A prospective randomized study on sixty patients was conducted to investigate the effects of a fish oil containing total parenteral nutrition (TPN) regimen in the postoperative period on lymphocyte subset distribution, proliferation, cytokine production and interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) expression. Patients who underwent large bowel surgery were divided into three groups. Nineteen patients received TPN with fish oil (0 : 2 g/kg body weight per day) plus soybean oil (1 : 0 g/kg per day), twenty patients received soybean oil (1 : 2 g/kg per day), and twenty-one patients who were on a fat-free regimen served as the control group. Natural killer (NK) cells, total, B-, T-, T 4 -, T 8 -lymphocytes, proliferation of lymphocytes, in vitro production of IL-2, IFN-g, TNF-a, and IL-2R expression were measured. Fish oil administration did not affect subset distribution and proliferation of lymphocytes. Production of interleukin-2 (IL-2), interferon g (IFN-g) and tumor necrosis factor a (TNF-a) was augmented, and IL-2R expression less enhanced compared with the controls. It is concluded that administration of 0 : 2 g/kg per day fish oil after a moderate surgical stress is not immunosuppressive, but enhances the production of IFN-g, TNF-a and possibly IL-2.

No abstract

Effects of palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acid on mitogen-induced DNA synthesis, on production of IL-1 beta, IL-2, IFN-gamma, and TNF-alpha, and on IL-2R expression were determined in human peripheral lymphocytes. Free fatty acids (FFA) were added over a wide range of concentrations to cells cultured under serum free conditions with fatty acid free albumin. DNA synthesis was stimulated by low and inhibited by high FFA concentrations. Physiological concentrations were stimulatory, except for linoleic acid. Cytokine production became affected by all FFA tested. Palmitic acid enhanced the release of IFN-gamma at concentrations that diminished TNF-alpha production. Saturated fatty acids were significantly more potent than unsaturated fatty acids in affecting cytokine production. IFN-gamma secretion was significantly more stimulated or inhibited by the various FFA compared with the other cytokines. IL-2R expression correlated with the production of IL-2. When tested in combination, stimulatory as well as inhibitory effects of the individual FFA became attenuated. It is suggested that palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acid are physiological regulators of DNA synthesis and cytokine release in human peripheral lymphocytes. Modulation of FFA ratios may be an effective means for the fine tuning of the immune system. As secretory mechanisms of cytokines appear to exhibit substrate specificity for FFA, the release of individual cytokines may be selectively influenced by FFA.

SUMMARYIsolates of adenovirus types 1 and 2, obtained from 11 infants with prolonged faecal excretion (up to 515 days), were compared by DNA restriction analysis with seven standard endonucleases which recognize hexanucleotides and two additional endonucleases which recognize tetranucleotides. In all instances identical genome types were identified in isolates obtained early and late after infection. Our interpretation of these data is that a chronic persistent infection occurred in these children, and not a reinfection with the same serotype.

These findings suggest that carbohydrates in dried peas may be largely disregarded in carbohydrate counting and that type 2 diabetic patients should probably increase their consumption of low-glycemic, high-fiber foods at the expense of high-glycemic, low-fiber foods.