Modulation in vitro of human natural cytotoxicity, lymphocyte proliferative response to mitogens and cytokine production by essential fatty acids.

Essential fatty acids (EFA) have been shown in animal studies to have a differential effect on various aspects of immune reactivity. However, there have been few studies in humans. Therefore, we elected to investigate the effects of a variety of EFA [gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)] in vitro on human blood lymphocyte reactivity, cytokine secretion and natural cytotoxicity. The proliferative response to polyclonal mitogens (phytohaemagglutinin, pokeweed mitogen, concanavalin A), as measured by [3H]thymidine incorporation into newly synthesized lymphocytes, was inhibited (P < 0.05) by all EFAs tested, in a dose-dependent manner (3-15 micrograms/ml). The greatest inhibition of proliferation was caused by EPA and DHA. Similarly, EPA, DHA and GLA significantly reduced cytotoxic activity [expressed as lytic units, using 51 chromium-release assays natural killer (NK) (K562 cells) and lymphokine-activated (LAK) (Daudi cells) cells] (P < 0.05) in a concentration-dependent manner (5-50 micrograms/ml), without affecting cell viability. EPA and DHA exhibited greater suppression than GLA. Furthermore, the inhibition of cell proliferation and suppression of natural cytotoxicity was associated with marked decrease in cytokine [interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-2, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)] production in vitro. Our findings demonstrate that EFAs (GLA, EPA, DHA) have the potential to inhibit significantly various aspects of human lymphocyte cell-mediated and humoral immune reactivities.