DHA may have antiadhesion effects. - GreenMedInfo Summary
Antiadhesion effects of docosahexaenoic acid on normal human peritoneal and adhesion fibroblasts.
Fertil Steril. 2007 Dec;88(6):1657-62. Epub 2007 May 4. PMID: 17482172
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) reduces adhesion marker mRNA levels in normal peritoneal and adhesion fibroblasts. DESIGN: Prospective experimental study. SETTING: University Medical Center. PATIENT(S): Three patients undergoing laparotomy with excision of adhesions and normal peritoneum. INTERVENTION(S): DHA treatment (100 muM) of cell cultures for 24 hours. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) quantification of relative changes (mRNA copies/mug mRNA) in mRNA levels of type I collagen, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1). RESULT(S): The DHA treatment significantly reduced type I collagen and VEGF, but not TGF-beta1 mRNA levels in normal peritoneal fibroblasts compared to normal controls. The DHA treatment of adhesion fibroblasts reduced type I collagen mRNAs to those of normal peritoneal fibroblasts, decreasing mRNAs by 35% compared to untreated adhesion fibroblasts. The VEGF mRNA levels were 50% lower in DHA-treated adhesion fibroblasts versus untreated adhesion fibroblasts. Docasahexaenoic acid reduced TGF- beta1 mRNA to normal levels in treated adhesion fibroblasts compared to untreated normal peritoneal fibroblasts. CONCLUSION(S): Docasahexaenoic acid substantially reduces levels of adhesion-related markers in normal peritoneal and adhesion fibroblasts. This study provides the molecular basis for an easily administered and potentially, highly efficacious, antiadhesion adjuvant.