Fish Oil Enhances T Cell Function and Tumor Infiltration and Is Correlated With a Cancer Prevention Effect in HER-2/neu But Not PyMT Transgenic Mice

Nutr Cancer. 2015;67(6):965-75. doi: 10.1080/01635581.2015.1060351. Epub 2015 Jul 30.

Abstract

Few studies have explored the effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) supplementation on immune modulation in murine models of mammary carcinogenesis. HER-2/neu and PyMT mice were randomized to 2 dietary interventions: AIN-93G-based diet with 1) 11% of diet (per gram weight) as corn oil (CO) or 2) 10% of diet as menhaden fish oil plus 1% of diet as corn oil (FO). FO significantly reduced the incidence and multiplicity of tumors (P < 0.001) in HER-2/neu, but not PyMT mice. FO-fed mice had significantly larger splenocyte counts than CO-fed mice in both the HER-2/neu and PyMT models; and in both models this was comprised of an increase in most cell types, including Gr-1(+)/CD11b(+) cells. T cells from FO-fed HER-2/neu mice produced significantly more interleukin-2 (P = 0.004) and interferon-γ (P = 0.012) in response to in vitro stimulation with anti-CD3 (0.5 µg/ml). Lastly, FO-fed HER-2/neu mice had significantly more tumor immune infiltrates than CO-fed mice, including NK1.1(+), F4/80(+), and Gr-1(+)/CD11b(+) cells (P ≤ 0.05). Greater Th1 cytokine production and significantly more tumor immune infiltrates in FO-fed Her2/neu mice may account for the cancer prevention effect of fish oil in this model.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Corn Oil / pharmacology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / pharmacology
  • Female
  • Fish Oils / pharmacology*
  • Interferon-gamma / metabolism
  • Interleukin-2 / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Neoplasms / prevention & control*
  • T-Lymphocytes / drug effects*
  • T-Lymphocytes / metabolism

Substances

  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3
  • Fish Oils
  • Interleukin-2
  • Menhaden oil
  • Corn Oil
  • Interferon-gamma