Beneficial effects and oxidative stability of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids

Over the last decades, the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have been largely explored not only for their nutritional value but also for the numerous biological functions and therapeutic effects. The serum and erythrocyte levels of PUFAs depend on the genetic control of metabolism as well as the dietary intake and are considered to reflect the health and disease status of an individual. Two families of PUFAs, omega-3 (n-3) and omega-6 (n-6), have gained much attention because of their involvement in the production of bioactive lipid mediators and therefore, a balanced omega-6/omega-3 ratio is crucial in maintaining the overall health of an individual. Omega-3 PUFAs, notably eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) have been shown to exert beneficial effects, possibly due to their lipid-lowering, anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertensive and cardioprotective effects, whereas omega-6 fatty acids such as arachidonic acid (ARA, 20:4n-6) exhibit the opposite properties. Even though, numerous epidemiological studies and clinical interventions have clearly established the effectiveness of omega-3 PUFAs in various pathological conditions including dyslipidemia, obesity, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, some controversies do exist about the beneficial effects of omega-3 PUFAs and need to be clarified. Larger clinical trials with extended follow-up periods are required along with a careful dose selection, in order to confirm the clinical significance and efficacy of omega-3 PUFAs as therapeutic agents.

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Benfotiamine and Long-Chain Omega-3 and Omega-6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Treatment of Cardiac Autonomic Neuropathy in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Lviv clinical bulletin ◽

10.25040/lkv2013.03.008 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 3 (3) ◽

pp. 8-13

Author(s):

V. Serhiyenko ◽

◽

O. Serhiyenko ◽

Keyword(s):

Diabetes Mellitus ◽

Type 2 Diabetes ◽

Fatty Acids ◽

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus ◽

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids ◽

Cardiac Autonomic Neuropathy ◽

Omega 3 ◽

Omega 6 ◽

Long Chain

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Omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and aquaculture in perspective

Aquaculture ◽

10.1016/j.aquaculture.2015.01.010 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 449 ◽

pp. 94-107 ◽

Cited By ~ 257

Author(s):

Douglas R. Tocher

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acids ◽

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids ◽

Omega 3 ◽

Long Chain

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Genome and Transcriptome Analyses Provide Insight Into the Omega-3 Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Biosynthesis of Schizochytrium limacinum SR21

Frontiers in Microbiology ◽

10.3389/fmicb.2020.00687 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Limin Liang ◽

Xuehai Zheng ◽

Wenfang Fan ◽

Duo Chen ◽

Zhen Huang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acids ◽

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids ◽

Omega 3 ◽

Schizochytrium Limacinum ◽

Transcriptome Analyses ◽

Insight Into ◽

Long Chain

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Seawater Culture Increases Omega-3 Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (N-3 LC-PUFA) Levels in Japanese Sea Bass (Lateolabrax japonicus), Probably by Upregulating Elovl5

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani10091681 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. 1681

Author(s):

Xiaojing Dong ◽

Jianqiao Wang ◽

Peng Ji ◽

Longsheng Sun ◽

Shuyan Miao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acids ◽

Fatty Acid ◽

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids ◽

Sea Bass ◽

Transcript Abundance ◽

Omega 3 ◽

Freshwater Pond ◽

Cultured Fish ◽

Long Chain ◽

Japanese Sea Bass

The fatty acid compositions of the fish muscle and liver are substantially affected by rearing environment. However, the mechanisms underlying this effect have not been thoroughly described. In this study, we investigated the effects of different culture patterns, i.e., marine cage culture and freshwater pond culture, on long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) biosynthesis in an aquaculturally important fish, the Japanese sea bass (Lateolabrax japonicus). Fish were obtained from two commercial farms in the Guangdong province, one of which raises Japanese sea bass in freshwater, while the other cultures sea bass in marine cages. Fish were fed the same commercial diet. We found that omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA) levels in the livers and muscles of the marine cage cultured fish were significantly higher than those in the livers and muscles of the freshwater pond cultured fish. Quantitative real-time PCRs indicated that fatty acid desaturase 2 (FADS2) transcript abundance was significantly lower in the livers of the marine cage reared fish as compared to the freshwater pond reared fish, but that fatty acid elongase 5 (Elovl5) transcript abundance was significantly higher. Consistent with this, two of the 28 CpG loci in the FADS2 promoter region were heavily methylated in the marine cage cultured fish, but were only slightly methylated in freshwater pond cultured fish (n = 5 per group). Although the Elovl5 promoter was less methylated in the marine cage reared fish as compared to the freshwater pond reared fish, this difference was not significant. Thus, our results might indicate that Elovl5, not FADS2, plays an important role in the enhancing LC-PUFA synthesis in marine cage cultures.

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Experimental reduction in dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids depresses sperm competitiveness

Biology Letters ◽

10.1098/rsbl.2014.0623 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. 20140623 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Md. Moshiur Rahman ◽

Clelia Gasparini ◽

Giovanni M. Turchini ◽

Jonathan P. Evans

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acids ◽

Sexual Selection ◽

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids ◽

Dietary Intake ◽

Poecilia Reticulata ◽

Reproductive Fitness ◽

Omega 3 ◽

Adequate Intake ◽

Abundant Evidence ◽

Long Chain

The health benefits of diets containing rich sources of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA) are well documented and include reductions in the risk of several diseases typical of Western societies. The dietary intake of n-3 LC-PUFA has also been linked to fertility, and there is abundant evidence that a range of ejaculate traits linked to fertility in humans, livestock and other animals depend on an adequate intake of n-3 LC-PUFA from dietary sources. However, relatively few studies have explored how n-3 LC-PUFA influence reproductive fitness, particularly in the context of sexual selection. Here, we show that experimental reduction in the level of n-3 LC-PUFA in the diet of guppies ( Poecilia reticulata ) depresses a male's share of paternity when sperm compete for fertilization, confirming that the currently observed trend for reduced n-3 LC-PUFA in western diets has important implications for individual reproductive fitness.

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