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Updated: May 20, 2025

On-Chip Endothelial Inflammatory Phenotyping
Published on: July 21, 2012
EPA Induces an Anti-Inflammatory Transcriptome in T Cells, Implicating a Triglyceride-Independent Pathway in
Nathalie A Reilly1, Koen F Dekkers2, Jeroen Molenaar2
1Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands; Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
Abstract:
Twice-daily intake of purified eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) reduces atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk in patients with high triglycerides, but its exact mechanism remains unclear. We exposed non-activated CD4+ T cells to 100μM EPA, oleic acid, palmitic acid, or control, and conducted RNA and ATAC-sequencing after 48 hours. EPA exposure downregulated immune response-related genes like HLA-DRA, CD69, and IL2RA, and upregulated oxidative stress prevention genes like NQO1. Transcription factor footprinting showed decreased GATA3 and PU.1, and increased REV-ERB. These effects were specific to EPA, suggesting it induces an anti-inflammatory transcriptomic landscape in CD4+ T cells, contributing to its observed cardiovascular benefits.
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