Immunoregulatory roles of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in multiple sclerosis

我们以实验性自身免疫性脑脊髓炎（EAE）为模型，探讨ω-3多不饱和脂肪酸之一二十碳五烯酸（eicosapentaenoic acid， EPA）对多发性硬化症（MS）可能的治疗作用。喂食EPA小鼠的临床评分和中枢神经系统浸润细胞数量明显低于未喂食EPA小鼠。此外，在cns浸润的CD4T细胞中，IFN-γ和IL-17的产生被显著抑制，过氧化物酶体增殖物激活受体的表达水平显著增强。因此，超纯化epa有望成为一种治疗多发性硬化症的新药物。

We investigated the possible therapeutic effect of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), one of ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, for multiple sclerosis (MS) by applying experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), as a model for MS. The clinical scores and the numbers of CNS-infiltrating cells in the EPA-fed mice were significantly lower than those of the non-EPA mice. Additionally, IFN-γ and IL-17 productions were remarkably inhibited and the expression levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors were significantly enhanced in the CNS-infiltrating CD4T cells. Thus ultra-purified EPAshows promise as a potential new therapeutic agent against MS.