Omega-3 Fatty Acids modify the Ambient PM2.5 and Ozone-induced Inflammation and Fibrinolysis in Young Healthy Adults
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Air pollution exposure has been associated with adverse cardiopulmonary effects. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation has been shown to blunt cardiovascular responses to air pollution exposure. We conducted a panel study to evaluate whether personal choice of omega-3 fatty acids intake could modulate the health effects of short-term exposure to ambient air pollution in young healthy adults. Sixty-two healthy adults (mean age 38±9 yr) were divided into high (n=34) or low (n=28) omega groups based on their blood omega-3 index. Systemic inflammation and fibrinolysis were measured repeatedly during three to five sessions scheduled at least one week apart between October 2016 and September 2019. Daily fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone (O3) concentrations were obtained from air quality monitoring stations in central North Carolina. Associations of air pollutants with inflammation and fibrinolysis were assessed using mixed-effects models stratified by omega-3 groups. The average concentration of PM2.5 was 10.2 µg/m3 and 8-h ozone was 40.8 ppb during the study period. PM2.5 concentrations were positively associated with circulating TNFα levels in the low omega group, while corresponding associations were close to the null or inverse in the high omega group (e.g., for an interquartile range (IQR) increase in moving averages of five days, 5.5% (95% CI 0.4%, 10.7%) vs. -4.9% (-11.5%, 1.7%); Pinteraction=0.01). In addition, per IQR increase in PM2.5, von Willebrand factor was decreased, while per IQR increase in 8-h O3, IL-6 was increased in the high omega-3 group. We observed differential effects of PM2.5 and O3 on inflammatory and fibrinolysis markers which was modulated by levels of omega-3 fatty acids. The effects were found at concentrations well below the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for both PM2.5 and O3. Omega-3 fatty acids may offer protection against adverse health effects of ambient air pollution in young healthy adults. THIS ABSTRACT OF A PROPOSED PRESENTATION DOES NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT EPA POLICY.