Cold-pressed flaxseed oil reverses age-associated depression in a primary cell-mediated adaptive immune response in the mouse

Abstract

The objective of this investigation was to determine the influence of flaxseed oil on responses representative of primary humoral and cell-mediated adaptive immune competence in immunosenescent mice. Male and female C57BL/6J mice, 85 weeks old, were randomized between two complete purified diets differing only in oil source (cold-pressed safflower or flaxseed). After 8 weeks, humoral competence was assessed in six mice per group as the serum haemagglutinin titre to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and cell-mediated competence was assessed, in an additional six mice per group, as the delayed hypersensitivity response to SRBC. A zero-time control group (88 weeks old) and a young adult positive control group (12 weeks old) were each tested similarly (six per immune response), revealing age-related depression in both antibody and cell-mediated competence at 88 weeks of age. After the 8-week experimental period, the antibody response of the two test groups of geriatric mice remained below the young adult level (P¼ 0·04) and the cell-mediated response of the safflower oil group also continued to exhibit age-related depression (20 % of young adult level, P¼0·0002). By contrast, the anti-SRBC delayed hypersensitivity response of the flaxseed group no longer differed from the response of the young adults but exceeded that of the safflower and zero-time control senescent groups (P¼ 0·0002). Depression in primary cell-mediated competence, the most outstanding aspect of immunosenescence, can be addressed by means of a dietary source of 18 : 3n-3 without longer-chain PUFA.

Omega 3, 6, 9 Enhanced Goat Meat (Omega-Chevon) from Flaxseed and Canola Fed Meat Goats

“…Much attention has been given to flax consumption as being beneficial for the management of blood pressure, CVD, diabetes, and immune function (Adlercreutz, 2007;Barre, Mizier-Barre, Griscti, & Hafez, 2008;Basch et al, 2007;Bhardwaj, Hamama, Narina, & Parry, 2012;Bhathena et al, 2003;Farran et al, 2008;Fritsche & Cassity, 1992;Hillyer, Sandiford, Gray, & Woodward, 2006;Lessard, Gagnon, & Petit, 2003;Leyva et al, 2011;Mandaşescu et al, 2005;Park, H. J., Park, J. S., Hayek, Reinhart, & Chew, 2011;Saini, Harjai, Mohan, Punia, & Chhibber, 2010;Thies et al, 2001;Wallace, Miles, & Calder, 2003). Past research indicates that products, such as eggs (Antruejo et al, 2011;Raes et al, 2002;Schumann, Squires, Leeson, & Hunter, 2003;Yalç in & Unal, 2010) and beef (Juá rez et al, 2011;Kronberg, Scholljegerdes, Lepper, & Berg, 2011;Nassu et al, 2011;Quinn et al, 2008;Scholljegerdes & Kronberg, 2010), from animals fed flax have increased levels of omega-3 fatty acids.…”