Salmon consumption by pregnant women reduces ex vivo umbilical cord endothelial cell activation.
BACKGROUND
In vitro exposure of endothelial cells (ECs) to n-3 (omega-3) long-chain PUFAs (LCPUFAs) reduces cell adhesion molecule (CAM) expression. However, to our knowledge, no previous human studies have examined the influence of an altered diet on CAM expression.


OBJECTIVE
We assessed whether salmon (rich in n-3 LCPUFAs) consumption twice a week during pregnancy affected offspring umbilical vein EC CAM expression.


METHODS
Women were randomly assigned to maintain their habitual diets or to consume 2 portions of salmon per week during pregnancy months 4-9. ECs were isolated from umbilical cord veins collected at birth and cultured. The cell surface expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) was assessed by flow cytometry after the culture of ECs in the presence and absence of bacterial LPS for 24 h. Cytokine and growth factor concentrations in culture supernatant fluid were measured by using a multiplex assay.


RESULTS
LPS increased the expression of VCAM-1 and the production of several cytokines and growth factors. The level of ICAM-1 expression per cell [ie, the median fluorescence intensity (MFI)] was increased by LPS stimulation in the control group (16.9 ± 2.4 compared with 135.3 ± 20.2; P < 0.001) and to a lesser extent in the salmon group (14.1 ± 3.8 compared with 65.8 ± 22.4; P = 0.037). The ICAM-1 MFI in the salmon group after LPS stimulation was lower than in the control group (P = 0.006).


CONCLUSIONS
Increased dietary salmon intake in pregnancy dampens offspring EC activation, which implicates a role for n-3 LCPUFAs in the suppression of inflammatory processes in humans. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00801502.
Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Netherlands.
Lieke W J
LW
van den Elsen
Paul S
PS
Noakes
Martin A
MA
van der Maarel
Lefkothea-Stella
LS
Kremmyda
Maria
M
Vlachava
Norma D
ND
Diaper
Elizabeth A
EA
Miles
Simone R B M
SR
Eussen
Johan
J
Garssen
Linette E M
LE
Willemsen
Susan J
SJ
Wilson
Keith M
KM
Godfrey
Philip C
PC
Calder
D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004032:Diet; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D061307:Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D011247:Pregnancy; D012474:Salmon; D017747:Seafood; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D016207:Cytokines; D004041:Dietary Fats; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1