ω-3 fatty acids attenuate mucosal inflammation in premature rat pups.

Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating intestinal disease of premature infants. Although ω-3 fatty acids are known to have antiinflammatory effects, their effect against NEC remains unclear.

Methods: Mother rats fed a soybean-based, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)- or eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)-enriched diet from days 7 to 20 of gestation were examined. On day 20, the rat pups were delivered by abdominal incision, their intestines were removed, and messenger RNA was extracted. A rat NEC model was used to confirm the effects of ω-3 fatty acids on the inflamed intestine (n = 20-28). The expression of inflammatory molecules was analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (n = 11-14).

Results: The concentrations of DHA and EPA in the intestine were significantly increased in the DHA and EPA groups (P < .01). The expression of the antiinflammatory prostaglandin E2 receptor EP3 was increased in the DHA (P < .05) and EPA groups (P < .01). In the NEC model, the reduced incidence of colitis was confirmed in the DHA and EPA groups. The expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ was increased (P < .05), and the inhibitor of nuclear factor-κB α/β decreased in both the DHA (P < .01) and EPA groups (P < .05).

Conclusion: Our findings indicate that ω-3 fatty acids are beneficial for protecting the premature intestine from inflammation by regulating eicosanoid- and nuclear factor-κB-related metabolite expression.