Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs)
Cell membranes consist of a bilayer primarily composed of various phospholipids, cholesterol, and integral (imbedded) proteins that function as cell-surface receptors, enzymes, and various transporters. In the nervous system, cell membranes contain relatively high concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)1, which contains 22 carbons and six cis double bonds (see Figure 1). The fatty acid (FA) composition of phospholipids determines biophysical (and functional) characteristics of membranes (e.g., membrane "fluidity"), and plays an important role in cellular integrity, and intra and intercellular communication (signaling). Furthermore, there is abundant literature evidence (see below) that essential fatty acids (EFAs), and especially polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), play fundamental role in development and proper functioning of the nervous system; consequently, the EFA composition of membrane phospholipids likely plays a direct role in a variety of cellular and multicellular processes, including inflammation and immunity, with implications for neurodegenerative diseases. The links below provide recent literature overview of relevant topics.
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) References (644 References)
PUFAs Review
References (405 References)
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1Docosahexaenoic acid or DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid with six cis double bonds and 22 carbons (22:6n-3).
Figure 1. Chemical structure of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid with 22 carbons and six cis double bonds (22:6n-3).
Figure 2. A
3-Dimensional model of Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), depicting one potential
conformation of DHA; due to the presence of six cis double bonds, DHA
can assume a large number of highly bent conformers2.
Click on the above image
thumbnail to see a larger image in a separate window.
2For a review of the unique properties of
docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), see a review article: "Docosahexaenoic acid:
membrane properties of a unique fatty acid" Chemistry and Physics of
Lipids 126(2003) 1–27. Stillwell, W., and Wassall, S.R.
Link to:
PubMed
From
MEDLINEplus News by Date:
MEDLINEplus: Fortified Foods Could Spread Fish Oil's
Benefits
(Reuters Health; Friday, January 2, 2004)
Nutrition Source Web Site Offers the Latest News and
Research on Diet and Health from Trusted Authority
(From the Department of Nutrition at the
Harvard School of Public Health; Thursday, January 2, 2003)
Links to other web sites of interest to
PUFAs:
Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids
(From
AHA Recommendation )
International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids (ISSFAL)
LDB- The Lipid Data Bank
(
http://www.ldb.chemistry.ohio-state.edu/
)
NIH: Office of Diatary Supplements
Videocast on Essential Fatty Acids
(
http://efaeducation.nih.gov/sig/video.html
)
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