Dietary fish protein lowers blood pressure and alters tissue polyunsaturated fatty acid composition in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Abstract Objectives To investigate the effect of two types of dietary protein on blood pressure, liver fatty acid desaturation and composition, and urine 6-keto-prostaglandin-F (PGF1α) level, the metabolite of prostacyclin. Methods 5-wk-old spontaneously hypertensive rats were fed 20% casein or purified fish protein. The fat source was 5% ISIO oil, which contains 47.9% (ω-6) and 1.7% (ω-3) total polyunsaturated fatty acids. After 2 mo on the diet, systolic blood pressure was reduced with fish protein compared with casein (189.8 ± 10.5 versus 220.7 ± 8.7). Results Excretion of 6-keto-PGF1α in urine was negatively correlated with blood pressure. Liver cholesterol and phospholipid concentratio…