Effects of Docosahexaenoic Supplementation and in Vitro Vitamin C on the Oxidative and Inflammatory Neutrophil Response to Activation

We studied the effects of diet supplementation with docosahexaenoic (DHA) and in vitro vitamin C (VitC) at physiological concentrations on oxidative and inflammatory neutrophil response to phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). Fifteen male footballers ingested a beverage enriched with DHA or a placebo for 8 weeks in a randomized double-blind study. Neutrophils were isolated from blood samples collected in basal conditions at the end of nutritional intervention. Neutrophils were cultured for 2 hours at 37°C in (a) control media, (b) media with PMA, and (c) media with PMA + VitC. PMA induces neutrophil degranulation with increased extracellular myeloperoxidase and catalase activities, nitric oxide production, expression of the inflammatory genes cyclooxygenase-2, nuclear factor κβ, interleukin 8 and tumor necrosis factor α, and interleukin 6 production. DHA diet supplementation boosts the exit of CAT from neutrophils but moderates the degranulation of myeloperoxidase granules induced by PMA. VitC facilitates azurophilic degranulation of neutrophils and increases gene expression of myeloperoxidase induced by PMA. VitC and DHA diet supplementation prevent PMA effects on inflammatory gene expression, although together they do not produce additional effects. DHA diet supplementation enhances antioxidant defences and anti-inflammatory neutrophil response to in vitro PMA activation. VitC facilitates neutrophil degranulation but prevents an inflammatory response to PMA.