title: EPA and DHA attenuate ox-LDL-induced expression of adhesion molecules in human coronary artery endothelial cells via protein kinase B pathway.
abstract: Uptake of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) by endothelial cells is a critical step for the initiation and development of atherosclerosis. Adhesion molecules are inflammatory makers, which are upregulated by ox-LDL and play a pivotal role in atherogenesis. A number of studies suggest that fish and its constituents can reduce inflammation and decrease atherosclerosis. We hypothesized that fish oil constituents namely docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) may reduce expression of adhesion molecules induced by ox-LDL. Cultured human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs) were incubated with ox-LDL for 24 h. Parallel groups of cells were pretreated with DHA or EPA (10 or 50 microM) overnight before incubation with ox-LDL. Ox-LDL markedly increased the expression of P-selectin and intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) (both protein and mRNA) in HCAECs, and enhanced the adhesion of monocytes to the cultured HCAECs. Both EPA and DHA decreased ox-LDL-induced upregulation of expression of P-selectin and ICAM-1, and the enhanced adhesion of monocytes to HCAECs. To determine the role of protein kinase B (PKB) as an intracellular-signaling pathway, HCAECs were treated with the PKB upstream inhibitor wortmannin (100 nM) or transfected with plasmids encoding dominant-negative mutants of PKB (PKB-DN) before treatment with DHA. Ox-LDL alone downregulated the activity of PKB; DHA attenuated this effect of ox-LDL, and both wortmannin and PKB-DN blocked the effect of DHA. The present study in human coronary endothelial cells suggests that both EPA and DHA attenuate ox-LDL-induced expression of adhesion molecules, and the adhesion of monocytes to HCAECs by modulation of PKB activation. These effects may be important mechanisms of anti-atherosclerotic effects of fish and fish oils.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Physiology and Biophysics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Central Arkansas Veterans Health Care System, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA.
authors.forename: Hongjiang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Dayuan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jiawei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Gregory J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saldeen
authors.forename: Jawahar L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Mehta
mesh_terms: D001158:Arteries / Q000187:drug effects*; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000378:metabolism; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000187:drug effects; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
chemical_list: D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; C099252:oxidized low density lipoprotein; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt