JLR Patient-Oriented and Epidemiological Research
n-3 PUFAs improve erythrocyte fatty acid profile in patients with small AAA: a randomized controlled trial
Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is an important cause of death in older adults, which has no current drug therapy. Inflammation and abnormal redox status are believed to be key pathogenic mechanisms for AAA. In light of evidence correlating inflammation with aberrant fatty acid profiles, this study compared erythrocyte fatty acid content in 43 AAA patients (diameter 3.0–4.5 cm) and 52 healthy controls. In addition, the effect of omega-3 PUFA (n-3 PUFA) supplementation on erythrocyte fatty acid content was examined in a cohort of 30 AAA patients as part of a 12 week randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial.Effect of fish oil on monoepoxides derived from fatty acids during cardiac surgery
Our objective was to assess the dynamics of monoepoxides derived from polyunsaturated fatty acids (MEFAs), and their response to n-3 PUFA supplementation, in the setting of acute tissue injury and inflammation (cardiac surgery) in humans. Patients (479) undergoing cardiac surgery in three countries were randomized to perioperative fish oil (EPA + DHA; 8–10 g over 2–5 days preoperatively, then 2 g/day postoperatively) or placebo (olive oil). Plasma MEFAs derived from n-3 and n-6 PUFAs were measured 2 days postoperatively.Associations of human retinal very long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids with dietary lipid biomarkers
The human retina is well-known to have unique lipid profiles enriched in long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) and very long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLC-PUFAs) that appear to promote normal retinal structure and function, but the influence of diet on retinal lipid profiles in health and disease remains controversial. In this study, we examined two independent cohorts of donor eyes and related their retinal lipid profiles with systemic biomarkers of lipid intake. We found that serum and red blood cell lipids, and to a lesser extent orbital fat, are indeed excellent biomarkers of retinal lipid content and n-3/n-6 ratios in both the LC-PUFA and VLC-PUFA series.
