DIETARY N-3 FATTY-ACIDS REDUCE ANTIBODY-DEPENDENT CELL CYTOTOXICITY AND ALTER EICOSANOID RELEASE BY CHICKEN IMMUNE CELLS

The overall goal of the present study was to determine whether the incorporation of n-3 fatty adds into poultry rations would alter the immune response of broiler chickens. Female broiler chicks were fed a corn and soybean meal-based diet to which one of four dietary fats were added: lard (LA), com oil (CO), flaxseed oil (SO), or menhaden fish oil (FO). The latter two fat sources are rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Enriching the diet with n-3 PUFA did not alter the primary or secondary antibody response of broiler chickens to sheep red blood cells. Dietary fat source had no effect on antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity (ADCC) by peripheral blood leukocytes, but ADCC by splenocytes was 50% lower in chickens fed SO and FO compared with LA and CO (P < .005). As expected, the fatty add profile of the isolated immune cells reflected the fatty acid composition of the dietary fats fed. Basal release and calcium ionophore (A23187)-stimulated (10-mu-M) release of thromboxane B were significantly lower (P < .05) in the SO and FO groups compared with the LA and CO groups. Total leukotriene B release was not significantly altered by dietary fat source. In conclusion, feeding broiler chickens diets rich in n-3 PUFA reduced ADCC of splenocytes and altered eicosanoid production by isolated immune cells.