Anti-inflammatory effects of ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitors in angiotensin-II-dependent hypertension

J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 2013 Sep;62(3):285-97. doi: 10.1097/FJC.0b013e318298e460.

Abstract

The mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory and antihypertensive effects of long-chain ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs) are still unclear. The epoxides of an ω-6 fatty acid, arachidonic acid epoxyeicosatrienoic acids also exhibit antihypertensive and anti-inflammatory effects. Thus, we hypothesized that the major ω-3 PUFAs, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), may lower the blood pressure and attenuate renal markers of inflammation through their epoxide metabolites. Here, we supplemented mice with an ω-3 rich diet for 3 weeks in a murine model of angiotensin-II-dependent hypertension. Also, because EPA and DHA epoxides are metabolized by soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH), we tested the combination of an sEH inhibitor and the ω-3 rich diet. Our results show that ω-3 rich diet in combination with the sEH inhibitor lowered Ang-II, increased the blood pressure, further increased the renal levels of EPA and DHA epoxides, reduced renal markers of inflammation (ie, prostaglandins and MCP-1), downregulated an epithelial sodium channel, and upregulated angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 message and significantly modulated cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase metabolic pathways. Overall, our findings suggest that epoxides of the ω-3 PUFAs contribute to lowering systolic blood pressure and attenuating inflammation in part by reduced prostaglandins and MCP-1 and by upregulation of angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 in angiotensin-II-dependent hypertension.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Angiotensin II
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2
  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / metabolism
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / therapeutic use*
  • Antihypertensive Agents / metabolism
  • Antihypertensive Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Dietary Supplements*
  • Disease Models, Animal*
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Epithelial Sodium Channel Blockers / metabolism
  • Epithelial Sodium Channel Blockers / therapeutic use
  • Epithelial Sodium Channels / chemistry
  • Epithelial Sodium Channels / metabolism
  • Epoxide Hydrolases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Epoxide Hydrolases / chemistry
  • Epoxide Hydrolases / metabolism
  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / metabolism
  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / therapeutic use*
  • Hypertension, Renal / diet therapy*
  • Hypertension, Renal / drug therapy
  • Hypertension, Renal / immunology
  • Inflammation Mediators / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Inflammation Mediators / metabolism
  • Kidney / drug effects
  • Kidney / immunology
  • Kidney / metabolism
  • Lipid Peroxidation / drug effects
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred Strains
  • Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / biosynthesis
  • Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / genetics
  • Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / metabolism
  • Random Allocation
  • Solubility

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
  • Antihypertensive Agents
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Epithelial Sodium Channel Blockers
  • Epithelial Sodium Channels
  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3
  • Inflammation Mediators
  • Angiotensin II
  • Epoxide Hydrolases
  • Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A
  • Ace2 protein, mouse
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2