title: Association of serum aryl hydrocarbon receptor activity and RBC omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids with flow-mediated dilation in healthy, young Hispanic cigarette smokers.
abstract: Impaired flow-mediated dilation (FMD) occurs prior to clinical disease in young cigarette smokers. We investigated two potential biomarkers of FMD: serum aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) activity and RBC omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in healthy young Hispanic cigarette smokers. We recruited never (n=16) and current (n=16) Hispanic smokers (32 ± 7 years old), excluding individuals with clinical cardiovascular disease. We measured FMD with duplex ultrasound, RBC fatty acids and serum AHR activity using a luciferase reporter assay. FMD was significantly impaired in smokers (5.8 ± 4%) versus never smokers (12.3 ± 7.4%, p=0.001). Serum AHR activity was significantly increased in smokers (1467 ± 358 relative light units (RLU)) versus never smokers (689 ± 251 RLU, p<0.001), and correlated positively with FMD only in smokers (r=0.691, p<0.004). RBC percentage of α-linolenic acid (ALA%) was significantly increased in smokers (0.14 ± 0.03%) versus never smokers (0.11 ± 0.03%, p=0.018), and correlated inversely with FMD only in smokers (r=-0.538, p=0.03). The combination of serum AHR activity, ALA%, and systolic blood pressure significantly correlated with FMD in a multivariable regression model (r=0.802, p<0.008). These results suggest that serum AHR activity and RBC ALA% could serve as biomarkers of FMD in healthy, young Hispanic cigarette smokers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
authors.forename: Elani F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Wiest
authors.affiliation: Vascular Lab, University of New Mexico Hospital, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Warneke
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
authors.forename: Mary T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Langsfeld
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice and Administrative Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
authors.forename: Joe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA. Electronic address: mwalker@salud.unm.edu.
authors.forename: Mary K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018336:Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon / Q000097:blood*; D012907:Smoking / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects*; D055815:Young Adult; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D018336:Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid
keywords: Aryl hydrocarbon receptor; Cigarette smoke; Endothelial dysfunction; Flow-mediated dilation; Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids