Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Influence of polyunsaturated fatty acids on urologic inflammation

  • Urology - Review
  • Published:
International Urology and Nephrology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Studies demonstrate that polyunsaturated fatty acids, fish oils, and alpha-linoleic acid are beneficial anti-inflammatory agents, which suppress inflammatory mediators and their activity.

Methods

This review focuses on the effects of omega-3 fatty acids (O-3FAs) on three primary urologic organs (bladder, kidney, and prostate) and associated conditions such as urolithiasis, kidney transplantation, interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome, bladder cancer, prostate cancer (CaP), and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.

Results

The following themes emerged: the potential influence of O-3FA in suppressing urologic inflammation; the supportive role of O-3FA in therapeutic interventions; pro-inflammatory mechanisms of omega-6 fatty acids (O-6FAs) associated with disease progression; and the importance of the optimal ratio of O-6FAs/O-3FAs.

Conclusions

The need for further research on the role of PUFAs in suppressing urological inflammation precipitated.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Simopoulos AP (1991) Omega-3 fatty acids in health and disease and in growth and development. Am J Clin Nutrition 54:438–463

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Simopoulos AP (1999) Evolutionary aspects of omega-3 fatty acids in the food supply. Prostaglandins Leuk Essen Fatty Acids 60(5–6):421–429

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Simopoulos AP (2002) The importance of the ratio of omega-6/omega-3 essential fatty acids. Biomed Pharmacother 56(8):365–379

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Simopoulos AP (2002) Omega-3 fatty acids in inflammation and autoimmune diseases. J Am Nutr 21(6):495–505

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Simopoulos AP (2004) Omega-6/Omega-3 essential fatty acid ratio and chronic diseases. Food Rev Int 20(1):7–90

    Google Scholar 

  6. Tapiero H, Ba GN, Couvreur P, Tew KD (2002) Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and eicosanoids in human health and pathologies. Biomed Pharmacother 56:215–222

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Pauwels EK, Kairemo K (2008) Fatty acid facts, part II: role in the prevention of carcinogenesis, or, more fish on the dish? Drug News Perspect 21(9):504–510

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Buck AC, Jenkins A, Lingam K et al (1993) The treatment of idiopathic recurrent urolithiasis with fish oil (EPA) and evening primrose oil (GLA)—a double blind study. J Urol 149:253A

    Google Scholar 

  9. Baggio B, Gambaro G, Marchini F et al (1984) Raised transmembrane oxalate flux in red blood cells in idiopathic calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis. Lancet 2:12–13

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Baggio B, Gambaro G, Marchini F et al (1986) An inheritable anomaly of redcell oxalate transport in primary calcium nephrolithiasis correctable with diuretics. N Engl J Med 314:599–604

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Baggio B, Bordin L, Clari G et al (1993) Functional correlation between the Ser/Thr-phosphorylation of band-3 and band-3-mediated transmembrane anion transport in human erythrocytes. Biochim Biophys Acta 1148:157–160

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Baggio B, Gambaro G, Zambon S et al (1996) Anomalous phospholipid n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid composition in idiopathic calcium nephrolithiasis. J Am Soc Nephrol 7(4):613–620

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Baggio B, Gambaro G (1999) Abnormal arachidonic content of membrane phospholipids—unifying hypothesis for the genesis of hypercalciurea and hyperoxaluria in idiopathic calcium nephrolithiasis. Nehprol Dial Transplant 14:553–555

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Baggio B, Budakovic A, Priante G et al (2002) Dietary fatty acid supplementation modulates the urinary excretion of calcium and oxalate in the rat: insight into calcium lithogenesis. Nephron 91:486–491

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Gambaro G, Petrarulo M, Nardelotto A et al (1995) Erythrocyte transmembrane flux and renal clearance of oxalate in idiopathic calcium nephrolithiasis. Kidney Int 48:1549–1552

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Van Der Heide JJ, Bilo HJG, Donker JM et al (1993) Effect of dietary fish oil on renal function and rejection in cyclosporine-treated recipients of renal transplants. N Engl J Med 329(11):769–773

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Tayyebi-Khosroshahi H, Houshyar J, Dehgan-Hesari R et al (2012) Effect of treatment with Omega-3 fatty acids on C-reactive protein and tumor necrosis factor-alfa in hemodialysis patients. Saudi J Kidney Transpl 23(3):500–506

    Google Scholar 

  18. Theoharides TC et al (1995) Activation of bladder mast cells in IC: a light and electron microscopic study. J Urol 153:629–636

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Theoharides TC, Kempuraj D, Sant GR (2001) Mast cell involvement in interstitial cystitis: a review of human and experimental evidence. Urology 57:47–55

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. MacDermott JP, Miller CH, Levy N, Stone AR (1991) Cellular immunity in interstitial cystitis. J Urol 145:274–278

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Keay SK, Szekely Z, Conrads TP et al (2004) An antiproliferative factor from interstitial cystitis patients is a frizzled 8 protein-related sialoglycopeptide. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 101(32):11803–11808

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Das UN (2006) Biological significance of essential fatty acids. J Assoc Phys India 54:309–319

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Chung SD, Liu HT, Lin H, Kuo HC (2011) Elevation of serum C-reactive protein in patients with OAB and IC/BPS implies chronic inflammation in the urinary bladder. Neurourol Urodyn 30:417–420

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Sant GR, Kempuraj D, Marchand JE, Theoharides TC (2007) The mast cell in interstitial cystitis: role in pathophysiology and pathogenesis. Urology 69:34–40

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Erickson DR, Xie SX, Bhavanandan VP et al (2002) A comparison of multiple urine markers of interstitial cystitis. J Urol 167:2461–2469

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Lamale LM, Lutgendorf SK, Zimmerman MB, Kreder KJ (2006) Interleukin-6, histamine, and methylhistamine as diagnostic markers for interstitial cystitis. Urology 68:702–706

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. French L, Bhambore N (2011) Interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome. Am Fam Phys 83(10):1175–1181

    Google Scholar 

  28. Grover S, Srivastava A, Lee R et al (2011) Role of inflammation in bladder function and interstitial cystitis. Ther Adv Urol 3(1):19–33

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Moldwin RM, Evans RJ, Stanford EJ, Rosenberg MT (2007) Rational approaches to the treatment of patients with interstitial cystitis. Urology 69(4 suppl):73–81

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Hanno PM (2007) Painful bladder syndrome. In: Wein AJ, Kavossi LR, Novick AC, Partin AW, Peter CA (eds) Campbell’s urology, 9th edn. Elsevier, Philadelphia, pp 330–370

    Google Scholar 

  31. Christmas TJ (1994) Lymphocyte subpopulations in the bladder wall in normal bladder, bacterial cystitis and interstitial cystitis. Br J Urol 73:508–515

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Pang X, Cotreau-Bibbo MM, Sant GR, Theoharides TC (1995) Bladder mast cell expression of high affinity estrogen receptors in patients with IC. Br J Urol 75:154–161

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Tyagi P, Killinger K, Tyagi V et al (2012) Urinary chemokines as noninvasive predictors of ulcerative interstitial cystitis. J Urol 187:2243–2248

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Lotz M, Villiger P, Hugli T et al (1994) Interleukin-6 and interstitial cystitis. J Urology 152:869–873

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Pang X, Marchand J, Sant GR et al (1995) Increased number of substance P positive nerve fibers in IC. Br J Urol 75:744–750

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Holick CN, Giovannucci EL, Stampfer MJ, Michaud DS (2006) A prospective study of fish, marine fatty acids, and bladder cancer risk among men and women (United States). Cancer Causes Control 17:1163–1173

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Baena AV, Allam MF, Del Castillo AS, Diaz-Molina C et al (2006) Urinary bladder cancer risk factors in men: a Spanish case-control study. Eur J Cancer Prev 15:498–503

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Hu J, La Vecchia C, DesMeules M, Negri E, Mery L (2008) Meat and fish consumption and cancer in Canada. Nutr Cancer 60:313–324

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Zhongyi L, Yu J, Miao Q et al (2011) The association of fish consumption with bladder cancer risk: a meta-analysis. World J Surg Oncol 9:107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Parada B, Reis F, Cerejo R, et al (2013) Omega-3 fatty acids inhibit tumor growth in a rat model of bladder cancer. BioMed Res Int 2013(Article ID 368178): 11

  41. Chavarro JE, Stampfer MJ, Li H et al (2007) A prospective study of polyunsaturated fatty acid levels in blood and prostate cancer risk. Cancer Epidemiol Biomark Prev 16:1364–1370

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Godley PA, Campbell MK, Gallagher P et al (1996) Biomarkers of essential fatty acid consumption and risk of prostatic carcinoma. Cancer Epidemiol Biomark Prev 5:889–895

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Fang F, Kasperzyk JL, Shut I (2011) Prediagnostic plasma vitamin D metabolites and mortality among patients with prostate cancer. PLoS One 6:el 8625

    Google Scholar 

  44. Shut IM, Mucci LA, Kraft P et al (2012) Vitamin D-related genetic variation, plasma vitamin d, and risk of lethal prostate cancer: a prospective nested case-control study. J Natl Cancer Inst 104:690–699

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. Masko EM, Allott EH, Freedland SJ (2013) The relationship between nutrition and prostate cancer: is more always better? Eur Urol 63(5):810–820

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Jian L, Zhang OH, Lee AH, Binns CW (2004) Do preserved foods increase prostate cancer risk? Br J Cancer 90:1792–1795

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Torfadottir JE, Valdimarsdottir UA, Mucci LA et al (2013) Consumption of fish products across the lifespan and prostate cancer risk. PLoS ONE 8(4):e59799

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Chaudhary A, Mishra A, Sethi S (2004) Oxidized omega-3 fatty acids inhibit pro-inflammatory responses in glomerular endothelial cells. Nephron Exp Nephrol 97:e136–e145

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Carmody J, Olenedzki B, Reed G et al (2008) A dietary intervention for recurrent prostate cancer after definitive primary treatment: results of a randomized pilot study. Urology 72(6):1324–1328

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Leitzmann MF, Stampfer MJ, Michaud DS et al (2004) Dietary intake of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids and the risk of prostate cancer. Am J Clin Nutr 80:204–216

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Norrish AE, Skeaff CM, Arribas GLB et al (1999) Prostate cancer risk and consumption of fish oils: a dietary biomarker-based case-control study. Br J Cancer 81(7):1238–1242

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Ma RW-L, Chapman K (2009) A systematic review of the effect of diet in prostate cancer prevention and treatment. J Hum Nutr Diet 22:187–199

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Gleissman H, Johnsen JI, Kogner P (2010) Omega-3 fatty acids in cancer, the protectors of good and the killers of evil? Exp Cell Res 316(8):1365–1373

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. El-Mesery ME, Al-Gayyar MM, Salem HA et al (2009) Chemopreventive and renal protective effects for docosahexaenoic acid (DHA): implications of CRP and lipid peroxides. Cell Div 4:6

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Williams CD, Whitley BM, Hoyod C et al (2011) A high ratio of dietary n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids is associated with increased risk of prostate cancer. Nutr Res 31:8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  56. Sun H, Berquin IM, Owens RT et al (2008) Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ-mediated up-regulation of syndecan-1 by n-3 fatty acids promotes apoptosis of human breast cancer cells. Cancer Res 68(8):2912–2919

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Picq M, Chen P, Perez M et al (2010) DHA metabolism: targeting the brain and lipoxygenation. Mol Neurobiol 42:48–51

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Ritch CR, Wan RL, Stephens LB et al (2007) Dietary fatty acids correlate with prostate cancer biopsy grade and volume in Jamaican men. J Urol 177(1):97–101

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Apte SA, Cavazos DA, Whelan KA, Degraffenried LA (2013) A low dietary ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 Fatty acids may delay progression of prostate cancer. Nutr Cancer 65(4):556–562

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  60. Sawada N, Inoue M, Iwasaki M et al (2012) Consumption of n-3 fatty acids and fish reduces risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. Gastroenterology 142:1468–1475

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  61. Gu Z, Suburu J, Chen H, Chen YQ (2013) Mechanism of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in prostate cancer prevention. BioMed Res Int (824563):10

  62. Oh DY, Talukdar S, Bae EJ et al (2010) GPR120 is an Omega-3 fatty acid receptor mediating potent anti-inflammatory and insulin-sensitizing effects. Cell 42(5):687–698

    Article  Google Scholar 

  63. Brown MD, Hart CA, Gazi E et al (2006) Promotion of prostatic metastatic migration towards human bone marrow stoma by Omega 6 and its inhibition by Omega 3 PUFAs. Br J Cancer 94(6):842–853

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  64. Chavarro JE, Stampfer MJ, Hall MN, Sesso HD, Ma J (2008) A 22-y prospective study of fish intake in relation to prostate cancer incidence and mortality. Am J Clin Nutr 88:1297–1303

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  65. Pontari M (2002) Inflammation and anti-inflammatory therapy in chronic prostatitis. Urology, 260(6 Suppl):29–33; discussion 33–34

  66. Turk S, Kullisaar T (2011) Are prostatitis symptoms associated with an isoprostane-mediated vicious circle? Med Hypotheses 77(5):837–840

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  67. Desireddi NV, Campbell PL, Stern JA, et al (2008) Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha as possible biomarkers for the chronic pelvic pain syndrome. J Urol, 179(5):1857–1861; discussion 1861–1862

  68. Ludwig M, Vidal A, Diemer T et al (2003) Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome): markers of inflammation. World J Urol 21(2):82–85

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  69. Liu Y (2006) Fatty acid oxidation is a dominant bioenergetic pathway in prostate cancer. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis 9:230–234

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  70. Federico A, Morgillo F, Tuccillo C et al (2007) Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress in human carcinogenesis. Int J Cancer 121:2381–2386

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  71. Mahéo K, Vibet S, Steghens JP et al (2005) Differential sensitization of cancer cells to doxorubicin by DHA: a role for lipoperoxidation. Free Radic Biol Med 39(6):742–751

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  72. Vibet S, Goupille C, Bougnoux P et al (2008) Sensitization by docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) of breast cancer cells to anthracyclines through loss of glutathione peroxidase (GPx1) response. Free Radic Biol Med 44(7):1483–1491

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  73. Lemaitre RN, Tanaka T, Tang W, et al (2011) Genetic loci associated with plasma phospholipid n-3 fatty acids: a meta-analysis of genome- wide association studies from the CHARGE consortium. PLoS Genet. 7:el002193

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Sciences and Chair, School of Health Professions and Nursing, Long Island University (LIU) Post, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville, NY, 11548, USA

    Seetha M. Tamma

  2. Department of Nutrition, Long Island University (LIU) Post, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville, NY, 11548, USA

    Barbara Shorter

  3. Arthur Smith Institute for Urology, North Shore-LIJ Health System, New Hyde Park, NY, 11042, USA

    Barbara Shorter

  4. Toh Khai Lee Urology Clinic, Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, 3 Mount Elizabeth, Singapore, 228510, Singapore

    Khai-Lee Toh

  5. Pelvic Pain Center, Arthur Smith Institute for Urology, Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, North Shore-LIJ Health System, 450 Lakeville Road, Suite M41, New Hyde Park, NY, 11042, USA

    Robert Moldwin

  6. Private Practice, Healthcomm Solutions, 2723 N Lakeharbor Lane, Boise, ID, 83703, USA

    Barbara Gordon

Authors
  1. Seetha M. Tamma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Barbara Shorter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Khai-Lee Toh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Robert Moldwin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Barbara Gordon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Barbara Shorter.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Barbara Gordon was a former Steering Commitee member

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Tamma, S.M., Shorter, B., Toh, KL. et al. Influence of polyunsaturated fatty acids on urologic inflammation. Int Urol Nephrol 47, 1753–1761 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11255-015-1108-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11255-015-1108-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation