Fatty acid modulation of endothelial activation

Dietary balance of long-chain fatty acids may influence processes involving leukocyte-endothelial interactions, such as atherogenesis and inflammation, that involve increased endothelial expression of leukocyte adhesion molecules, or endothelial activation. We compared the ability of various saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids to modulate endothelial activation. Consumption of the n−3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n−3) reduced endothelial expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), E-selectin, intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and IL-8 in response to IL-1, IL-4, tumor necrosis factor, or bacterial endotoxin, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 1–25 μmol, ie, in the range of nutritionally achievable plasma concentrations. The magnitude of this effect paralleled its incorporation into cellular phospholipids. DHA also reduced the adhesion of human monocytes and monocytic U937 cells to cytokine-stimulated endothelial cells. These effects were accompanied by a reduction in VCAM-1 messenger RNA, indicating a pretranslational effect. To assess structural fatty acid determinants of VCAM-1 inhibitory activity, we compared various saturated, monounsaturated, and n−6 and n−3 polyunsaturated fatty acids for their VCAM-1 inhibitory activity. Saturated fatty acids did not inhibit cytokine-induced expression of adhesion molecules. However, a progressive increase in inhibitory activity was observed with dietary intake of fatty acids with the same chain length but increasing double bonds, ie, from monounsaturated to n−6 and, further, to n−3 fatty acids. Thus, the greater number of double bonds seems critical for the greater activity of n−3 compared with n−6 fatty acids in inhibiting endothelial activation. These properties are likely to be relevant to the antiatherogenic and antiinflammatory properties of n−3 fatty acids.