mediated adaptive immune response in the mouse

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 March 2007

L. M. Hillyer ,
A. M. Sandiford ,
C. E. Gray  and
Bill Woodward
L. M. Hillyer
Affiliation:
Department of Human Biology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1
A. M. Sandiford
Affiliation:
Department of Human Biology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1
C. E. Gray
Affiliation:
Department of Human Biology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1
Bill Woodward*
Affiliation:
Department of Human Biology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1
*
*Corresponding author: fax +1 519 763 5902 email wwoodwar@uoguelph.ca
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The objective of this investigation was to determine the influence of flaxseed oil on responses representative of primary humoral and cell-mediated adaptive immune competence in immunosenescent mice. Male and female C57BL/6J mice, 85 weeks old, were randomized between two complete purified diets differing only in oil source (cold-pressed safflower or flaxseed). After 8 weeks, humoral competence was assessed in six mice per group as the serum haemagglutinin titre to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and cell-mediated competence was assessed, in an additional six mice per group, as the delayed hypersensitivity response to SRBC. A zero-time control group (88 weeks old) and a young adult positive control group (12 weeks old) were each tested similarly (six per immune response), revealing age-related depression in both antibody and cell-mediated competence at 88 weeks of age. After the 8-week experimental period, the antibody response of the two test groups of geriatric mice remained below the young adult level (P=0·04) and the cell-mediated response of the saffloweroil group also continued to exhibit age-related depression (20% of young adult level, P=0·0002). By contrast, the anti-SRBC delayedhypersensitivity response of the flaxseed group no longer differed from the response of the young adults but exceeded that of the safflower and zero-time control senescent groups (P=0·0002). Depression in primary cell-mediated competence, the most outstanding aspect of immunosenescence, can be addressed by means of a dietary source of 18:3n-3 without longer-chain PUFA.

Keywords

AgeingCell-mediated immunityFlaxseed oilMouse
Type
Short communication
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 95 , Issue 2 , February 2006 , pp. 230 - 233
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 2006

References

Bechoua, SDubois, MVericel, EChapuy, PLagarde, M&Prigent, A-FInfluence of very low dietary intake of marine oil on some functional aspects of immune cells in healthy elderly people. Br J Nutr 2003 89 523–531CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Beharka, AAWu, DHan, SN&Meydani, SNMacrophage prostaglandin production contributes to the age-associated decrease in T cell function which is reversed by the dietary antioxidant vitamin E. Mech Ageing Dev 1997 93 59&77CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Betz, M&Fox, BSProstaglandin E2 inhibits production of Th1 lymphokines but not of Th2 J Immunol 1991 146 108&113CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bogden, JD&Louria, DBNutrition and immunity in the elderlyIn Diet and Human Immune Function [DA Hughes, LG Darlington and A Bendich, editors]Totowa, NJHumana Press 2004CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Caughey, GEMantzioris, EGibson, RACleland, LG&James, MJThe effect on human tumor necrosis factor a and interleukin 1β production of diets enriched in n-3 fatty acids from vegetable oil or fish oil. Am J Clin Nutr 1996 63 116&122CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fan, Y-YMcMurray, DNLy, LH&Chapkin, RSDietary (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids remodel mouse T-cell lipid rafts. J Nutr 2003 133 1913&1920CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ginaldi, LLoreto, MFCorsi, MPModesti, M&de Martinis, MImmunosenescence and infectious diseases. Microbes Infect 2001 3 851&857CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ha, CLWong, SLGray, MMWatt, JHillyer, Hillyer&Woodward, BDOverabundance of CD45RA+ (Quiescent-Phenotype) cells within the involuted CD4+T-cell population follows initiation of immune depression in energy-deficient weanling mice and reflects involution exclusive to the CD45RA subset. J Nutr 2001 131 1812&1818Google Scholar
Hillyer, LM&Woodward, BA comparison of the capacity of six cold-pressed plant oils to support development of acquired immune competence in the weanling mouse: superiority of lowlinoleic-acid oils. Br J Nutr 2002 88 171&181CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Holub, DJ&Holub, BJOmega-3 fatty acids from fish oils and cardiovascular disease. Mol Cell Biochem 2004 263 217 &225CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Meydani, SNEndres, SWoods, MMGoldin, BRSoo, CMorrill-Labrode, ADinarello, CA&Gorbach, SLOral (n-3) fatty acid supplementation suppresses cytokine production and lymphocyte proliferation: comparison between young and older women. J Nutr 1991 121 547–555CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wander, RCHall, JAGradin, JLDu, S-H&Jewell, DEThe 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. J Nutr 1997 127 1198–1205CrossRefGoogle Scholar