ABSTRACT
The present study aimed to investigate the effects of daily (45 days) intake of fish oil (FO; 10mg EPA/kg body weight (BW) and 7 mg DHA/kg BW) and/or natural ASTA (1mg ASTA/kg BW) on oxidative stress and functional indexes of neutrophils isolated from Wistar rats by monitoring superoxide (O(2)(-)), hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), and nitric oxide (NO()) production compared to the progression of auto-induced lipid peroxidation and Ca(2+) release in activated neutrophils. Furthermore, phagocytic capacity, antioxidant enzyme activities, glutathione-recycling system, and biomarkers of lipid and protein oxidation in neutrophils were compared to the redox status. Our results show evidence of the beneficial effects of FO+ASTA supplementation for immune competence based on the redox balance in plasma (significant increase in GSH-dependent reducing power), non-activated neutrophils (increased activity of the glutathione-recycling enzymes GPx and GR) and PMA-activated neutrophils (lower O(2)(-), H(2)O(2), and NO() generation, reduced membrane oxidation, but higher phagocytic activity). Combined application of ASTA and FO promoted hypolipidemic/hypocholesterolemic effects in plasma and resulted in increased phagocytic activity of activated neutrophils when compared with ASTA or FO applied alone. In PMA-activated neutrophils, ASTA was superior to FO in exerting antioxidant effects. The bulk of data reinforces the hypothesis that habitual consumption of marine fish (e.g. salmon, which is a natural source of both astaxanthin and fish oil) is beneficial to human health, in particular by improving immune response and lowering the risk of vascular and infectious diseases.
Subject(s)
Fish Oils/pharmacology , Glutathione/metabolism , Neutrophils/drug effects , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Animals , Chlorophyta/chemistry , Dietary Supplements , Drug Synergism , Glutathione/blood , Hydrogen Peroxide/metabolism , Male , Neutrophils/cytology , Neutrophils/metabolism , Nitric Oxide/metabolism , Oxidation-Reduction/drug effects , Phagocytosis/drug effects , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Superoxides/metabolism , Xanthophylls/pharmacologyABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Higher intakes of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids that are abundant in marine fishes have been long described as a "good nutritional intervention" with increasing clinical benefits to cardiovascular health, inflammation, mental, and neurodegenerative diseases. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of daily fish oil (FO-10 mg EPA/kg body weight (BW) and 7 mg DHA/kg BW) intake by oral gavage associated with the antioxidant astaxanthin (ASTA-1 mg/kg BW) on the redox metabolism and the functional properties of lymphocytes from rat lymph nodes. METHODS: This study was conducted by measurements of lymphocyte proliferation capacity, ROS production [superoxide (O2(â¢-)) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)], nitric oxide (NO(â¢)) generation, intracellular calcium release, oxidative damage to lipids and proteins, activities of major antioxidant enzymes, GSH/GSSG content, and cytokines release. RESULTS: After 45 days of FO + ASTA supplementation, the proliferation capacity of activated T- and B-lymphocytes was significantly diminished followed by lower levels of O2(â¢-), H2O2 and NO(â¢) production, and increased activities of total/SOD, GR and GPx, and calcium release in cytosol. ASTA was able to prevent oxidative modification in cell structures through the suppression of the oxidative stress condition imposed by FO. L: -selectin was increased by FO, and IL-1ß was decreased only by ASTA supplementation. CONCLUSION: We can propose that association of ASTA with FO could be a good strategy to prevent oxidative stress induced by polyunsaturated fatty acids and also to potentiate immuno-modulatory effects of FO.
