The effect of fatty or lean fish intake on inflammatory gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with coronary heart disease.
BACKGROUND
Little is known about the effect of fish consumption on gene expression of inflammation-related genes in immune cells in coronary heart disease (CHD).


OBJECTIVE
We sought to evaluate the effect of a fatty fish (FF) or a lean fish (LF) diet on the modulation of inflammatory and endothelial function-related genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of subjects with CHD, and its association with serum fatty acid (FA) profile and lipid metabolic compounds.


METHODS
Data from 27 patients randomized into an 8-week FF (n = 10; mean +/- SD: 4.3 +/- 0.4 portions of fish per week), LF (n = 11; 4.7 +/- 1.1 portions of fish per week), or control diet (n = 6; 0.6 +/- 0.4 portions of fish per week) were analyzed. The mRNA expression was measured using real-time PCR.


RESULTS
The effect of the intervention on the mRNA expression of the genes studied did not differ among groups. In the FF group, however, the decrease in arachidonic acid to eicosapentaenoic acid (AA:EPA) ratio in cholesterol ester and phospholipid fractions strongly correlated with the change in IL1B mRNA levels (r (s) = 0.60, P = 0.06 and r (s) = 0.86, P = 0.002, respectively). In the LF group, the decrease in palmitic acid and total saturated FAs in cholesterol esters correlated with the change in intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM1) expression (r (s) = 0.64, P = 0.04 for both). Circulating levels of soluble ICAM-1 decreased only in the LF group (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The intake of FF or LF diet did not alter the expression of inflammatory and endothelial function-related genes in PBMCs of patients with CHD. However, the decrease in AA:EPA ratio in serum lipids in the FF group may induce an anti-inflammatory response at mRNA levels in PBMCs. A LF diet might benefit endothelial function, possibly mediated by the changes in serum FA composition.
de Mello
Vanessa D F
VD
Department of Clinical Nutrition/Food and Health Research Centre, School of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Kuopio, P.O. Box 1627, 70211, Kuopio, Finland. Vanessa.FerreiradeMello@uku.fi
Erkkilä
Arja T
AT
Schwab
Ursula S
US
Pulkkinen
Leena
L
Kolehmainen
Marjukka
M
Atalay
Mustafa
M
Mussalo
Hanna
H
Lankinen
Maria
M
Oresic
Matej
M
Lehto
Seppo
S
Uusitupa
Matti
M
D000818:Animals; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000378:metabolism; D018946:Chemokine CCL5 / Q000378:metabolism; D002788:Cholesterol Esters / Q000737:chemistry; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000517:prevention & control; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000737:chemistry; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D017747:Seafood; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D018946:Chemokine CCL5; D002788:Cholesterol Esters; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D010743:Phospholipids; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1