Effects of n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid-Enriched Hen Egg Consumption on the Inflammatory Biomarkers and Microvascular Function in Patients with Acute and Chronic Coronary Syndrome—A Randomized Study

Enhancing Endothelial Function with Nutrient-Enriched Table Hen Eggs: A Randomized Study in Patients Recovering from Acute Coronary Syndrome

Purpose

This study investigated the effect of consumption of table eggs enriched with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA), lutein, vitamin E and selenium on microvascular function, oxidative stress and inflammatory mediators in patients after acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Patients and Methods

In a prospective, randomized, interventional, double-blind clinical trial, ACS patients were assigned to either the Nutri4 (N=15, mean age: 57.2 ± 9.2 years), or the Control group (N=13; mean age 56.8 ± 9.6 years). The Nutri4 group consumed three enriched hen eggs daily for three weeks, providing approximately 1.785 mg of vitamin E, 0.330 mg of lutein, 0.054 mg of selenium and 438 mg of n-3 PUFAs. Biochemical parameters, including serum lipids, liver enzymes, nutrient concentrations, serum antioxidant enzyme activity (catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD)), and markers of oxidative stress (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and ferric reducing ability (FRAP)), were assessed before and after the dietary interventions. Additionally, arterial blood pressure, heart rate, body composition, fluid status, anthropometric measurements, and skin microvascular blood flow responses to various stimuli (postocclusive reactive hyperemia (PORH), acetylcholine- (Ach ID), and sodium nitroprusside- (SNP ID)) were measured using laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) throughout the study.

Results

The intake of Nutri4 eggs led to a significant reduction in LDL cholesterol levels, while the levels of total cholesterol remained within the established reference values. Consuming Nutri4 eggs resulted in a 12.7% increase in serum vitamin E levels, an 8.6% increase in selenium levels, and demonstrated a favorable impact on microvascular reactivity, as evidenced by markedly improved PORH and ACh ID. Nutri4 eggs exerted a significant influence on the activity of GPx and SOD, with no observed changes in TBARS or FRAP values.

Conclusion

The consumption of Nutri4 eggs positively influenced microvascular function in individuals with ACS, without eliciting adverse effects on oxidative stress.

n-3 PUFA Enriched Eggs as a Source of Valuable Bioactive Substances

This research elaborates the process of enriching table eggs with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) and presents the effect of such enriched eggs on human health. The experiment was performed on 480 TETRA SL laying hens divided into three groups. Feeding mixtures contained 5% of oils (K = soybean oil, P1 = 3.5% linseed oil + 1.5% fish oil, P2 = 3% linseed oil + 2% fish oil). Referring to the content of α-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eggs of P1 and P2 groups were significantly richer in n-3 PUFA than eggs of the control group (p = 0.001). Atherogenic (AI), thrombogenic (TI), and hypo/hypercholesterolemic (HHI) indexes of egg yolks were more favourable in enriched eggs than in conventional eggs. Fatty acid profiles in the blood of examinees that consumed conventional and enriched eggs (treatments K and P1, respectively) differed significantly in total saturated fatty acids (ΣSFA) (p = 0.041) and in the content of ALA (p = 0.010). The consumption of n-3 PUFA-enriched eggs lowered the Σn-6 PUFA/Σn-3 PUFA ratio in the examinees' blood serum (27%) and had a favourable effect on some blood biochemical indicators. This research confirmed the assumption that the use of a combination of fish and linseed oil in mixtures for laying hens in an amount of up to 5% will increase the content of omega-3 in table eggs, but it was not confirmed that the consumption of these eggs in a short period of time (21 days) has a positive effect on human health.

Consumption of Nutritionally Enriched Hen Eggs Enhances Endothelium-Dependent Vasodilation via Cyclooxygenase Metabolites in Healthy Young People-A Randomized Study

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of enriched hen egg consumption on endothelium-dependent vasodilation (EDV) and the role of cyclooxygenases in EDV in the microcirculation of young healthy individuals. This study hypothesizes that Nutri4 eggs will improve endothelial function, which will be manifested by changes in microcirculatory flow measured by a laser Doppler flowmeter (LDF) during reactive hyperemia in response to vascular occlusion, in which n-3 PUFA plays an important role as well as its degradation pathway by cyclooxygenases.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Participants consumed three eggs per day for three weeks: The control group (CTRL, n = 14) consumed regular hen eggs (approximately 0.330 mg of lutein, 1.785 mg of vitamin E, 0.054 mg of selenium and 438 mg of n-3 PUFAs daily) and Nutri4 group (n = 20) consumed enriched eggs (approximately 1.85 mg of lutein, 0.06 mg of selenium, 3.29 mg of vitamin E, and 1026 mg of n-3 PUFAs daily). Skin microvascular blood flow in response to EDV (post-occlusive reactive hyperemia (PORH) and iontophoresis of acetylcholine (AChID)) and sodium nitroprusside (SNPID; endothelium-independent) was assessed by laser Doppler flowmetry before and after dietary protocol and in a separate group of participants who were administered perorally 100 mg of indomethacin before microvascular response assessment. Arterial blood pressure, heart rate, serum lipid, and liver enzymes, anthropometric measurements, protein expression of cyclooxygenase 1 (COX-1), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), neuronal nitric oxide synthases (nNOS), inducible nitric oxide synthases (iNOS), and endothelial nitric oxide synthases (eNOS) were measured before and after dietary protocol.

RESULTS

PORH and AChID were significantly enhanced, and SNPID remained unchanged in the Nutri4 group, while none was changed in the CTRL following a respective diet. PORH decreased after administration of indomethacin in Nutri4 after dietary protocol. Protein expression of COX-2 was significantly higher in the Nutri4 group compared to the CTRL after the dietary protocol.

CONCLUSION

Consumption of enriched eggs improves microvascular EDV in healthy young subjects. Results suggest an element of n-3 PUFAs metabolites via the cyclooxygenases pathway in enhanced reactive hyperemia.