Omega-3 Fatty Acid Synergy with Glucocorticoid in Mouse Lupus Macrophage Model: Targeting Pathogenic Pathways to Reduce Steroid Dependence

Lauren K Heine^1,2Rance Nault^1,2Jalen Jackson³Ashley N Anderson³Jack Robert Harkema^1,2,4Andrew J Olive³James J Pestka^2,3,5*Olivia F McDonald^1,2,3*

• ¹Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
• ²Institute for Integrative Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
• ³Department of Microbiology, Genetics, and Immunology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
• ⁴Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
• ⁵Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States

Introduction: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disorder characterized by aberrant inflammation, type I IFN-stimulated gene (ISG) expression, and autoantibody production. Glucocorticoids (GCs) like dexamethasone (DEX) are standard long-term SLE treatments but cause significant side effects, highlighting the need for safer steroid-sparing options. Preclinical and clinical studies suggest that dietary supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids (O3FAs), particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), suppresses inflammation and autoimmunity associated with SLE disease progression. We explored the steroid-sparing potential of DHA to influence the suppressive effects of DEX on pathogenic gene expression. Methods: Macrophages from SLE-prone NZBWF1 mice were first subjected to DHA (5, 10, or 25 µM), DEX (1, 10, 100, or 1000 nM), or DHA+DEX cotreatment. Following pretreatment, cells were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 20 ng/mL) to model SLE hyperinflammation. Resultant gene expression was subjected to synergy and deconvolution analysis. Results: qRT-PCR indicated that subinhibitory concentrations of DHA (5-10 µM) potentiated the efficacy of low-dose DEX (1-100 nM) in suppressing LPS-induced ISG expression (e.g., Irf7, Oasl1, Rsad2), amplifying the effects of DEX monotherapy by 10- to 100-fold. SynergyFinder analysis confirmed that DHA and DEX interacted synergistically in suppressing ISG expression, with significant inhibition observed at concentrations as low as 1 nM DEX and 5 µM DHA. RNA-seq revealed that combining suboptimal DHA (10 μM) and DEX (100 nM) induced 247 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at 4 hr and 347 DEGs at 8 hr post-LPS, dramatically surpassing the effects of each treatment alone. Functional enrichment analysis indicated DHA+DEX cotreatment robustly suppressed immune and inflammatory pathways while promoting proliferative and metabolic processes, reflecting a shift from inflammatory (M1) to pro-resolving (M2) macrophage phenotypes. DHA and DEX countered LPS effects by i) downregulating common transcription factors (TFs) canonically associated with inflammation (e.g., NF-κB, AP-1, STATs, and IRF1), ii) upregulating shared regulatory factors involved in inflammation resolution (e.g., YBX1, EGR1, and BCL6), and iii) selectively influencing other regulatory factors. Discussion: Altogether, DHA and DEX synergistically suppress inflammatory gene expression by targeting common and unique molecular pathways in SLE macrophages, favoring the pro-resolving M2 phenotype. O3FA-GC cotreatment might facilitate reducing requisite steroid dosages for SLE management.