A diet enriched with eicosapentaenoic acid suppresses autoimmune nephritis in female (NZB x NZW) F1 mice. 
A diet containing menhaden oil, rich in EPA, protected (NZB x NZW) F1 mice from developing lupus nephritis.  Only 16% of mice treated with this diet from 5-6 weeks of age developed severe renal disease by 19 months of age, as opposed to 100% of controls.  The menhaden oil diet, when delayed until mice were 5 months of age, also reduced the incidence of renal disease, and under these conditions anti-n-DNA and anti-ss-DNA antibodies were similar in treated and control groups.  We suggest that EPA, an AA analogue, may reduce inflammation by altering the production of PGs and LTs.