REVERSAL OF SATURATED FATTY ACID-INDUCED ACTIVATION OF HUMAN T LYMPHOCYTES, PRODUCTION OF REACTIVE OXYGEN SPECIES, AND LIPID PEROXIDATION BY LINOLENIC ACID.

Abstract

Purpose of Study T lymphocytes (T cells) in their native state are insulin nonresponsive but upon incubation with phytohemagglutinin or 30 mM glucose (GL) become activated and develop insulin receptors (CD69) and exhibit insulin responsiveness. We have also shown that saturated fatty acid (SF), palmitic acid, but not unsaturated fatty acids (UF) oleic, linoleic, or linolenic acids (LIN), activate T cells with de novo emergence of insulin receptors and production of lipid peroxidation (TBA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) determined by DCF (BBRC 2006). The present study was conducted to study possible inhibitory effects of LIN on activation of T cells and production of lipid peroxidation and ROS. Methods T cells from normal subjects were isolated and incubated with 0, 50, or 500 μM stearic acid (STA) without or with LIN or GL. Results Addition of LIN partially reversed the effect of T-cell activation by STA. Values are shown in the Table. Conclusions SF induces activation of T cells with production of ROS and TBA. Linolenic acid does not activate the T cells but inhibits GL- or SF-induced activation. Unlike SF, UF has an inhibitory effect on activation of T cells and production of ROS and lipid peroxidation.