Table 3 Overall effects of early exposure of omega-3 lipids through hatching egg in progeny chicks

• Increase in tissue cell membrane n-3 fatty acids

• Increase in production of less pro-inflammatory eicosanoids

• Decrease in long chain n-6 PUFA in cell membrane phospholipids

• Decrease in production of pro-inflammatory eicosanoids

• Decrease in production of interleukin-6

• Decrease in cell mediated immune response measured through DTH response

• Reduced splenocyte and thymus lymphocyte proliferative response

• Reduction in hatched chick body weight

• Reduction in hepatic tocopherol content

• Increase in liver tissue SOD and GSH-PX activity

• Alteration in the expression of inflammatory COX-2 proteins

• Alteration in the expression of genes related to lipid metabolism