Sera fatty acid effects on cultured rat splenocytes.

Rats were fed either a stock diet or purified diets containing either 10% by weight corn oil or linseed oil for 8 weeks. Splenocytes from rats on the stock ration were cultured for 48 hours in media containing either serum from the rats fed stock diet, corn oil or linseed oil, or fetal bovine serum (FBS). Populations were cultured without stimulation and with stimulation by leucogglutinin (PHA), and the production of prostaglandin F2 alpha by the cells was determined. The serum from the corn oil-fed rats differed markedly in composition from that of the linseed oil-fed rats notably in the higher level of arachidonic acid (20:4 omega 6) and lower level of timnodonic acid (20:5 omega 3). FBS also had a lower level of 20:4 omega 6. These changes were reflected in the fatty acid composition of the spleen choline glycerophosphatide. PGF2 alpha production was significantly depressed in the medium from linseed oil-fed rats compared to the corn oil group. This effect was due to the competition of 20:5 omega 3 for the cyclooxygenase. Viability of cells was better in rat serum than in FBS. The study shows that when studying functions in cultured cells obtained from rats fed different dietary fats the dietary effect will be abrogated or modified by use of FBS in the medium.