Role Of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Research Articles

Genome-Wide Interaction Study of Omega-3 PUFAs and Other Fatty Acids on Inflammatory Biomarkers of Cardiovascular Health in the Framingham Heart Study.

Numerous genetic loci have been identified as being associated with circulating fatty acid (FA) levels and/or inflammatory biomarkers of cardiovascular health (e.g., C-reactive protein). Recently, using red blood cell (RBC) FA data from the Framingham Offspring Study, we conducted a genome-wide association study of over 2.5 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 22 RBC FAs (and associated ratios), including the four Omega-3 FAs (ALA, DHA, DPA, and EPA). Our analyses identified numerous causal loci. In this manuscript, we investigate the extent to which polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels moderate the relationship of genetics to cardiovascular health biomarkers using a genome-wide interaction study approach. In particular, we test for possible gene–FA interactions on 9 inflammatory biomarkers, with 2.5 million SNPs and 12 FAs, including all Omega-3 PUFAs. We identified eighteen novel loci, including loci which demonstrate strong evidence of modifying the impact of heritable genetics on biomarker levels, and subsequently cardiovascular health. The identified genes provide increased clarity on the biological functioning and role of Omega-3 PUFAs, as well as other common fatty acids, in cardiovascular health, and suggest numerous candidate loci for future replication and biological characterization.

Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Critical Illness: Anti-Inflammatory, Proresolving, or Both?

Prognosis and outcomes of critically ill patients are strictly related with inflammatory status. Inflammation involves a multitude of interactions between different cell types and chemical mediators. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), mainly represented by eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are able to inhibit different pathways including leukocyte chemotaxis, adhesion molecule expression and interactions, and production of inflammatory cytokines, through the action of specialized proresolving mediators (SPMs). SPMs from omega-6 fatty acids, such as lipoxins, and from omega-3 fatty acids such as resolvins, protectins, and maresins, act in reducing/resolving the inflammatory process in critical diseases, stimulating the phases of resolution of inflammation. In this light, the resolution of inflammation is nowadays considered as an active process, instead of a passive process. In critical illness, SPMs regulate the excessive posttrauma inflammatory response, protecting organs from damage. This review focuses on the role of omega-3 PUFAs as pharma nutrition agents in acute inflammatory conditions, highlighting their effects as anti-inflammatory or proresolving agents.

The role of omega-3 fatty acids in adult hippocampal neurogenesis

Neurogenesis occurs in limited areas of the adult mammalian brain, and has been reported in the hippocampus of rodents and man. Neurogenesis is enhanced in conditions associated with enhanced synaptic plasticity and following neuronal injury, suggesting a role for neurogenesis in cognition and brain repair. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have been shown to promote hippocampal neurogenesis in a variety of models. Importantly, recent work has shown that the fat-1 transgenic mouse, an animal model of endogenous omega-3 PUFA enrichment, exhibits enhanced neurogenesis, with concomitant improvements in spatial memory compared to wild type mice. During ageing, the rate of neurogenesis declines significantly and there is a strong correlation between memory impairment in hippocampal-dependent tasks and this decline. Interestingly, there is a strong correlation between omega-3 PUFA and hippocampal-dependent memory tasks, and we have recently shown that supplementation of aged rats with omega-3 PUFAs partially reverses the age-related decline in neurogenesis. Thus omega-3 PUFAs positively influence neurogenesis, and these effects may contribute to improved cognitive performance. However, the mechanisms by which omega-3 PUFAs regulate neurogenesis remain unclear, although a number or putative targets have been suggested. The aims of this paper are to review the role of omega-3 PUFA in hippocampal neurogenesis, and explore some of the potential mechanisms of action which may underlie the observed effects.