Omega-3, a polyunsaturated fatty acid, is essential fatty acids necessary for human health against cardiovascular disease, inflammation, and cancer. In the present study, we investigated the effects of omega-3-rich harp seal oil (HSO) on the production of the proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-Ձ (TNF-Ձ), interleukin-1Ղ (IL-1Ղ), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in mice. The culture supernatants of splenocytes exposed with HSO alone or HSO plus lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were harvested to assay TNF-Ձ, IL-1Ղ, and IL-6 production. Also, sera from the mice ip-injected with HSO alone or LPS plus HSO were assayed for the same cytokines. The TNF-Ձ, IL-1Ղ, and IL-6 from mice splenocytes exposed with HSO were decreased compared to dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) control. The TNF-Ձ and IL-1Ղ in the culture supernatants from mice splenocytes exposed with LPS＋HSO were lower than those of the groups exposed with LPS alone. The TNF-Ձ and IL-6 in the sera from mice injected with LPS＋HSO were lower than those of the groups injected with LPS only. These findings demonstrate that omega-3-rich harp seal oil downregulates the production of the proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-Ձ, IL-1Ղ, and IL-6. These results show the probability of its usefulness for antiinflammatory effects if more research results were accumulated. (Cancer Prev Res 13, 330-335, 2008)

Keywords: Harp seal oil, Inflammation, TNF-Ձ,, IL-1Ղ,, IL-6, Mice