Eicosapentaenoic acid inhibits endothelial cell migration in vitro

Abstract

Background

As n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids exert a beneficial action on the cardiovascular system, it is important to investigate their effects on endothelial cell responses that (like migration) contribute to repairing vascular lesions.

Methods

To this purpose, using functional and morphological in vitroassays, we have examined the effect of n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on the migration of endothelial cells.

Results

We report here that incubation of endothelial cells with n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids impaired cell migration into a wound, triggered peripheral distribution of focal adhesions and caused partial disassembly of actin filaments. We also found that eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid exerted similar effects on the focal adhesions, but that eicosapentaenoic acid was sufficient for inhibiting cell migration.

Conclusions

Given the importance of endothelial cell migration in the repair of vascular injuries, these in vitrofindings call for in vivoevaluation of vascular repair in response to different dietary ratios of eicosapentaenoic to docosahexaenoic acid.