Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids alleviate D-galactosamine induced hepatitis by regulating cytokine production

Abstract

Dietary fatty acids are able to modulate the immune system through several mechanisms. Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids are shown to alleviate various inflammatory disorders. The present study aims at finding out the effect of supplementation of two lipid differing in their polyunsaturated fatty acid composition on cytokine expression, liver histology and fatty acid profiles in D-galactosamine induced hepatitis in mice. Two months old swiss albino mice, were fed on diet supplemented with lipid differing in their polyunsaturated fatty acids composition for a period of 30 days. Both experimental and control mice were subjected to hepatitis induction by using D-galactosamine. D-galactosamine administration in the control group of mice showed 30-50 percent (P less than 0.05) increase in the expression of IL-2, TNF-α and iNOS. The expression of these mRNA remained low upon induction of hepatitis in the experimental group of mice. These groups of mice showed significant changes in the fatty acid profiles upon induction of hepatitis. Dietary fish oil supplemented group of mice showed almost normal liver histology in spite of D-galactosamine induced hepatitis. Dietary fish oil alleviates D-Galactosamine induced hepatitis in by regulating the hepatic cytokine expression. Novel lipid metabolites may also be involved in the process which needs further investigation.