Reduction of splenic immunosuppressive cells and enhancement of anti-tumor immunity by synergy of fish oil and selenium yeast

PLoS One. 2013;8(1):e52912. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0052912. Epub 2013 Jan 22.

Abstract

Growing evidence has shown that regulatory T cells (Tregs) and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) abnormally increase in cancer cachectic patients. Suppressions of Tregs and MDSCs may enhance anti-tumor immunity for cancer patients. Fish oil and selenium have been known to have many biological activities such as anti-inflammation and anti-oxidation. Whether fish oil and/or selenium have an additional effect on population of immunosuppressive cells in tumor-bearing hosts remained elusive and controversial. To gain insights into their roles on anti-tumor immunity, we studied the fish oil- and/or selenium-mediated tumor suppression and immunity on lung carcinoma, whereof cachexia develops. Advancement of cachexia in a murine lung cancer model manifested with such indicative symptoms as weight loss, chronic inflammation and disturbed immune functionality. The elevation of Tregs and MDSCs in spleens of tumor-bearing mice was positively correlated with tumor burdens. Consumption of either fish oil or selenium had little or no effect on the levels of Tregs and MDSCs. However, consumption of both fish oil and selenium together presented a synergistic effect--the population of Tregs and MDSCs decreased as opposed to increase of anti-tumor immunity when both fish oil and selenium were supplemented simultaneously, whereby losses of body weight and muscle/fat mass were alleviated significantly.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • BALB 3T3 Cells
  • Cachexia / complications
  • Cachexia / diet therapy
  • Cachexia / microbiology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Down-Regulation / drug effects
  • Fish Oils / pharmacology*
  • Fish Oils / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Immune Tolerance / drug effects*
  • Immunocompetence / drug effects
  • Immunocompetence / immunology
  • Lung Neoplasms / diet therapy
  • Lung Neoplasms / immunology*
  • Lung Neoplasms / microbiology
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Myeloid Cells / immunology
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / metabolism
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / physiology*
  • Selenium / metabolism*
  • Spleen / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / drug effects
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / microbiology
  • Up-Regulation / drug effects

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Fish Oils
  • Selenium

Grants and funding

The authors have no support or funding to report.