title: Freshwater fish diet affects lipid composition, deformability and aggregation properties of erythrocytes.
abstract: The effect of a 12-week diet of freshwater fish on fatty acid composition of the erythrocyte membrane, RBC deformability and artificial aggregation behavior of erythrocytes was studied in 20 healthy subjects. A different quantity of meals containing fish per week (control group, 1.5 and 3.8 fish meals per week) resulted in an increased content of n - 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. The whole cell deformability of single erythrocytes characterized by a modified micropipette technique (capillary-rigidometer) was significantly increased dependent on fish intake. The parameter of entry time for cell deformability had a negative correlation with the n - 3/n - 6 ratio of fatty acids. No change was observed in MCV and MCHC of erythrocytes after the diet. The artificial aggregation behavior of washed erythrocytes in a suspension medium of low ionic strength and reduced pH was decreased depending on the number of fish meals eaten. The present results suggest that a relatively small shift in the profile of the polyunsaturated fatty acids causes changes in the viscoelastic properties of the erythrocyte membrane and in the artificially-induced aggregation of erythrocytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hemorheology and Hemodynamics, Medical School (Charité), Humboldt University, Berlin, G.D.R.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hessel
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Agren
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paulitschke
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hänninen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hänninen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lerche
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D004548:Elasticity; D004903:Erythrocyte Aggregation; D004907:Erythrocyte Deformability; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000032:analysis*; D005399:Fishes; D005526:Food, Formulated; D005618:Fresh Water; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D014783:Viscosity
chemical_list: D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated