title: The effect of dietary walnuts compared to fatty fish on eicosanoids, cytokines, soluble endothelial adhesion molecules and lymphocyte subsets: a randomized, controlled crossover trial.
abstract: We tested the hypothesis that walnut consumption can exert effects on markers of inflammation and endothelial activation similar to those produced by fish consumption. In a crossover dietary intervention trial, 25 normal to mildly hyperlipidemic men and women were randomly assigned to one of three isoenergetic diets: a walnut diet incorporating 42.5 g of walnuts per 10.1 mJ 6 times per week (1.8% of energy n-3 fat); a fish diet providing 113 g of fatty fish per 10.1 mJ 2 times per week (0.8% of energy n-3 fat), or a control diet (no nuts or fish, 0.4% of energy n-3 fat) for 4 weeks on each diet. Both the walnut and fish diets inhibited circulating concentrations of prostaglandin E metabolite (PGEM) and 11-dehydro thromboxane B2, but demonstrated no effect on blood interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α¯ (TNF-α¯), and C-reactive protein (CRP) or the number of circulating lymphocyte subsets. On the walnut diet the proportion of plasma phospholipid α¯-linolenic acid (ALA) increased 140% and arachidonic acid (AA) decreased 7% compared to both the control and fish diets. The proportion of plasma phospholipid eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) increased about 200% and 900% respectively on the fish diet relative to either the control or walnut diet. The walnut diet inhibited E-selectin by 12.7% relative to the fish diet, and the fish diet inhibited secretory intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (s-ICAM-1) by 4.5% relative to the control diet. Both walnuts and fish in commonly consumed amounts may have modest albeit distinct effects on circulating adhesion molecules.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Loma Linda University, Nichol Hall 1102, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA.
authors.forename: Yu-Lan
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.forename: Ella
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Haddad
authors.forename: Sujatha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rajaram
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shavlik
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sabaté
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015777:Eicosanoids / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D006801:Humans; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D031324:Juglans / Q000737:chemistry*; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D016207:Cytokines; D004041:Dietary Fats; D015777:Eicosanoids; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha