Dietary Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation Reduces Inflammation in Obese Pregnant Women: A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Clinical Trial

• Published in: PloS one 2015-09, Vol.10 (9), p.e0137309-e0137309
• Main Authors: Haghiac, Maricela, Yang, Xiao-hua, Presley, Larraine, Smith, Shoi, Dettelback, Shirley, Minium, Judi, Belury, Martha A, Catalano, Patrick M, Hauguel-de Mouzon, Sylvie
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adipose tissue; Adipose Tissue - drug effects; Adipose Tissue - metabolism; Adipose Tissue - pathology; Adult; Anti-inflammatory agents; Body weight; Cell culture; Chains; Clinical trials; Complications and side effects; Diet; Dietary Supplements; Docosahexaenoic acid; Docosahexaenoic Acids - administration & dosage; Double-Blind Method; Double-blind studies; Eicosapentaenoic acid; Eicosapentaenoic Acid - administration & dosage; Fatty acids; Female; Fish oils; Food and nutrition; Gene Expression Regulation; Health aspects; Humans; Inflammation; Insulin resistance; Interleukin 6; Interleukin 8; Interleukin-6 - genetics; Interleukin-6 - immunology; Interleukin-8 - genetics; Interleukin-8 - immunology; Obesity; Obesity - diet therapy; Obesity - genetics; Obesity - immunology; Obesity - pathology; Omega 3 fatty acids; Overweight; Palmitic acid; Physiological aspects; Placenta; Placenta - drug effects; Placenta - metabolism; Placenta - pathology; Pregnancy; Pregnant women; Prevention; Primary Cell Culture; Randomization; Risk factors; Signal Transduction; TLR4 protein; Toll-Like Receptor 4 - genetics; Toll-Like Receptor 4 - immunology; Toll-like receptors; Trophoblasts - drug effects; Trophoblasts - metabolism; Trophoblasts - pathology; Tumor necrosis factor-α; Womens health
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0137309

Long-chain omega 3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) exert potent anti-inflammatory properties in humans. This study characterized the effects of omega-3 ω-3 fatty acids supplements (ω-3 FA) on the inflammatory status in the placenta and adipose tissue of overweight/obese pregnant women. A randomized, double-masked controlled trial was conducted in overweight/obese pregnant women that were randomly assigned to receive DHA plus EPA (2 g/day) or the equivalent of a placebo twice a day from week 10-16 to term. Inflammatory pathways were characterized in: 1) adipose tissue and placenta of treated vs. untreated women; and 2) adipose and trophoblast cells cultured with long chain FAs. The sum of plasma DHA and EPA increased by 5.8 fold and ω-3 FA/ω-6 FA ratio was 1.5 in treated vs. untreated women (p< 0.005). Plasma CRP concentrations were reduced (p25 weeks reduced inflammation in maternal adipose and the placental tissue. TLR4 appears as a central target of the anti-inflammatory effects at the cellular level. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00957476.