Effect of Functionally Enriched Eggs Consumption in patients with chronic coronary artery disease on vascular inflammation promotors

Activation of endothelial TGF-β signaling may be an important driver of atherogenesis and plays a key role in induction of vessel wall inflammation and development and progression of atherosclerosis. Previously, our studies on consumption of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n- 3 PUFAs) enriched eggs have shown a beneficial effect, by changing the free fatty acid profile to a more favorable lower n6/n3 ratio, lowering total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels in cardiovascular patients with no adverse effects of daily eggs' consumption. The aim of this study was to determine effect of eggs enriched with n-3 PUFAs, vitamin E, selenium and lutein on the serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Randomized, double-blind, controlled, interventional study (Clinical Trials ID: NCT04564690) was conducted in patients with chronic coronary syndrome (diagnosed according to ESC guidelines for the diagnosis and management of chronic coronary syndromes, 2019) who consumed 3 hen eggs per day for 3 weeks. Control patients consumed ordinary: n3-PUFAs (438 mg/day), lutein (110 mg/day), selenium (0.181 mg/day) and vitamin E (595 mg mg/day) hen eggs and Nutri4 group patients consumed enriched hen eggs: n3-PUFAs (1026 mg/day), lutein (616 mg/day), selenium (0.191 mg/day) and vitamin E (1098 mg mg/day). All patients used statins and other standard drug therapy for CAD (ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, antiplatelet drugs), and some of them used ezetimibe depending on lipid profile. Written informed consent was obtained from each subject. The study protocol and procedures conformed with the standards set by the latest revision of the Declaration of Helsinki and were approved by the Ethical Committee of Osijek University Hospital. Serum levels of TGF-β, C3a, IFN-gamma, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A(CTLA-8), IL-23, MCP-1 (CCL2) and TNF-alpha were measured with ThermoFisher Scientific ProcartaPlex antibody- based magnetic bead reagent kits and panels for multiplex protein quantitation using the Luminex 200 instrument platform. Quantitation was performed using ProcartaPlex Analysis Application and expressed as concentration in pg/ml, (sample N=9-10 per group). For group comparisons a OneWayANOVA test was used. Within-group comparisons were performed using paired t-test or Wilcoxon test, statistical significance was set as P