Influence of marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on immune function and a systematic review of their effects on clinical outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis

Influence of marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on immune function and a systematic review of their effects on clinical outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease of the joints and bones. The n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) arachidonic acid (ARA) is the precursor of inflammatory eicosanoids which are involved in RA. Some therapies used in RA target ARA metabolism. Marine n-3 PUFAs (eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) found in oily fish and fish oils decrease the ARA content of cells involved in immune responses and decrease the production of inflammatory eicosanoids from ARA. EPA gives rise to eicosanoid mediators that are less inflammatory than those produced from ARA and both EPA and DHA give rise to resolvins that are anti-inflammatory and inflammation resolving, although little is known about these latter mediators in RA. Marine n-3 PUFAs can affect other aspects of immunity and inflammation relevant to RA, including dendritic cell and T cell function and production of inflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species, although findings for these outcomes are not consistent. Fish oil has been shown to slow the development of arthritis in animal models and to reduce disease severity. A number of randomised controlled trials of marine n-3 PUFAs have been performed in patients with RA. A systematic review included 23 studies. Evidence is seen for a fairly consistent, but modest, benefit of marine n-3 PUFAs on joint swelling and pain, duration of morning stiffness, global assessments of pain and disease activity, and use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Unsaturated fatty acids and pain.

Fatty acids, which are the essential nutrients for humans, are an important source of energy and an essential component of cell membranes. They also function as signal transduction molecules in a range of biological phenomena. Recently, an increasing number of physiologic and pharmacologic reports on fatty acids have improved our understanding of the association of fatty acids with certain diseases. It has also become apparent that functional properties of fatty acids are modulated by factors such as the amount of individual fatty acid intake and their distribution among organs. Recently, the functional relationship between polyunsaturated fatty acids and pain has been the focus of many studies. Both basic and clinical studies have shown that a dietary intake of n-3 series polyunsaturated fatty acids results in a reduction in the pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis, dysmenorrhea, inflammatory bowl disease, and neuropathy. In addition, levels of n-6 series polyunsaturated fatty acids are high in patients with chronic pain. These results indicate that polyunsaturated fatty acids play a vital role in pain regulation. In this review, we summarize a number of basic and clinical studies on polyunsaturated fatty acids and their association with pain.

Жирные кислоты, которые являются необходимыми питательными веществами для человека, являются важным источником энергии и основным компонентом клеточных мембран. Они также выполняют функцию передачи сигнала молекул в различных биологических явлений. В последнее время все большее количество физиологических и фармакологических отчеты о жирных кислот улучшили наше понимание ассоциации жирных кислот с определенными заболеваниями. Кроме того, стало очевидным, что функциональные свойства жирных кислот видоизменяться в зависимости от таких факторов, как количество отдельных жирных кислот, потребление и распределение их среди органов. Недавно, функциональные отношения между полиненасыщенных жирных кислот и боль были посвящены многие исследования. И основные и клинические исследования показали, что рацион n-серии 3 полиненасыщенных жирных кислот приводит к уменьшению боли, связанной с ревматоидным артритом, дисменорея, воспалительными заболеваниями шар, и нейропатии. Кроме того, уровень n-серии 6 полиненасыщенных жирных кислот высокой пациентов с хронической болью. Эти результаты показывают, что полиненасыщенные жирные кислоты играют важную роль в боль регулирования. В этом обзоре мы кратко сформулировать ряд фундаментальных и клинических исследований по полиненасыщенные жирные кислоты и их Ассоциация с болью.