Fish-oil supplementation induces antiinflammatory gene expression profiles in human blood mononuclear cells

• Published in: The American journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 90; no. 2; pp. 415 - 424
• Main Authors: Bouwens, Mark, van de Rest, Ondine, Dellschaft, Neele, Bromhaar, Mechteld Grootte, de Groot, Lisette CPGM, Geleijnse, Johanna M, Müller, Michael, Afman, Lydia A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD American Society for Clinical Nutrition 01.08.2009; American Society for Nutrition; American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc
• Subjects: activated receptor-alpha; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; anti-inflammatory agents; antiatherogenic status; Biological and medical sciences; Blood; blood cells; Cells; controlled-trial; cytokine production; Dietary Supplements; disease prevention; DNA, Complementary - analysis; docosahexaenoic acid; Docosahexaenoic Acids - administration & dosage; dose response; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Double-Blind Method; eicosapentaenoic acid; Eicosapentaenoic Acid - administration & dosage; elderly; Fatty acids; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - administration & dosage; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated - administration & dosage; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Fish oils; Fish Oils - administration & dosage; Fish Oils - pharmacology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene expression; Gene Expression Profiling; gene expression regulation; Genes; Helianthus; human diseases; Humans; Immune system; inflammation; Inflammation - prevention & control; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - drug effects; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - metabolism; Male; men; Microarray Analysis; murine macrophages; n-3; nitric-oxide; nutrigenomics; Nutrition; oxidative stress; peripheral blook mononuclear cells; Polymerase Chain Reaction; polyunsaturated fatty acids; RNA - analysis; transcriptional activation; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; women; Netherlands; Human; Blood cell; Mononuclear cell; Antiinflammatory agent; Supplementation; Gene expression; Fish oil
• ISSN: 0002-9165; 1938-3207
• DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.2009.27680

BACKGROUND: Polyunsaturated fatty acids can have beneficial effects on human immune cells, such as peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). However, the mechanisms of action of polyunsaturated fatty acids on immune cells are still largely unknown. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to examine the effects of supplementation with the polyunsaturated fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on whole-genome PBMC gene expression profiles, in healthy Dutch elderly subjects participating in a double-blind trial, by using whole-genome transcriptomics analysis. DESIGN: The subjects were randomly allocated to 1 of 3 groups: 1) consumption of 1.8 g EPA+DHA/d (n = 36), 2) consumption of 0.4 g EPA+DHA/d (n = 37), or 3) consumption of 4.0 g high-oleic acid sunflower oil (HOSF)/d (n = 38). All supplements were given in capsules. Before and after 26 wk of intervention, blood samples were collected. Microarray analysis was performed on PBMC RNA from 23 subjects who received 1.8 g EPA+DHA/d and 25 subjects who received HOSF capsules. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed in all 111 subjects. RESULTS: A high EPA+DHA intake changed the expression of 1040 genes, whereas HOSF intake changed the expression of only 298 genes. EPA+DHA intake resulted in a decreased expression of genes involved in inflammatory- and atherogenic-related pathways, such as nuclear transcription factor κB signaling, eicosanoid synthesis, scavenger receptor activity, adipogenesis, and hypoxia signaling. CONCLUSION: These results are the first to show that intake of EPA+DHA for 26 wk can alter the gene expression profiles of PBMCs to a more antiinflammatory and antiatherogenic status. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00124852.