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n-3 Polyunsaturated fatty acid-enriched diet does not protect from liver injury but attenuates mortality rate in a rat model of systemic endotoxemia

Vollmar B, Bauer C, Menger MD

Critical care medicine, 2002

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the potential of dietary fish oil containing n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids to attenuate hepatic injury and mortality rate of rats in response to systemic endotoxemia.

DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, controlled animal study.

SETTING: University laboratory.

SUBJECTS: A total of 43 male Sprague Dawley rats.

INTERVENTIONS: Rats were fed either fish oil supplement or regular standard lab chow. After 8 wks of feeding, each diet group was subjected to a single exposure of lipopolysaccharide (Escherichia coli, 10 mg/kg intravenously) or saline. Hepatic microvascular response and liver injury were assessed by in vivo analysis of Kupffer cell phagocytic activity, leukocyte-endothelial cell interaction, nutritive sinusoidal perfusion failure, and parenchymal cell apoptosis (intravital fluorescence epi-illumination technique) as well as bile flow, serum liver enzyme activities, and tissue histomorphology.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: In animals fed a standard diet, livers at 16 hrs after lipopolysaccharide-exposure exhibited depressed Kupffer cell phagocytic activity, enhanced hepatic microvascular leukocyte activation, leukocytic tissue infiltration, sinusoidal perfusion failure, and parenchymal cell apoptosis. Hepatic microvascular injury was further accompanied by reduced bile flow and enhanced liver enzyme release. The fish oil enriched diet did not significantly change the multiple features of endotoxemia-associated liver injury; however, it…

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