Reduction in thromboxane formation by n-3 fatty acids enriched lung microsomes from rat and guinea pig following the ingestion of dietary menhaden oil.

Feeding rats and guinea pigs on a diet containing 5% menhaden oil altered the fatty acid composition of lung microsomes. The lung microsomal phospholipids contained increased amounts of n-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic (20:5) and docosahexaenoic acid (20:6), following the ingestion of menhaden oil. There was a concomitant decrease in arachidonic acid (20:4) levels in rat lung microsomes, but no significant change of this fatty acid was observed in the microsomes from guinea pigs. The ability of lung microsomes to convert 14C-arachidonic acid into thromboxane (TXB) was reduced by the enrichment of n-3 fatty acids in the microsomal lipids.