Omega-6 Fatty Acids and Biomarkers of Inflammation

Chronic inflammation is linked to various health disorders (1). Omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-6 PUFAs), especially linoleic and arachidonic acid, have both pro- and anti-inflammatory effects, resulting in conflicting opinions on whether their consumption should be reduced (1, 2).

Omega-6 Fatty Acids and Biomarkers of Inflammation

In a recent study researchers explored whether red blood cell omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (RBC n-6 PUFAs) are pro-inflammatory by examining their association with various inflammation biomarkers (4).

Red Blood Cell Omega-6 Fatty Acids and Biomarkers of Inflammation in the Framingham Offspring Study. Lai HTM et al., Nutrients. 2025.  

Abstract

Background/objectives: Chronic inflammation is recognized as an important risk factor for a variety of health disorders. Omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-6 PUFAs), particularly linoleic (LA) and arachidonic acid (AA), have been shown to be either pro- or anti-inflammatory, and researchers have advocated both for and against reducing their dietary intake. This study sought to correlate the levels of ten inflammation-related biomarkers across multiple pathways with red blood cell (RBC) membrane levels of the major dietary and circulating n-6 PUFAs.

Methods: We included 2777 participants (mean age: 66 ± 9 years, 54% women, 9.8% minorities) from the Framingham Offspring and minority-enriched Omni cohorts, and calculated partial correlation coefficients.

Results: After multivariable adjustment, RBC LA was inversely correlated (all p ≤ 0.05) with five markers of inflammation, receptors, or pathways: C-reactive protein (r = -0.06); soluble interleukin-6 (r = -0.15); intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (r = -0.09); monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (r = -0.07); and P-selectin (r = -0.07). RBC AA was inversely correlated (all p ≤ 0.05) with soluble interleukin-6 (r = -0.10); intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (r = -0.14); monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and (r = -0.06); and osteoprotegerin (r = -0.07). Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase-A2 mass and activity, urinary isoprostanes, and tumor necrosis factor receptor-2 were not significantly correlated with LA or AA.

Conclusions: In our large community-based study, we observed weak but statistically significant inverse associations between several types of inflammatory biomarkers with RBC n-6 PUFAs. Our findings do not support the hypothesis that omega-6 fatty acids are pro-inflammatory.

 

The Biomedica Osteoprotegerin (OPG) ELISA assay was utilized in the above study.

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Literature

1. Inflammation: The Cause of All Diseases. Chavda VP, Feehan J, Apostolopoulos V. 2024 Nov 18;13(22):1906. doi: 10.3390/cells13221906. PMID: 39594654; PMCID: PMC11592557.
2. Dietary omega-6, but not omega-3, polyunsaturated or saturated fatty acids increase inflammation in primary lung mesenchymal cells. Rutting S, Xenaki D, Lau E, Horvat J, Wood LG, Hansbro PM, Oliver BG. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2018 Jun 1;314(6):L922-L935. doi: 10.1152/ajplung.00438.2017. Epub 2018 Jan 25. PMID: 29368548.
3. Omega-6 fatty acids and inflammation. Innes JK, Calder PC. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2018 May;132:41-48. doi: 10.1016/j.plefa.2018.03.004. Epub 2018 Mar 22. PMID: 29610056.
4. Red Blood Cell Omega-6 Fatty Acids and Biomarkers of Inflammation in the Framingham Offspring Study. Lai HTM, Ryder NA, Tintle NL, Jackson KH, Kris-Etherton PM, Harris WS. Nutrients. 2025 Jun 22;17(13):2076. doi: 10.3390/nu17132076. PMID: 40647182; PMCID: PMC12251348.