title: Plasma n-3 and n-6 fatty acids and inflammatory markers in Chinese vegetarians.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intake favorably affects chronic inflammatory-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease; however, the relationship between the PUFA and inflammatory factors in the healthy vegetarians were not clear. We aimed to investigate the plasma fatty acids status, and its association with plasma inflammatory factors in Chinese vegetarians and omnivores.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 89 male vegetarians and 106 male omnivores were participated the study. Plasma concentrations of inflammatory factors were detected by ELISA, and as standard methods fatty acids were extracted and determined by chromatography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with omnivores, vegetarians have significant higher interleukin-6 (IL-6), plasma n-6 PUFA, n-6/n-3, and 18:3n-3; while they have significant lower leukotriene B4 (LTB4), cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX2) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), 20:5n-3, 22:5n-3, 22:6n-3, and n-3 PUFA. In vegetarians, plasma 20:4n-6 was significant positively related to TNF-α. LTB4 was significantly positively related to plasma 22:6n-3, and negatively associated with n-6 PUFA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vegetarians have higher plasma n-6 PUFA and IL-6, but lower LTB4, n-3 PUFA, 22:6n-3, COX2 and PGE2 levels. It would seem appropriate for vegetarians to increase their dietary n-3 PUFA, while reduce dietary n-6 PUFA and thus reduce the risk of chronic inflammatory-related diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhejiang Hospital, 12 Linyin Road, Hangzhou 310030, China. yuxiaomei_1@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Xiaomei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Xiumei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.forename: Tianxing
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shou
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiaoqiong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Qinxin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Duo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D014676:Diet, Vegetarian; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000097:blood*; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6 / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D007378:Interleukins