title: Omega-3 fatty acids selectively raise high-density lipoprotein 2 levels in healthy volunteers.
abstract: The effects of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on high-density lipoprotein (HDL) subfraction distribution and composition were evaluated in five healthy volunteers taking 2.8 g/d of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 1.7 g/d of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for 6 weeks. This supplementation resulted in marked changes of the plasma fatty acid composition. Plasma total cholesterol (TC), HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglyceride (TG) levels did not change. HDL2-C increased by 74%, with a concomitant 19% decrease of HDL3-C; the HDL2 to HDL3 mass ratio increased from 0.30 +/- 0.19 to 0.47 +/- 0.28. The increase of HDL2 was confirmed by nondenaturing polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoretic separation of HDL subclasses, otherwise showing no change in HDL particle size. After omega-3 supplementation, both HDL2 and HDL3 became cholesteryl ester (CE)- and TG-enriched and free cholesterol (FC)- and phospholipid (PL)-depleted. The reported findings provide a useful adjunct to the antithrombotic potential of omega-3 fatty acids.
authors.affiliation: Center E. Grossi Paoletti, Institute of Pharmacological Sciences, University of Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Franceschini
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Calabresi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maderna
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Galli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gianfranceschi
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Sirtori
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000097:blood; D012016:Reference Values; D014461:Ultracentrifugation
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D008074:Lipoproteins; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D010743:Phospholipids