ω-3 Lipid Infusion in a Heart Allotransplant Model Shift in Fatty Acid and Lipid Mediator Profiles and Prolongation of Transplant Survival

Background ω-3 Fatty acids may have a major impact on immune responses involved in heart transplant rejection. We compared the effects of posttransplant intravenous supplementation with ω-3–rich versus ω-6–rich lipid emulsions on graft survival, plasma fatty acid profiles, and levels of arachidonic acid versus eicosapentaenoic acid–derived lipid mediators. Methods and Results Inbred PVG and Wistar-Kyoto rats were used as donors and recipients, respectively, in a model of heterotopic heart transplantation. Animals received 9 g/kg body wt per day of either fish oil–derived (n=8) or soybean oil–derived fat (n=7) in the form of a continuously infused lipid emulsion; controls were sham-infused with saline (n=8). Graft rejection was assessed by loss of activity of the transplant. The fish oil–derived preparation but not that originating from soybean oil caused an increase in total and free plasma fatty acids. Substantial quantities of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid appeared in the free fatty aci...