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Title: Omega-3 fatty acids attenuate cardiovascular effects of short-term exposure to ambient air pollution

Journal Article · · Particle and Fibre Toxicology
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [2];  [4];  [4];  [4];  [4];  [4]; ORCiD logo [4]
  1. Oak Ridge Inst. for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); OSTI
  2. Helmholtz-Zentrum München, (Germany). Institute of Epidemiology
  3. Oak Ridge Inst. for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Bowling Green State Univ., OH (United States)
  4. US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Chapel Hill, NC (United States). Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment
+ Show Author Affiliations

Background: Exposure to air pollution is associated with elevated cardiovascular risk. Evidence shows that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 PUFA) may attenuate the adverse cardiovascular effects of exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5). However, it is unclear whether habitual dietary intake of omega-3 PUFA protects against the cardiovascular effects of short-term exposure to low-level ambient air pollution in healthy participants. In the present study, sixty-two adults with low or high dietary omega-3 PUFA intake were enrolled. Blood lipids, markers of vascular inflammation, coagulation and fibrinolysis, and heart rate variability (HRV) and repolarization were repeatedly assessed in 5 sessions separated by at least 7 days. This study was carried out in the Research Triangle area of North Carolina, USA between October 2016 and September 2019. Daily PM2.5 and maximum 8-h ozone (O3) concentrations were obtained from nearby air quality monitoring stations. Linear mixed-effects models were used to assess the associations between air pollutant concentrations and cardiovascular responses stratified by the omega-3 intake levels. Results: The average concentrations of ambient PM2.5 and O3 were well below the U.S. National Ambient Air Quality Standards during the study period. Significant associations between exposure to PM2.5 and changes in total cholesterol, von Willebrand factor (vWF), tissue plasminogen activator, D-dimer, and very-low frequency HRV were observed in the low omega-3 group, but not in the high group. Similarly, O3-associated adverse changes in cardiovascular biomarkers (total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, serum amyloid A, soluable intracellular adhesion molecule 1, and vWF) were mainly observed in the low omega-3 group. Lag-time-dependent biphasic changes were observed for some biomarkers. Conclusions: This study demonstrates associations between short-term exposure to PM2.5 and O3, at concentrations below regulatory standard, and subclinical cardiovascular responses, and that dietary omega-3 PUFA consumption may provide protection against such cardiovascular effects in healthy adults.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC); USEPA
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0014664
OSTI ID:
1905027
Journal Information:
Particle and Fibre Toxicology, Journal Name: Particle and Fibre Toxicology Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 19; ISSN 1743-8977
Publisher:
BioMed CentralCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
O3
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids
PM2.5
Toxicology
ambient air pollution
cardiovascular