No / Background: Skin cancer is a major public health concern, and the majority of cases are caused by solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure, which suppresses skin immunity. Omega-3 (n−3) PUFAs protect against photoimmunosuppression and skin cancer in mice, but the impact in humans is unknown.
Objectives: We hypothesized that EPA-rich n−3 PUFA would abrogate photoimmunosuppression in humans. Therefore, a nutritional study was performed to assess the effect on UVR suppression of cutaneous cell-mediated immunity (CMI) reflected by nickel contact hypersensitivity (CHS).
Design: In a double-blind, randomized controlled study, 79 volunteers (nickel-allergic women, 22–60 y old, with phototype I or II) took 5 g n−3 PUFA–containing lipid (70% EPA plus 10% DHA) or a control lipid daily for 3 mo. After supplementation, nickel was applied to 3 skin sites preexposed on 3 consecutive days to 1.9, 3.8, or 7.6 J/cm2 of solar-simulated radiation (SSR) and to 3 unexposed control sites. Nickel CHS responses were quantified after 72 h and the percentage of immunosuppression by SSR was calculated. Erythrocyte [red blood cell (RBC)] EPA was measured by using gas chromatography.
Results: SSR dose-related suppression of the nickel CHS response was observed in both groups. Photoimmunosuppression appeared less in the n−3 PUFA group than in the control group (not statistically significant [mean difference (95% CI): 6.9% (−2.1%, 15.9%)]). The difference was greatest at 3.8 J/cm2 SSR [mean difference: 11% (95% CI: 0.5%, 21.4%)]. Postsupplementation RBC EPA was 4-fold higher in the n−3 PUFA group than in the control group (mean difference: 2.69% (95% CI: 2.23%, 3.14%), which confirmed the EPA bioavailability.
Conclusion: Oral n−3 PUFAs appear to abrogate photoimmunosuppression in human skin, providing additional support for their chemopreventive role; verification of study findings is required.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BRADFORD/oai:bradscholars.brad.ac.uk:10454/7255 |
| Date | 30 January 2013 |
| Creators | Pilkington, S.M., Massey, Karen A., Bennett, S.P., Al-Aasswad, Naser M.I., Roshdy, K., Gibbs, N.K., Friedmann, P.S., Nicolaou, Anna, Rhodes, L.E. |
| Source Sets | Bradford Scholars |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Article, No full-text in the repository |
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