AJP - Heart and Circulatory Physiology, Vol 256, Issue 4 968-H973, Copyright © 1989 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

Dietary omega 3 fatty acids and endothelium-dependent relaxations in porcine coronary arteries

H. Shimokawa and P. M. Vanhoutte
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905.

Dietary supplementation with cod-liver oil significantly augments endothelium-dependent relaxations in porcine coronary arteries. The present study was designed to examine the effect of dietary administration of omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (mainly eicosapentaenoic acid, the major component of fish oil) on endothelium-dependent relaxations in porcine coronary arteries. Male Yorkshire pigs were maintained 4 wk on a regular diet with or without supplementation with purified eicosapentaenoic acid (3.5 g/day) and docosahexaenoic acid (1.5 g/day). Endothelium-dependent relaxations were examined in vitro. In rings from the treated group, endothelium-dependent relaxations were augmented in response to bradykinin, serotonin, and ADP, but not to the calcium ionophore A23187. These augmentations were not altered by indomethacin but were significantly inhibited by methylene blue, an inhibitor of guanylate cyclase. In the treated group, endothelium-dependent relaxations to aggregating platelets also were significantly augmented; platelet-induced contractions of quiescent rings were inhibited more by the presence of the endothelium than in arteries from the control group. Bioassay experiments demonstrated that the release of endothelium-derived relaxing factor(s) by bradykinin and relaxations of the vascular smooth muscle to the factor(s) were greater in arteries from the treated group. These observations indicate that dietary omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids augment receptor-operated endothelium-dependent relaxations, partly due to the augmented release of endothelium-derived relaxing factor(s) and partly due to the augmented relaxation of the vascular smooth muscle to the factor(s).

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. Lopez, X. Orta, K. Casos, M. P. Saiz, P. Puig-Parellada, M. Farriol, and M. T. Mitjavila Upregulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase in rat aorta after ingestion of fish oil-rich diet Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, August 1, 2004; 287(2): H567 - H572. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Ye, D. Zhang, C. Oltman, K. Dellsperger, H.-C. Lee, and M. VanRollins Cytochrome P-450 Epoxygenase Metabolites of Docosahexaenoate Potently Dilate Coronary Arterioles by Activating Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., November 1, 2002; 303(2): 768 - 776. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Thieme, F. Stumpff, A. Ottlecz, C. L. Percicot, G. N. Lambrou, and M. Wiederholt Mechanisms of Action of Unoprostone on Trabecular Meshwork Contractility Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., December 1, 2001; 42(13): 3193 - 3201. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Lopez, C. Caballero, J. Sanchez, P. Puig-Parellada, and M. T. Mitjavila Free radical production in aortic rings from rats fed a fish oil-rich diet Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, June 1, 2001; 280(6): H2929 - H2935. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. E Connor Importance of n-3 fatty acids in health and disease1 Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, January 1, 2000; 71(1): 171S - 175S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Hashimoto, K. Shinozuka, S. Gamoh, Y. Tanabe, M. S. Hossain, Y. M. Kwon, N. Hata, Y. Misawa, M. Kunitomo, and S. Masumura The Hypotensive Effect of Docosahexaenoic Acid Is Associated with the Enhanced Release of ATP from the Caudal Artery of Aged Rats J. Nutr., January 1, 1999; 129(1): 70 - 76. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Q. Bao, T. A. Mori, V. Burke, I. B. Puddey, and L. J. Beilin Effects of Dietary Fish and Weight Reduction on Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Overweight Hypertensives Hypertension, October 1, 1998; 32(4): 710 - 717. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]