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Open AccessArticle Exploring the Effects of Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids on Allergy Using a HEK-Blue Cell Line

by Nayyar Ahmed, Colin J. Barrow and Cenk Suphioglu

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2016, 17(2), 220; doi:10.3390/ijms17020220

Received: 25 November 2015 / Revised: 28 January 2016 / Accepted: 1 February 2016 / Published: 6 February 2016

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Abstract

Background: Allergic reactions can result in life-threatening situations resulting in high economic costs and morbidity. Therefore, more effective reagents are needed for allergy treatment. A causal relationship has been suggested to exist between the intake of omega-3/6 fatty acids, such as docosahexanoic acid

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Background: Allergic reactions can result in life-threatening situations resulting in high economic costs and morbidity. Therefore, more effective reagents are needed for allergy treatment. A causal relationship has been suggested to exist between the intake of omega-3/6 fatty acids, such as docosahexanoic acid (DHA), eicosapentanoic acid (EPA), docosapentanoic acid (DPA) and arachidonic acid (AA), and atopic individuals suffering from allergies. In allergic cascades, the hallmark cytokine IL-4 bind to IL-4 receptor (IL-4R) and IL-13 binds to IL-13 receptor (IL-13R), this activates the STAT6 phosphorylation pathway leading to gene activation of allergen-specific IgE antibody production by B cells. The overall aim of this study was to characterize omega-3/6 fatty acids and their effects on STAT6 signaling pathway that results in IgE production in allergic individuals. Methods: The fatty acids were tested in vitro with a HEK-Blue IL-4/IL-13 reporter cell line model, transfected with a reporter gene that produces an enzyme, secreted embryonic alkaline phosphatase (SEAP). SEAP acts as a substitute to IgE when cells are stimulated with bioactive cytokines IL-4 and/or IL-13. Results: We have successfully used DHA, EPA and DPA in our studies that demonstrated a decrease in SEAP secretion, as opposed to an increase in SEAP secretion with AA treatment. A statistical Student’s t-test revealed the significance of the results, confirming our initial hypothesis. Conclusion: We have successfully identified and characterised DHA, EPA, DPA and AA in our allergy model. While AA was a potent stimulator, DHA, EPA and DPA were potential inhibitors of IL-4R/IL-13R signalling, which regulates the STAT6 induced pathway in allergic cascades. Such findings are significant in the future design of dietary therapeutics for the treatment of allergies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Health and Diseases)

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Open AccessArticle No Effect of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation on Cognition and Mood in Individuals with Cognitive Impairment and Probable Alzheimer’s Disease: A Randomised Controlled Trial

by Michelle A. Phillips, Caroline E. Childs, Philip C. Calder and Peter J. Rogers

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2015, 16(10), 24600-24613; doi:10.3390/ijms161024600

Received: 30 July 2015 / Revised: 14 September 2015 / Accepted: 30 September 2015 / Published: 16 October 2015

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Abstract

Findings from epidemiological and observational studies have indicated that diets high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) may reduce the risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). To determine if increasing intake of

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Findings from epidemiological and observational studies have indicated that diets high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) may reduce the risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). To determine if increasing intake of DHA and EPA through supplementation is beneficial to cognition and mood in individuals with cognitive impairment no dementia (CIND) or Alzheimer’s disease (AD) a four month, randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled study was conducted. Fifty-seven participants with CIND and nineteen with AD were randomised to receive either omega-3 PUFAs (600 mg EPA and 625 mg DHA per day) or placebo (olive oil) over a four month period. Elevating depleted levels of EPA and DHA through supplementation in individuals with CIND or AD was found to have negligible beneficial effect on their cognition or mood. These findings confirm an overall negligible benefit of omega-3 PUFA supplementation for those with cognitive impairment and dementia. More intervention studies need to be undertaken with longer study durations and larger sample sizes. It may prove fruitful to examine effects of different doses as well as effects in other dementia subtypes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Health and Diseases)

Open AccessArticle Maternal PUFA ω-3 Supplementation Prevents Neonatal Lung Injuries Induced by Hyperoxia in Newborn Rats

by Dyuti Sharma, Armande Subayi Nkembi, Estelle Aubry, Ali Houeijeh, Laura Butruille, Véronique Houfflin-Debarge, Rémi Besson, Philippe Deruelle and Laurent Storme

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2015, 16(9), 22081-22093; doi:10.3390/ijms160922081

Received: 30 June 2015 / Revised: 27 July 2015 / Accepted: 7 September 2015 / Published: 14 September 2015

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Abstract

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is one of the most common complications of prematurity, occurring in 30% of very low birth weight infants. The benefits of dietary intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids ω-3 (PUFA ω-3) during pregnancy or the perinatal period have been reported. The

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Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is one of the most common complications of prematurity, occurring in 30% of very low birth weight infants. The benefits of dietary intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids ω-3 (PUFA ω-3) during pregnancy or the perinatal period have been reported. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of maternal PUFA ω-3 supplementation on lung injuries in newborn rats exposed to prolonged hyperoxia. Pregnant female Wistar rats (n = 14) were fed a control diet (n = 2), a PUFA ω-6 diet (n = 6), or a PUFA ω-3 diet (n = 6), starting with the 14th gestation day. At Day 1, female and newborn rats (10 per female) were exposed to hyperoxia (O₂, n = 70)or to the ambient air (Air, n = 70). Six groups of newborns rats were obtained: PUFA ω-6/O₂ (n = 30), PUFA ω-6/air (n = 30), PUFA ω-3/O₂ (n = 30), PUFA ω-3/air (n = 30), control/O₂ (n = 10), and control/air (n = 10). After 10 days, lungs were removed for analysis of alveolarization and pulmonary vascular development. Survival rate was 100%. Hyperoxia reduced alveolarization and increased pulmonary vascular wall thickness in both control (n = 20) and PUFA ω-6 groups (n = 60). Maternal PUFA ω-3 supplementation prevented the decrease in alveolarization caused by hyperoxia (n = 30) compared to PUFA ω-6/O₂ (n = 30) or to the control/O₂ (n = 10), but did not significantly increase the thickness of the lung vascular wall. Therefore, maternal PUFA ω-3 supplementation may protect newborn rats from lung injuries induced by hyperoxia. In clinical settings, maternal PUFA ω-3 supplementation during pregnancy and during lactation may prevent BPD development after premature birth. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Health and Diseases)

Open AccessArticle Does Short-Term Dietary Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation Influence Brain Hippocampus Gene Expression of Zinc Transporter-3?

by Nur Farhana Ahmad Sopian, Mokrish Ajat, Nurul' Izzati Shafie, Mohd Hezmee Mohd Noor, Mehdi Ebrahimi, Mohamed Ali Rajion, Goh Yong Meng and Hafandi Ahmad

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2015, 16(7), 15800-15810; doi:10.3390/ijms160715800

Received: 15 January 2015 / Revised: 19 June 2015 / Accepted: 6 July 2015 / Published: 13 July 2015

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Abstract

Dietary omega-3 fatty acids have been recognized to improve brain cognitive function. Deficiency leads to dysfunctional zinc metabolism associated with learning and memory impairment. The objective of this study is to explore the effect of short-term dietary omega-3 fatty acids on hippocampus gene

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Dietary omega-3 fatty acids have been recognized to improve brain cognitive function. Deficiency leads to dysfunctional zinc metabolism associated with learning and memory impairment. The objective of this study is to explore the effect of short-term dietary omega-3 fatty acids on hippocampus gene expression at the molecular level in relation to spatial recognition memory in mice. A total of 24 male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into four groups and fed a standard pellet as a control group (CTL, n = 6), standard pellet added with 10% (w/w) fish oil (FO, n = 6), 10% (w/w) soybean oil (SO, n = 6) and 10% (w/w) butter (BT, n = 6). After 3 weeks on the treatment diets, spatial-recognition memory was tested on a Y-maze. The hippocampus gene expression was determined using a real-time PCR. The results showed that 3 weeks of dietary omega-3 fatty acid supplementation improved cognitive performance along with the up-regulation of α-synuclein, calmodulin and transthyretin genes expression. In addition, dietary omega-3 fatty acid deficiency increased the level of ZnT3 gene and subsequently reduced cognitive performance in mice. These results indicate that the increased the ZnT3 levels caused by the deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids produced an abnormal zinc metabolism that in turn impaired the brain cognitive performance in mice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Health and Diseases)

Open AccessArticle Fatty Acids Composition of Vegetable Oils and Its Contribution to Dietary Energy Intake and Dependence of Cardiovascular Mortality on Dietary Intake of Fatty Acids

by Jana Orsavova, Ladislava Misurcova, Jarmila Vavra Ambrozova, Robert Vicha and Jiri Mlcek

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2015, 16(6), 12871-12890; doi:10.3390/ijms160612871

Received: 5 May 2015 / Accepted: 1 June 2015 / Published: 5 June 2015

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Abstract

Characterizations of fatty acids composition in % of total methylester of fatty acids (FAMEs) of fourteen vegetable oils—safflower, grape, silybum marianum, hemp, sunflower, wheat germ, pumpkin seed, sesame, rice bran, almond, rapeseed, peanut, olive, and coconut oil—were obtained by using gas chromatography

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Characterizations of fatty acids composition in % of total methylester of fatty acids (FAMEs) of fourteen vegetable oils—safflower, grape, silybum marianum, hemp, sunflower, wheat germ, pumpkin seed, sesame, rice bran, almond, rapeseed, peanut, olive, and coconut oil—were obtained by using gas chromatography (GC). Saturated (SFA), monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), palmitic acid (C16:0; 4.6%–20.0%), oleic acid (C18:1; 6.2%–71.1%) and linoleic acid (C18:2; 1.6%–79%), respectively, were found predominant. The nutritional aspect of analyzed oils was evaluated by determination of the energy contribution of SFAs (19.4%–695.7% E_RDI), PUFAs (10.6%–786.8% E_RDI), n-3 FAs (4.4%–117.1% E_RDI) and n-6 FAs (1.8%–959.2% E_RDI), expressed in % E_RDI of 1 g oil to energy recommended dietary intakes (E_RDI) for total fat (E_RDI—37.7 kJ/g). The significant relationship between the reported data of total fat, SFAs, MUFAs and PUFAs intakes (% E_RDI) for adults and mortality caused by coronary heart diseases (CHD) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in twelve countries has not been confirmed by Spearman’s correlations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Health and Diseases)

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Open AccessReview The Current Role of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in the Management of Atrial Fibrillation

by Georgios A. Christou, Konstantinos A. Christou, Panagiotis Korantzopoulos, Evangelos C. Rizos, Dimitrios N. Nikas and John A. Goudevenos

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2015, 16(9), 22870-22887; doi:10.3390/ijms160922870

Received: 27 June 2015 / Revised: 22 August 2015 / Accepted: 10 September 2015 / Published: 22 September 2015

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Abstract

Background: The main dietary source of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) is fish, which contains eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). In the present manuscript, we aimed to review the current evidence regarding the clinical role of n-3 PUFA in the

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Background: The main dietary source of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) is fish, which contains eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). In the present manuscript, we aimed to review the current evidence regarding the clinical role of n-3 PUFA in the prevention of atrial fibrillation (AF) and the possible underlying mechanisms. Methods: A literature search based on PubMed listings was performed using “Omega-3 fatty acids” and “atrial fibrilation” as key search terms. Results: n-3 PUFA have been shown to attenuate structural atrial remodeling, prolong atrial effective refractory period through the prevention of reentry and suppress ectopic firing from pulmonary veins. Dietary fish intake has been found to have no effect on the incidence of AF in the majority of studies. Circulating DHA has been consistently reported to be inversely associated with AF risk, whereas EPA has no such effect. The majority of studies investigating the impact of n-3 PUFA supplementation on the incidence of AF following cardiac surgery reported no benefit, though most of them did not use n-3 PUFA pretreatment for adequate duration. Studies using adequate four-week pretreatment with n-3 PUFA before cardioversion of AF showed a reduction of the AF incidence. Conclusions: Although n-3 PUFA have antiarrhythmogenic properties, their clinical efficacy on the prevention of AF is not consistently supported. Further well-designed studies are needed to overcome the limitations of the existing studies and provide robust conclusions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Health and Diseases)

Open AccessReview ω-3 Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Diseases: Effects, Mechanisms and Dietary Relevance

by Hanne K. Maehre, Ida-Johanne Jensen, Edel O. Elvevoll and Karl-Erik Eilertsen

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2015, 16(9), 22636-22661; doi:10.3390/ijms160922636

Received: 30 June 2015 / Revised: 1 September 2015 / Accepted: 9 September 2015 / Published: 18 September 2015

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Abstract

ω-3 fatty acids (n-3 FA) have, since the 1970s, been associated with beneficial health effects. They are, however, prone to lipid peroxidation due to their many double bonds. Lipid peroxidation is a process that may lead to increased oxidative stress, a

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ω-3 fatty acids (n-3 FA) have, since the 1970s, been associated with beneficial health effects. They are, however, prone to lipid peroxidation due to their many double bonds. Lipid peroxidation is a process that may lead to increased oxidative stress, a condition associated with adverse health effects. Recently, conflicting evidence regarding the health benefits of intake of n-3 from seafood or n-3 supplements has emerged. The aim of this review was thus to examine recent literature regarding health aspects of n-3 FA intake from fish or n-3 supplements, and to discuss possible reasons for the conflicting findings. There is a broad consensus that fish and seafood are the optimal sources of n-3 FA and consumption of approximately 2–3 servings per week is recommended. The scientific evidence of benefits from n-3 supplementation has diminished over time, probably due to a general increase in seafood consumption and better pharmacological intervention and acute treatment of patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Health and Diseases)

Open AccessReview Docosahexaenoic Acid Levels in Blood and Metabolic Syndrome in Obese Children: Is There a Link?

by Carlotta Lassandro, Giuseppe Banderali, Giovanni Radaelli, Elisa Borghi, Francesca Moretti and Elvira Verduci

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2015, 16(8), 19989-20000; doi:10.3390/ijms160819989

Received: 13 June 2015 / Revised: 21 July 2015 / Accepted: 18 August 2015 / Published: 21 August 2015

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Abstract

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome is increasing in the pediatric population. Considering the different existing criteria to define metabolic syndrome, the use of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria has been suggested in children. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has been associated with beneficial effects on

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Prevalence of metabolic syndrome is increasing in the pediatric population. Considering the different existing criteria to define metabolic syndrome, the use of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria has been suggested in children. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has been associated with beneficial effects on health. The evidence about the relationship of DHA status in blood and components of the metabolic syndrome is unclear. This review discusses the possible association between DHA content in plasma and erythrocytes and components of the metabolic syndrome included in the IDF criteria (obesity, alteration of glucose metabolism, blood lipid profile, and blood pressure) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in obese children. The current evidence is inconsistent and no definitive conclusion can be drawn in the pediatric population. Well-designed longitudinal and powered trials need to clarify the possible association between blood DHA status and metabolic syndrome. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Health and Diseases)

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