Docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acids inhibit in vitro human lymphocyte proliferation induced by allogenic cells

During the last decade, there has been great interet in studying the effects of different types of dietary fatty acids on the immune system. Much of this interest has focused on polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). We and other investigators have previously shown that ω3 PUFAs are able to inhibit lymphocyte proliferation in response to mitogens and to immobilized anti-CD3. This effect is not due to eicosanoid and peroxide synthesis and could not be explained only by a mechanism preventing interleukin 2 synthesis. To extend our understanding of the effect of ω3 PUFAs on the immune system, we examined the in vitro effects of doco sa hexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) on human lymphocyte proliferation in response to alloantigens.