title: Supplementation of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids prevents increase in arterial stiffness after experimental menopause.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Menopause is associated with increased arterial stiffness, an independent marker of cardiovascular risk. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (N3-PUFAs) are thought to have multiple cardiovascular benefits, including prevention of arterial stiffness. We investigated whether treatment with N3-PUFA prevents increase in arterial stiffness in ovariectomized rats, an animal model of experimental menopause.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 43 Wistar rats, 2 months old, were divided into 3 groups, control, sham surgery, normal diet (CTRL, n = 15); ovariectomy, normal diet (OVX, n = 14); and ovariectomy with N3-PUFA supplementation (0.8 g/kg/d in daily gavages administration; OVX + O3, n = 14). Two months after surgery, carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) and arterial blood pressure (BP) were measured by carotid and femoral cannulation. Aortic morphometric measurements were performed after dissection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ovariectomy caused a significant increase in BP (P < .05), PWV (P < .0001), and elastic modulus (P = .001) compared to CTRL. After ovariectomy, N3-PUFA supplementation completely prevented increase in arterial stiffness (P < .0001 vs OVX) and BP (P < .05 vs OVX) and resulted in a significant increase in body weight and aortic thickness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In an experimental model of menopause, N3-PUFA supplementation prevents arterial stiffening and other vascular changes induced by ovariectomy. These results represent a therapeutic benefit of N3-PUFAs in prevention of postmenopausal cardiovascular disease.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, U.C.O. Medicina Clinica, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Losurdo
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grillo
authors.forename: Emiliano
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Panizon
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gortan Cappellari
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fabris
authors.forename: Moreno
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bardelli
authors.forename: Gianni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Biolo
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zanetti
authors.forename: Renzo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Carretta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D062186:Arterial Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008593:Menopause; D010052:Ovariectomy; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D051381:Rats; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D012307:Risk Factors; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3
keywords: arterial stiffness; menopause; omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids; pulse wave velocity