(2,17,18,27) SDG did not have any effects on T cell proliferation in the current study.
Babu et a1 (21) reported inhibitory effects of a high flaxseed diet (40% of diet, w/w) on lymphocyte proliferation. These authors concluded that dietary unsaturated fatty acid is known to have inhibitory effects on lymphocyte proliferation, and the decreased lymphocyte proliferation could be due to the high alpha linolenic acids concentration in the flaxseed (21) Moreover, defatted flaxseed or low flaxseed diet had no effects on lymphocyte proliferation in the same study by Babu et al.
Although dietary flaxseed did not affect lymphocyte proliferation, dietary flaxseed (10% of diet, w/w) significantly inhibited superoxide generation by rat peritoneal exudates cells (22) which indicates antioxidant activity of flaxseed.
No effects of SDG on T cell proliferation followed by mitogen stimulation in the current study might be explained in the following way: since SDG treatment of the cells occurred before mitogen stimulation, T cells could not be activated by ROS.
The different incorporation time of SDG, and production of ROS in the cell culture before and after SDG treatment should be measured to clarify SDG effects on mitogen stimulated T cell proliferation.
(9.) Roy RM, Petrella M, Ross WM: Modification of mitogen-induced proliferation of murine splenic lymphocytes by in vitro tocopherol.
(14.) Gossage C, Deyhim M, Moser-Veillon PB, Douglas LW Kramer TR: Effect of -carotene supplementation and lactation on carotenoid metabolism and mitogenic T lymphocyte proliferation. Am J Clin Nutr 2000, 71(4): 950-955.
