Journals / Dicle Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 19 Sayı: 1

Effect of Chia Seed Oil on Spleen İmmune Cell Markers in Methotrexate-İnduced İmmunosuppression in Mice

Farelerde Metotreksat Kaynaklı İmmün Baskılanmada Chia Tohumu Yağının Dalak İmmün Hücre Belirteçleri Üzerindeki Etkisi

Ali Güngör(OSMANİYE KORKUT ATA ÜNİVERSİTESİ, SAĞLIK HİZMETLERİ MESLEK YÜKSEKOKULU)0009-0008-7985-0986
Mustafa Özkaraca(SİVAS CUMHURİYET ÜNİVERSİTESİ, VETERİNER FAKÜLTESİ, KLİNİK ÖNCESİ BİLİMLERİ BÖLÜMÜ)0000-0002-6359-6249
Mansur Seymen Seğmenoğlu(OSMANİYE KORKUT ATA ÜNİVERSİTESİ, SAĞLIK HİZMETLERİ MESLEK YÜKSEKOKULU)0000-0003-2743-6245
Ali Sefa Mendil(Erzurum İl Tarım ve Orman Müdürlüğü)0000-0003-2722-3290
Pages
86–90
Publication Date
2026-06-30
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

These findings indicate that CSO ameliorates MTX-induced immunosuppression by enhancing splenic T lymphocyte (CD4+, CD8+), B lymphocyte (CD20+), and macrophage (CD68+) populations, suggesting its potential as a natural immunomodulatory agent against chemotherapy-induced immune suppression.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Chia seed oil (CSO) is a rich source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and various antioxidant compounds, including myricetin, quercetin, kaempferol, and caffeic acid, which are known to exert immunomodulatory effects.
📊
Key Findings & Data:The control group received a standard diet, while the MTX group was administered a single intraperitoneal dose of 20 mg/kg MTX.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:These findings indicate that CSO ameliorates MTX-induced immunosuppression by enhancing splenic T lymphocyte (CD4+, CD8+), B lymphocyte (CD20+), and macrophage (CD68+) populations, suggesting its potential as a natural immunomodulatory agent against chemotherapy-induced immune suppression.
🔬Design:Modeling & Simulation
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Chia tohumu yağı · Dalak · İmmünohistokimya

Abstract

Chia seed oil (CSO) is a rich source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and various antioxidant compounds, including myricetin, quercetin, kaempferol, and caffeic acid, which are known to exert immunomodulatory effects. Methotrexate (MTX), a commonly used antineoplastic agent, causes immunosuppression. This study aimed to evaluate the immunomodulatory effects of CSO on splenic immune cell populations in a methotrexate-induced immunosuppression model. Twenty-one male Balb/c mice were randomly divided into control, MTX, and MTX+CSO groups. The control group received a standard diet, while the MTX group was administered a single intraperitoneal dose of 20 mg/kg MTX. The MTX+CSO group received a single intraperitoneal dose of 20 mg/kg MTX, followed by 4 mL/kg CSO via oral gavage for 7 days. All animals were euthanized on day 8, and spleen tissues were examined histopathologically and immunohistochemically for CD4+, CD8+, CD20+, and CD68+ cell markers. No significant histopathological alterations were observed in spleen tissues among the groups; however, significant differences were detected in immune cell marker expression. MTX administration reduced CD4+, CD8+, and CD68+ cell populations compared to the control group, whereas CSO treatment significantly restored these levels. Notably, CD4+ cell expression in the MTX+CSO group exceeded that of the control group. Additionally, CD20+ cell expression showed a marked increase following CSO administration. These findings indicate that CSO ameliorates MTX-induced immunosuppression by enhancing splenic T lymphocyte (CD4+, CD8+), B lymphocyte (CD20+), and macrophage (CD68+) populations, suggesting its potential as a natural immunomodulatory agent against chemotherapy-induced immune suppression.

Özet

Chia tohumu yağı (CSO), bağışıklık sistemi üzerinde düzenleyici etkiler gösterdiği bilinen alfa-linolenik asit (ALA) ve mirisetin, kuersetin, kaempferol ve kafeik asit dahil olmak üzere çeşitli antioksidan bileşikler açısından zengin bir kaynaktır. Yaygın olarak kullanılan bir antineoplastik ajan olan metotreksat (MTX), immünosupresyona neden olur. Bu çalışmada, metotreksat ile oluşturulan immünosupresyon modelinde CSO’nun dalaktaki bağışıklık hücre popülasyonları üzerindeki immünmodülatör etkilerinin değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Yirmi bir adet erkek Balb/c fare rastgele kontrol, MTX ve MTX+CSO gruplarına ayrıldı. Kontrol grubuna standart diyet uygulanırken, MTX grubuna tek doz 20 mg/kg MTX intraperitoneal olarak verildi. MTX+CSO grubuna ise tek doz 20 mg/kg MTX intraperitoneal olarak uygulandıktan sonra 7 gün boyunca 4 mL/kg CSO oral gavaj yoluyla verildi. Tüm hayvanlar 8. günde ötenazi edildi ve dalak dokuları histopatolojik ve immünohistokimyasal olarak CD4+, CD8+, CD20+ ve CD68+ hücre belirteçleri açısından incelendi. Gruplar arasında dalak dokularında anlamlı bir histopatolojik değişiklik gözlenmezken, immün hücre belirteçlerinin ekspresyonunda anlamlı farklılıklar tespit edildi. MTX uygulaması, kontrol grubuna kıyasla CD4+, CD8+ ve CD68+ hücre popülasyonlarında azalmaya neden olurken, CSO uygulaması bu düzeyleri anlamlı şekilde yeniden artırdı. Özellikle, MTX+CSO grubunda CD4+ hücre ekspresyonunun kontrol grubuna kıyasla daha yüksek olduğu belirlendi. Ayrıca, CSO uygulaması sonrasında CD20+ hücre ekspresyonunda belirgin bir artış gözlendi. Bu bulgular, CSO’nun dalakta T lenfositleri (CD4+, CD8+), B lenfositleri (CD20+) ve makrofaj (CD68+) popülasyonlarını artırarak MTX kaynaklı immünosupresyonu iyileştirdiğini göstermekte olup, kemoterapiye bağlı immün baskılanmaya karşı potansiyel doğal bir immünmodülatör ajan olabileceğini düşündürmektedir.

🔖

Cite This Article

Güngör, A., Özkaraca, M., Seğmenoğlu, M. S., Mendil, A. S. (2026). Effect of Chia Seed Oil on Spleen İmmune Cell Markers in Methotrexate-İnduced İmmunosuppression in Mice. Dicle Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Dergisi, Cilt: 19 Sayı: 1, 86–90. https://doi.org/10.47027/duvetfd.1859834

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (21)

  1. Khalifa NE, Noreldin AE, Khafaga AF et al. (2023). Chia seeds oil ameliorate chronic immobilization stress-induced neurodisturbance in rat brains via activation of the antioxidant/anti-inflammatory/antiapoptotic signaling pathways. Sci Rep, 13(1), 22409.
  2. Khursheed T, Fatima T, Qadri T et al. (2023). Biochemical, nutraceutical and phytochemical characterization of chia and basil seeds: A comparative study. Int J Food Prop, 26(1), 1–13.
  3. Mohd Ali N, Yeap SK, Ho WY et al. (2012). The promising future of chia, Salvia hispanica L. J biomed biotechnol, 2012, 171956.
  4. Ferreira DM, Nunes MA, Santo LE et al. (2023). Characterization of Chia Seeds, Cold-Pressed Oil, and Defatted Cake: An Ancient Grain for Modern Food Production. Molecules, 28(2), 723.
  5. DiNicolantonio JJ, O'Keefe J (2021). The Importance of Maintaining a Low Omega-6/Omega-3 Ratio for Reducing the Risk of Autoimmune Diseases, Asthma, and Allergies. Mo Med, 118(5), 453–459.
  6. Crupi R, Cuzzocrea S (2022). Role of EPA in Inflammation: Mechanisms, Effects, and Clinical Relevance. Biomolecules, 12(2), 242.
  7. Kovalev IS, Zyryanov GV, Santra S et al (2022). Folic Acid Antimetabolites (Antifolates): A Brief Review on Synthetic Strategies and Application Opportunities. Molecules, 27(19), 6229.
  8. Visentin M, Zhao R, Goldman ID (2012). The antifolates. Hematology/oncology clinics of North America, 26(3), 629–ix.
  9. Elsayed HRH, Anbar HS, Rabei MR, Adel M, El-Gamal R (2021). Eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids attenuate methotrexate-induced apoptosis and suppression of splenic T, B-Lymphocytes and macrophages with modulation of expression of CD3, CD20 and CD68. Tissue & cell, 72, 101533.
  10. Belhan S, Çomaklı S, Küçükler S, Gülyüz F, Yıldırım S, Yener Z (2019). Effect of chrysin on methotrexate-induced testicular damage in rats. Andrologia, 51(1), e13145.
  11. Ahmed AZ, Mumbrekar KD, Satyam SM, Shetty P, D'Souza MR, Singh VK (2021). Chia Seed Oil Ameliorates Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity in Female Wistar Rats: An Electrocardiographic, Biochemical and Histopathological Approach. Cardiovascular toxicology, 21(7), 533–542.
  12. Sener G, Ekşioğlu-Demiralp E, Cetiner M, Ercan F, Yeğen BC (2006). Beta-glucan ameliorates methotrexate-induced oxidative organ injury via its antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects. Eur J Pharmacol, 542(1-3), 170–178.
  13. Al-jumaili FT, Soud SA, Abdalla MT, Al-Ezzy RM, Bdaiwy M (2019). Histological effect of Viola odorata methanolic extract and methotraxate induced in albino male mice. J Pharm Pharmacol, 7, 270-277.
  14. da Silva Marineli R, Moraes ÉA, Lenquiste SA, Godoy AT, Eberlin MN, Maróstica Jr MR (2014). Chemical characterization and antioxidant potential of Chilean chia seeds and oil (Salvia hispanica L.). LWT-Food Sci Technol, 59(2), 1304-1310.
  15. Punia S, Sandhu KS, Siroha AK, Dhull SB (2019). Omega 3-metabolism, absorption, bioavailability and health benefits–A review. Pharm Nut, 10, 10016.
  16. Sachi S, Jahan MP, Islam P, Rafiq K, Islam MZ (2024). Evaluation of hematoprotective, hepatoprotective, and anti-inflammatory potentials of chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.) extract in rats. Turk J Vet Anim Sci, 24, 100349.
  17. Fernández-Martínez E, Lira-Islas IG, Cariño-Cortés R, Soria-Jasso LE, Pérez-Hernández E, Pérez-Hernández N (2019). Dietary chia seeds (Salvia hispanica) improve acute dyslipidemia and steatohepatitis in rats. J Food Biochem, 43(9), e12986.
  18. Medina-Urrutia A, Lopez-Uribe AR, El Hafidi M (2020). Chia (Salvia hispanica)-supplemented diet ameliorates non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and its metabolic abnormalities in humans. Lipids in health and disease, 19(1), 96.
  19. da Silva BP, Toledo RCL, Mishima MDV (2019). Effects of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) on oxidative stress and inflammation in ovariectomized adult female Wistar rats. Food & function, 10(7), 4036–4045.
  20. Dhiman NK, Saini R (2025). Phyto-Resources of Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Their Role in Immunomodulation. In: Zanwar, A.A., Adekar, S.P., Hegde, M.V. (eds) 1th ed. Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Springer, Switzerland., 433-443.
  21. Dolhain RJ, Tak PP, Dijkmans BA, De Kuiper P, Breedveld FC, Miltenburg AM (1998). Methotrexate reduces inflammatory cell numbers, expression of monokines and of adhesion molecules in synovial tissue of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. British journal of rheumatology, 37(5), 502–508.