Docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acid supplementation does not exacerbate oxidative stress or intravascular haemolysis in homozygous sickle cell patients

Omega 3 (n−3) fatty acids down-regulate nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) gene and blood cell adhesion molecule expression in patients with homozygous sickle cell disease

“…Interestingly, SCD patients with PHT have higher levels of markers of endothelial activation, coagulation activation and other inflammatory markers than SCD patients without PHT. Hence the clinical importance of the findings of this study, besides supporting previous reports about the positive therapeutic effect of n − 3 fatty acids in SCD [16,18,19,37], that it suggests high DHA n − 3 supplement as a potential intervention to prevent PHT, stroke and other SCD vasculopathy-related complications.…”

“…This result is in line with whole genome gene expression studies in adults supplemented with n − 3 fatty acids [58,59]. Knowing that NF-κB pathway mediates oxidative stress response [60], the observed reduction in NF-κB gene expression could be a reflection to the observed improvements in the patients' oxidative stress status after supplementation with n−3 fatty acids [19]. The results of the present study might also suggest pathways other than NF-κB gene involved in hydroxyurea well-documented anti-adhesive effects [9].…”

“…These findings indicated the important role of fatty acid abnormality in the chronic inflammatory state associated with the disease [14,15]. In addition, our group and others have shown that supplementing SCD patients with omega-3 fatty acids corrects cell membrane abnormalities and confer protection against vaso-occlusive pain episodes, severe anaemia and oxidative stress [16][17][18][19], and improves red blood cells flexibility in mice [20]. However, little is known about the potential antiinflammatory role of n−3 fatty acids in SCD.…”

Dietary supplementation with docosahexanoic acid (DHA) increases red blood cell membrane flexibility in mice with sickle cell disease

“…Recently, a larger study showed verified that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation reduced the frequency of vaso-occlusive episodes, as well as severe anemia, in individuals with SCD [18]. Additionally, this group found that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation did not exacerbate oxidative stress known to exist in SCD [19;30;51], a complication that has been suggested in studies of omega-3 supplementation in non-SCD individuals [23]. However, while these studies have evaluated incorporation of omega-3 fatty acids into the RBC membrane, they have not carefully assessed the effect of omega-3 fatty acids on sickle RBC structural and functional characteristics [18;52;64].…”

Blood Cell Membrane Omega-3 ( n -3) Fatty Acid Abnormality and Supplementation in Patients with Sickle Cell Anemia

“…Plasma α -tocopherol concentration and the activities of cytosolic glutathione peroxidase (GPX-1) and Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD) were used to assess the level of antioxidant protection. The omega-3 fatty acid supplemented patients compared with the placebo group had significantly lower GPX-1 (Figure 27.5) and Cu/Zn-SOD (Figure 27.6) activity and higher plasma alpha-tocopherol concentration (Figure 27.7) (Daak et al, 2013b) demonstrating that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation does not exacerbate oxidative stress in sickle cell patients. Indeed, perhaps paradoxically, it seems to bestow oxidative protection.…”