Immunomodulation occurs in high-enriched dietary docosahexaenoic acid in rat

Abstract Background The immunomodulation dietary adjuvant therapy for clinical workup in surgery is a very common demand and challenge clinical concern. The enteral or parenteral use of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids is one of the common protocols in certain area. This animal study investigated the skin fatty acids tissue level and relationship between immunological parameters after various dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 20:6n-3) supplement after burn challenge. Materials and Methods Forty-five male 4-week-old Wistar rats were divided into three groups and received either a regular diet (RD) or DHA-enforced diet at 1% (1P) and 5% (5P) for 2 weeks. Then, all the animals treated with the same controlled scalding burn injury. Some of the rats killed during the acute stage at 5 days after the burn for tissue pathological examination CD3, CD4, CD8, and CD68. The rest of the rats data were collected at 4 weeks later. Tissue fatty acid levels were analyzed via gas chromatography. The pathological grading, subpopulation of blood immune cells CD4 and CD8, and the serum cytokine IL-2 and IFN-γ were also examined. Results The dietary supplementing DHA could increase the skin tissue DHS concentration. Tissue DHA increased in RD 2.40 ± 0.91% < 1P 6.07 ± 0.92% < 5P 13.53 ± 1.24%. In contrast, tissue 20:4n-6 concentrations were quite constant and not affected by the dietary manipulations. The skin pathology did not show differences in CD3, CD4, CD8, and CD68 in acute stage. Only the serum INF-γ did show elevation statistically in 5P 80.11 ± 29.45 > RD 42.90 ± 30.85 and 1P 50.77 ± 40.75 pg/mL (P = 0.029). The subpopulation of blood CD4, CD8, and serum IL-2 did not show differences statistically. Pathological grading of the burned skin tissue showed significant difference between RD and 1P 4 weeks after the burn (P = 0.012). The body weight gain was prominent in 5P. Conclusions The immunomodulation did occur only at higher concentration dietary DHA supplement revealed by the increase serum INF-γ. However, only optimal concentration dietary group (1P) could decrease the tissue destruction after the burn. The increased body weight gain also indicated that the higher dietary supplement of DHA (5P) could serve the high energy requirement after burn.