Fish Oil Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Fish Oil, including details on omega-3, dosage, health benefits, diet.

Eicosapentaenoic acid prevents lipopolysaccharide-stimulated DNA binding of activator protein-1 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase activity.

Zhao Y, Chen LH

Graduate Center for Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA.

Activator protein-1 (AP-1) is a transcription factor that plays an important role in regulating the expression of proinflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). Many studies have shown that fish oil supplementation inhibits TNF-alpha production in mice and humans; however, the mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, the effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), a major n-3 fatty acid in fish oil, on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated activation of AP-1 were investigated in human monocytic THP-1 cells. The results demonstrated that AP-1 DNA binding activity stimulated by LPS was suppressed by preincubating cells with EPA. Lipopolysaccharide-stimulated increase of c-Jun and c-Fos protein levels was also attenuated by EPA pretreatment. In addition, EPA pretreatment decreased LPS-induced c-Jun phosphorylation and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation. The results suggest that suppression of TNF-alpha expression by EPA may be partly mediated by its inhibitory effect on AP-1 activation.

Published 31 January 2005 in J Nutr Biochem, 16(2): 78-84.
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