HEALING THE HEART WITH FAT
Too much dietary fat
is bad for the heart, but the right kind of fat keeps the heart healthy,
according to a paper published in The Journal of
Experimental Medicine.
Unsaturated dietary
fatty acids, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), are known to protect against
cardiovascular diseases. However, the mechanism and the specific fat
metabolites responsible for this protection were unknown.
A group of Japanese
scientists now show that mice engineered to produce their own EPA are protected
against heart disease and have improved cardiac function. One particular EPA
metabolite, called 18-hydroxyeicosapentaenoic acid (18-HEPE), was required for this
protection.
18-HEPE was produced
by immune cells called macrophages, which dampened inflammation and fibrosis in
the heart. Treatment with 18-HEPE confirmed its heart-protective effects.
A diet enriched in
18-HEPE might thus help prevent heart failure in patients with cardiovascular
diseases.
Comments
Post a Comment