effect of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids on expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in lambs vaccinated against foot and mouth disease virus

The current study was aim to the effects of n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (pufa, or palmitic acid sources) on expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in lambs vaccinated against foot and mouth disease (fmd) virus. a total of fifteen sangsari male lambs with an age of 6 ± 1 months and body weight of 42 ± 1 kg were randomly assigned to one of three experimental treatments as follows: 1) po: received calcium soap of palm oil fatty acid (fa) in the diet as source of palmitic acid (16:0), 2) so: received calcium soap of sunflower oil fas in the diet as source of linoleic acid (n-6 18:2) and 3) lo: received calcium soap of linseed oil fa in the diet as source of α-linolenic acid (n-3 18:3). the lambs were offered an iso-energetic and iso-nitrogenous diet for 28 days (including 21 days of adaptation and 7 days of sampling). the lambs were individually housed and had access to water ad libitum. the expression of interleukin-1β (il-1β) mrna was lower in lo when compared with po and so (p<0.05). the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (tnfα) mrna was higher in po when compared with so and lo and the lowest expression of tnfα mrna was measured in lo (p<0.05). lower concentrations of serum cholesterol and triglyceride (tg) were measured in vaccinated lambs on lo diet when compared with vaccinated lambs on palmitic fa diet (p<0.05). there was no significant difference between so and lo groups in serum cholesterol or tg levels. there were no significant differences between treatments (p>0.05) in serum level of total proteins and albumin. the findings from the current study showed feeding α-linolenic acid diet following vaccination against fmd resulted in a decrease in serum levels of cholesterol and tg due to higher n-3 pufa intake and suppressed the pro-inflammatory cytokine expression (il-1 and tnfα).