INCREASED EICOSAPENTAENOIC ACID TO ARACHIDONIC ACID (EPA/AA) RATIO IN BRAIN ENDOTHELIAL CELLS ASSOCIATED WITH REDUCED EXPRESSION OF NEUTROPHIL DEGRANULATION PROTEINS DURING INFLAMMATION

Abstract

Endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction results in inflammation and increased atherothrombotic risk, including stroke. The omega-3 fatty acid (FA) eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) improves arterial compliance in a manner predicted by circulating EPA/AA ratios, an indicator of cardiovascular (CV) risk. Treatment with icosapent ethyl (IPE), a formulation of highly purified EPA, reduced composite CV events, including stroke, in REDUCE-IT that correlated with on-treatment EPA levels. We measured the effects of EPA on the EPA/AA ratio and protein expression in endothelial cells from brain ECs (BECs) following cytokine challenge.