TY - JOUR
T1 - Dietary fish oil improves endothelial function and lowers blood pressure via suppression of sphingolipid-mediated contractions in spontaneously hypertensive rats
AU - van den Elsen, Lieke W J
AU - Spijkers, Léon J A
AU - van den Akker, Rob F P
AU - van Winssen, Aggie M H
AU - Balvers, Martin
AU - Wijesinghe, Dayanjan S
AU - Chalfant, Charles E
AU - Garssen, Johan
AU - Willemsen, Linette E M
AU - Alewijnse, Astrid E
AU - Peters, Stephan L M
PY - 2014/5
Y1 - 2014/5
N2 - OBJECTIVE: Long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from oily fish reduce blood pressure (BP) in hypertension. Previously, we demonstrated that hypertension is associated with marked alterations in sphingolipid biology and elevated ceramide-induced vasoconstriction. Here we investigated in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) whether fish oil improves endothelial function including reduced vascular contraction induced via the sphingolipid cascade, resulting in reduced BP.METHODS: Twelve-week-old SHRs were fed a control or fish oil-enriched diet during 12 weeks, and BP was recorded. Plasma sphingolipid levels were quantified by mass spectrometry and the response of isolated carotid arteries towards different stimuli was measured. Furthermore, erythrocyte membrane fatty acid composition, thromboxane A2 formation and cytokine secretion in ex-vivo lipopolysaccharide-stimulated thoracic aorta segments were determined.RESULTS: The fish oil diet reduced the mean arterial BP (P < 0.001) and improved endothelial function, as indicated by a substantially increased relaxation potential towards ex-vivo methacholine exposure of the carotid arteries (P < 0.001). The long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid diet resulted in altered levels of specific (glucosyl)ceramide subspecies (P < 0.05), reduced membrane arachidonic acid content (P < 0.001) and decreased thromboxane concentrations in plasma (P < 0.01). Concomitantly, the fish oil diet largely reduced ceramide-induced contractions (P < 0.01), which are predominantly mediated by thromboxane. Furthermore, thromboxane A2 and interleukin-10 were reduced in supernatants of lipopolysaccharide-stimulated thoracic aorta of SHRs fed the fish oil diet while RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted) was enhanced. This may contribute to reduced vasoconstriction in vivo.CONCLUSIONS: Dietary fish oil lowers BP in SHRs and improves endothelial function in association with suppression of sphingolipid-dependent vascular contraction.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from oily fish reduce blood pressure (BP) in hypertension. Previously, we demonstrated that hypertension is associated with marked alterations in sphingolipid biology and elevated ceramide-induced vasoconstriction. Here we investigated in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) whether fish oil improves endothelial function including reduced vascular contraction induced via the sphingolipid cascade, resulting in reduced BP.METHODS: Twelve-week-old SHRs were fed a control or fish oil-enriched diet during 12 weeks, and BP was recorded. Plasma sphingolipid levels were quantified by mass spectrometry and the response of isolated carotid arteries towards different stimuli was measured. Furthermore, erythrocyte membrane fatty acid composition, thromboxane A2 formation and cytokine secretion in ex-vivo lipopolysaccharide-stimulated thoracic aorta segments were determined.RESULTS: The fish oil diet reduced the mean arterial BP (P < 0.001) and improved endothelial function, as indicated by a substantially increased relaxation potential towards ex-vivo methacholine exposure of the carotid arteries (P < 0.001). The long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid diet resulted in altered levels of specific (glucosyl)ceramide subspecies (P < 0.05), reduced membrane arachidonic acid content (P < 0.001) and decreased thromboxane concentrations in plasma (P < 0.01). Concomitantly, the fish oil diet largely reduced ceramide-induced contractions (P < 0.01), which are predominantly mediated by thromboxane. Furthermore, thromboxane A2 and interleukin-10 were reduced in supernatants of lipopolysaccharide-stimulated thoracic aorta of SHRs fed the fish oil diet while RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted) was enhanced. This may contribute to reduced vasoconstriction in vivo.CONCLUSIONS: Dietary fish oil lowers BP in SHRs and improves endothelial function in association with suppression of sphingolipid-dependent vascular contraction.
KW - Animals
KW - Blood Pressure/drug effects
KW - Chromatography, Liquid
KW - Dietary Fats, Unsaturated/pharmacology
KW - Endothelium, Vascular/drug effects
KW - Fish Oils/pharmacology
KW - Mass Spectrometry
KW - Muscle Contraction/drug effects
KW - Rats
KW - Rats, Inbred SHR
KW - Sphingolipids/physiology
KW - Sphingomyelin Phosphodiesterase/metabolism
KW - Thromboxane B2/blood
U2 - 10.1097/HJH.0000000000000131
DO - 10.1097/HJH.0000000000000131
M3 - Article
C2 - 24569415
SN - 0263-6352
VL - 32
SP - 1050
EP - 1058
JO - Journal of Hypertension
JF - Journal of Hypertension
IS - 5
ER -