Highlights
- •EPA and DHA induce expression of key inflammatory genes in immune cells.
- •Changes in anti-inflammatory gene expression with EPA and DHA are coordinated.
- •CRP reduction with DHA correlates with up-regulation of anti-inflammatory genes.
Abstract
Background and aims
Whether EPA and DHA exert similar anti-inflammatory effects through modulation of
gene expression in immune cells remains unclear. The aim of the study was to compare
the impact of EPA and DHA supplementation on inflammatory gene expression in subjects
at risk for cardiometabolic diseases.
Methods
In this randomized double-blind crossover trial, 154 men and women with abdominal
obesity and low-grade inflammation were subjected to three 10-wk supplementation phases:
1) EPA (2.7 g/d); 2) DHA (2.7 g/d); 3) corn oil (3 g/d), separated by a 9-wk washout.
Pro- and anti-inflammatory gene expression was assessed in whole blood cells by RT-qPCR
after each treatment in a representative sample of 44 participants.
Results
No significant difference was observed between EPA and DHA in the expression of any
of the genes investigated. Compared with control, EPA enhanced TRAF3 and PPARA expression and lowered CD14 expression (p < 0.01) whereas DHA increased expression of PPARA and TNFA and decreased CD14 expression (p < 0.05). Variations in gene expression after EPA and after DHA were strongly correlated
for PPARA (r = 0.73, p < 0.0001) and TRAF3 (r = 0.66, p < 0.0001) and less for TNFA (r = 0.46, p < 0.005) and CD14 (r = 0.16, p = 0.30).
Conclusions
High-dose supplementation with either EPA or DHA has similar effects on the expression
of many inflammation-related genes in immune cells of men and women at risk for cardiometabolic
diseases. The effects of EPA and of DHA on anti-inflammatory gene expression may be
more consistent than their effects on expression of pro-inflammatory genes in whole
blood cells.
Keywords
To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
Purchase one-time access:
Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online accessOne-time access price info
- For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
- For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'
Subscribe:
Subscribe to AtherosclerosisAlready a print subscriber? Claim online access
Already an online subscriber? Sign in
Register: Create an account
Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect
References
- Obesity, inflammation, and atherosclerosis.Nat. Rev. Cardiol. 2009; 6: 399-409
- Long-chain n-3 PUFAs reduce adipose tissue and systemic inflammation in severely obese nondiabetic patients: a randomized controlled trial.Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2012; 96: 1137-1149
- Low-grade inflammation, diet composition and health: current research evidence and its translation.Br. J. Nutr. 2015; 114: 999-1012
- Marine omega-3 fatty acids and inflammatory processes: effects, mechanisms and clinical relevance.Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 2015; 1851: 469-484
- Long chain fatty acids and gene expression in inflammation and immunity.Curr. Opin. Clin. Nutr. Metab. Care. 2013; 16: 425-433
- Mechanisms underlying the cardioprotective effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.J. Nutr. Biochem. 2010; 21: 781-792
- Nuclear factor kappaB signaling in atherogenesis.Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol. 2005; 25: 904-914
- Fish-oil supplementation induces antiinflammatory gene expression profiles in human blood mononuclear cells.Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2009; 90: 415-424
- Effects of oral eicosapentaenoic acid versus docosahexaenoic acid on human peripheral blood mononuclear cell gene expression.Atherosclerosis. 2015; 241: 400-408
- A randomized, crossover, head-to-head comparison of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid supplementation to reduce inflammation markers in men and women: the Comparing EPA to DHA (ComparED) Study.Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2016; 104: 280-287
- Docosahexaenoic acid induces an anti-inflammatory profile in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated human THP-1 macrophages more effectively than eicosapentaenoic acid.J. Nutr. Biochem. 2007; 18: 250-258
- Fatty acid modulation of endothelial activation.Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2000; 71: 213S-223S
- The metabolic syndrome–a new worldwide definition.Lancet. 2005; 366: 1059-1062
- Markers of inflammation and cardiovascular disease: application to clinical and public health practice: a statement for healthcare professionals from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Heart Association.Circulation. 2003; 107: 499-511
- Marine n-3 fatty acids and gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells.Curr. Cardiovasc Risk Rep. 2014; 8: 412
- Dose-related effects of eicosapentaenoic acid on innate immune function in healthy humans: a comparison of young and older men.Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2006; 83: 331-342
- Fatty acids and inflammation: the cutting edge between food and pharma.Eur. J. Pharmacol. 2011; 668: S50-S58
- CD14 monocyte receptor, involved in the inflammatory cascade, and insulin sensitivity.J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 2003; 88: 1780-1784
- Blockade by polyunsaturated n-3 fatty acids of endotoxin-induced monocytic tissue factor activation is mediated by the depressed receptor expression in THP-1 cells.J. Surg. Res. 1999; 87: 217-224
- Emerging roles of PPARs in inflammation and immunity.Nat. Rev. Immunol. 2002; 2: 748-759
- Effects of a supplementation of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids with or without fish gelatin on gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in obese, insulin-resistant subjects.J. Nutr. Nutr. 2011; 4: 192-202
- Myeloid cell TRAF3 regulates immune responses and inhibits inflammation and tumor development in mice.J. Immunol. 2015; 194: 334-348
- Insights into the regulation of protein abundance from proteomic and transcriptomic analyses.Nat. Rev. Genet. 2012; 13: 227-232
- Global signatures of protein and mRNA expression levels.Mol. Biosyst. 2009; 5: 1512-1526
- Protein synthesis rate is the predominant regulator of protein expression during differentiation.Mol. Syst. Biol. 2013; 9: 689
- Postprandial dietary lipid-specific effects on human peripheral blood mononuclear cell gene expression profiles.Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2010; 91: 208-217
- Responses to high-fat challenges varying in fat type in subjects with different metabolic risk phenotypes: a randomized trial.PLoS One. 2012; 7: e41388
Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 20, 2017
Accepted:
January 19,
2017
Received in revised form:
January 13,
2017
Received:
November 24,
2016
Identification
Copyright
© 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.