International Scholarly Research Notices

Review Article

Atherosclerosis, Dyslipidemia, and Inflammation: The Significant Role of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids

Table 1

PUFAs and cardiovascular disease.
PUFA effects
(1) Anti-inflammatory  (a) NF-κB activation
  (b) EPA and DHA compete with AA for COX & 5-lipo-oxygenase enzymatic sites
            
  Reduce the production of IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-
   (c) Anti inflammatory eicosanoids
(2) Cardiac energetic   (a) ATP generation
   (b) O2 consumption
   (c) Sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium concentration
            
  Maintain normal mitochondrial function
(3) Antiarrhythmic   (a) Ca2+/Mg2+ ATPase activity
   (b) Inhibit fast voltage-dependent Na+ channels ( )
   (c) Inhibit L-type Ca2+ channels ( )
            
  Membrane stabilization
   (d) Reduced automaticity
   (e) Increased relative refractory period
(4) Hemodynamics   (a) Improved endothelium-independent and dependent vasodilatation
   (b) ET-1
   (c) NO
            
  Improved endothelium dysfunction
(5) Ventricular remodeling and fibrosis   (a) PPAR adiponectin
            
  Attenuates ventricular remodeling
(6) Vascular   (a) Platelet aggregation via TXA2
   (b) VCAM-1, ELAM-1, ICAM-1
   (c) monocyte endothelial adherence via PAF
EPA: eicosapentaenoic acid; DHA: docosahexaenoic acid; AA: arachidonic acid; ET-1: endothelin-1; NO: nitric oxide; PPAR- : peroxisome proliferation-activated receptors-γ; TX A2: thromboxane A2; VCAM-1: vascular cell adhesion protein 1; ELAM-1: endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule-1; ICAM-1: intercellular adhesion molecule-1; PAF: platelet activating factor; COX: cyclooxygenase.