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Influence of dietary fatty acids & carotenoids on the activation of the transcription factor NF-KB in human monocytes

Reference	BBS/E/F/02300855
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Dr David Hughes
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	Quadram Institute Bioscience
Department	Quadram Institute Bioscience Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	69,798
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/04/1997
End date	30/06/1999
Duration	27 months

Abstract

Dietary fatty acids have been implicated both in the initiation and in the amelioration and prevention of several diseases in humans, including heart disease, cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis. The immune system plays an important role in the development of these diseases and it is now clear that different types of fatty acids have disparate effects on immune cell activity. The n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, found predominantly in fish oils, suppress cell mediated immune responses. In studying potential mechanisms for this effect we have shown that these fatty acids can suppress the expression on human blood monocytes of cell surface adhesion molecules that are involved in cell-cell communication. We have also shown that carotenoids, found in highly coloured fruit and vegetables, can exert the opposite effect on these cell surface molecules. In order to comprehend the balance between health and disease a greater knowledge of the interactions between fatty acids and immune cell function is needed. This project will use both in vitro cell culture modification and dietary manipulation studies to investigate whether different fatty acids and carotenoids can modulate the activity of the transcription factor, NF-KB, which controls the production of these adhesion molecules, in human blood monocytes.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Agri-food (AF)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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