Dietary Oils and Phospholipids Containing n-3 Highly Unsaturated Fatty Acids Suppress 2, 4-Dinitro-1-fluorobenzene-induced Contact Dermatitis in Mice

Abstract

Dietary perilla oil, tuna oil and salmon roe phospholipids (fish roe PL) containing n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids were compared with n-6 fatty acid-rich corn oil for their anti-inflammatory activities in the contact hypersensitivity reaction in the ears of mice sensitized with 2, 4-dinitro-1-fluorobenzene (DNFB). Suppression of ear swelling was most active with fish roe PL followed by tuna oil and Saibokuto, a traditional Chinese medicine, when compared with the corn oil diet group; perilla oil enriched with α-linolenic acid (n-3) tended to suppress the ear swelling, but the effect was not statistically significant. Infiltration of inflammatory CD4-positive T lymphocytes into the ears was suppressed by fish roe PL. Fish roe PL diet suppressed the expression of mRNAs for IFN-γ, IL-6 and IL-1β in the ears. These results suggest that tuna oil and fish roe PL may be effective in suppressing delayed-type hypersensitivity.