EFFECTS OF OMEGA-3-FATTY-ACIDS AND OR ANTIOXIDANTS ON ENDOTHELIAL-CELL MARKERS/

Background Increased expression of cell adhesion molecules and increas ed procoagulant activity of the vascular endothelium have been postula ted to characterize dysfunctional endothelium. The cellular effects of n-3 fatty acids (n-3 FAs) and antioxidants are still not clarified. M ethods In a randomized, factorial two-by-two design study, we have inv estigated 41 male smokers with hyperlipidaemia before and after 6 week s of supplementation with either n-3 FAs (4.8 g daily) or placebo with the addition of antioxidants (150 mg of vitamin C, 75 mg of vitamin E and 15 mg of p-carotene daily) or placebo with regard to the effects on some endothelial cell markers: thrombomodulin (sTM), von Willebrand factor (vWF), tissue plasminogen activator antigen (tPAag) and solubl e forms of the cell adhesion molecules E-selectin, P-selectin and vasc ular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1). Results In the n-3 FA group, s ignificant reductions in the plasma levels of vWF (P = 0.034) and sTM (P<0.001) were demonstrated compared with placebo, whereas increased l evels were found for E-selectin (P=0.001) and VCAM-1 (P=0.010). In the antioxidant group, no differences in changes were noted for any of th e variables. Conclusion The reduction in the levels of sTM and vWF wit h n-3 FA supplementation could indicate an improvement with regard to the haemostatic markers of endothelial dysfunction, whereas the simult aneous increase in the soluble forms of E-selectin and VCAM-1 may sugg est an adverse effect on the inflammatory system. The antioxidants see m to be neutral in their effect on these endothelial cell markers in o ur study population of smokers. The interpretation of the soluble form s of these molecules are, however, still debatable.