Highlights
- •RBC omega-3 FAs were compared with 10 inflammatory biomarkers in 2724 subjects.
- •RBC FA levels are less affected by daily variations in intake than plasma FA levels.
- •8 out of 10 biomarkers were inversely associated with omega-3 levels.
- •These findings suggest that omega-3 FA may have anti-inflammatory properties.
Abstract
Introduction
Inflammation and inflammatory biomarkers have emerged as integral components and predictors
of incident cardiovascular (CV) disease. Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly eicosapentaenoic
and docosahexaenoic acids (EPA and DHA) have anti-inflammatory properties, and have
been variably associated with lower blood pressure, favorable blood lipid changes,
and reduced CV events.
Methods and results
We examined the cross-sectional association of red blood cell (RBC) fatty acids, representative
of body membrane fatty acid composition, with 10 biomarkers active in multiple inflammatory
pathways in 2724 participants (mean age 66 ± 9 years, 54% women, 8% minorities) from
the Framingham Offspring and minority Omni Cohorts. After multivariable adjustment,
the RBC EPA and DHA content was inversely correlated (all P ≤ 0.001) with 8 biomarkers:
urinary isoprostanes (r = −0.16); and soluble interleukin-6 (r = −0.10); C-reactive
protein (r = −0.08); tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (r = −0.08); intercellular adhesion
molecule-1 (r = −0.08); P-selectin (r = −0.06); lipoprotein-associated phospholipase-A2
mass (r = −0.11) and activity (r = −0.08). The correlations for monocyte chemoattractant
protein-1 was −0.05, P = 0.006 and osteoprotegerin (r = −0.06, P = 0.002) were only
nominally significant.
Conclusion
In our large community-based study, we observed modest inverse associations between
several types of inflammatory biomarkers with RBC omega-3 fatty acid levels. Our findings
are consistent with the hypothesis that omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory
properties.
Keywords
Abbreviations:
RBC (red blood cell), PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acid(s)), EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: April 03, 2015
Accepted:
March 31,
2015
Received in revised form:
March 13,
2015
Received:
December 23,
2014
Identification
Copyright
© 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
