Lysophosphatidylcholine, rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, inhibits leukotriene production by mouse mast cells.

Abstract

In fishery industries, large amounts of byproducts are discarded during processing; therefore, their use as a source of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) is beneficial. In this study, we evaluated the potential anti-allergic effect of lysophosphatidylcholine (Lyso-PtdCho) derived from squid skin phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) by measuring the production of leukotriene (LT) B₄ and C₄, which are chemical mediators produced by mast cells in immediate allergic reactions. Squid Lyso-PtdCho, with docosahexaenoic acid exclusively esterified at the sn-2 position, significantly inhibited LT production, whereas the original PtdCho obtained from squid skin showed no inhibitory activity. Lyso-PtdCho prepared from starfish viscera PtdCho, which exclusively binds eicosapentaenoic acid at the sn-2 position, also inhibited LT production, although the effect was moderate compared with that of the squid Lyso-PtdCho. It has been suggested that Lyso-PtdCho containing n-3 PUFA may alleviate allergic symptoms and contribute to the effective utilization of fishery wastes and processing byproducts.