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Omega-3 Fatty Acids throughout the Lifecycle: Innovative Advances for Prevention and Therapeutics

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Special Issue Information
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A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Lipids".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 March 2024) | Viewed by 3361

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Richard J. Deckelbaum

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Guest Editor

MD, CM, FRCP, Departments of Pediatrics and Epidemiology, Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University, Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
Interests: nutrition; omega-3 fatty acids; cholesterol and triglyceride metabolism; cardiovascular disease

Prof. Dr. Yvon Carpentier

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor

Nutrition Lipid Center, Free University of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium
Interests: lipid metabolism; nutrition; atherosclerosis; Omega-3 fatty acids; cholesterol metabolism; inflammatory reactions; parenteral nutrition

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Omega-3 fatty acids are increasingly recognized as potent bioactive nutrients that can contribute to not only the prevention of a number of adverse conditions, but also act as therapeutics after diseases manifest. In addition, they play a role in health promotion throughout lifecycles.

This Special Issue will focus on new approaches in the protective and therapeutic actions of key nutrients, the long chain omega-3 fatty acids, with the aim of improving outcomes. An emphasis will be placed upon not only recent clinical studies on bioactive omega-3 fatty acids such ss eicosapentaenoinc acid or EPA and docosapentaenoic or DHA, but also on the lesser known docosapentaenoic acid or DPA, together with its potent derivatives. We will review the impacts of these molecules in clinical studies, which will include a discussion of relevant pathways occurring in different cellular compartments. In covering current evidence, this Special Issue will also identify current gaps in the knowledge and suggest directions for future research needed to address such gaps, as well as explore how to improve outcomes for a number of conditions by using cost-effective nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids. Examples of recent advances could include optimizing intakes of omega-3s during pregnancy, after delivery, as well as in the conditions of childhood, adolescence, adulthood and aging.

Prof. Dr. Richard J. Deckelbaum
Prof. Dr. Yvon Carpentier
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

fish oils
omega-3 fatty acids
eicosapentaenoinc acid (EPA)
docosapentaenoic (DHA)
docosapentaenoic acid (DPA)
acute omega-3 fatty acid injections vs oral intake
pregnancy
infancy
brain function
behavioral disorders
cardiovascular diseases
mental health disorders
aging
microbiome

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 1498 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Knockdown of Placental Major Facilitator Superfamily Domain Containing 2a in Pregnant Mice Reduces Fetal Brain Growth and Phospholipid Docosahexaenoic Acid Content

by Theresa L. Powell, Kenneth Barentsen, Owen Vaughan, Charis Uhlson, Karin Zemski Berry, Kathryn Erickson, Kelsey Faer, Stephanie S. Chassen and Thomas Jansson

Nutrients 2023, 15(23), 4956; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15234956 - 29 Nov 2023

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Abstract

Introduction: Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid critical for fetal brain development that is transported to the fetus from the mother by the placenta. The lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) transporter, Major Facilitator Superfamily Domain Containing 2a (MFSD2a), is localized in the basal plasma membrane of the syncytiotrophoblast of the human placenta, and MFSD2a expression correlates with umbilical cord blood LPC-DHA levels in human pregnancy. We hypothesized that placenta-specific knockdown of MFSD2a in pregnant mice reduces phospholipid DHA accumulation in the fetal brain. Methods: Mouse blastocysts (E3.5) were transduced with an EGFP-expressing lentivirus containing either an shRNA targeting MFSD2a or a non-coding sequence (SCR), then transferred to pseudopregnant females. At E18.5, fetuses were weighed and their placenta, brain, liver and plasma were collected. MFSD2a mRNA expression was determined by qPCR in the brain, liver and placenta and phospholipid DHA was quantified by LC-MS/MS. Results: MFSD2a-targeting shRNA reduced placental mRNA MFSD2a expression by 38% at E18.5 (n = 45, p < 0.008) compared with SCR controls. MFSD2a expression in the fetal brain and liver were unchanged. Fetal brain weight was reduced by 13% (p = 0.006). Body weight, placenta and liver weights were unaffected. Fetal brain phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl ethanolamine DHA content was lower in fetuses with placenta-specific MFSD2a knockdown. Conclusions: Placenta-specific reduction in expression of the LPC-DHA transporter MFSD2a resulted in reduced fetal brain weight and lower phospholipid DHA content in the fetal brain. These data provide mechanistic evidence that placental MFSD2a mediates maternal–fetal transfer of LPC-DHA, which is critical for brain growth. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Omega-3 Fatty Acids throughout the Lifecycle: Innovative Advances for Prevention and Therapeutics)

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Review

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18 pages, 1069 KiB

Open AccessReview

Omega-3 (n-3) Fatty Acid–Statin Interaction: Evidence for a Novel Therapeutic Strategy for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease

by Ivana Djuricic and Philip C. Calder

Nutrients 2024, 16(7), 962; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16070962 - 27 Mar 2024

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Abstract

Managing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) often involves a combination of lifestyle modifications and medications aiming to decrease the risk of cardiovascular outcomes, such as myocardial infarction and stroke. The aim of this article is to discuss possible omega-3 (n-3) fatty acid–statin interactions in the prevention and treatment of ASCVD and to provide evidence to consider for clinical practice, highlighting novel insights in this field. Statins and n-3 fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) are commonly used to control cardiovascular risk factors in order to treat ASCVD. Statins are an important lipid-lowering therapy, primarily targeting low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, while n-3 fatty acids address triglyceride (TG) concentrations. Both statins and n-3 fatty acids have pleiotropic actions which overlap, including improving endothelial function, modulation of inflammation, and stabilizing atherosclerotic plaques. Thus, both statins and n-3 fatty acids potentially mitigate the residual cardiovascular risk that remains beyond lipid lowering, such as persistent inflammation. EPA and DHA are both substrates for the synthesis of so-called specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs), a relatively recently recognized feature of their ability to combat inflammation. Interestingly, statins seem to have the ability to promote the production of some SPMs, suggesting a largely unrecognized interaction between statins and n-3 fatty acids with relevance to the control of inflammation. Although n-3 fatty acids are the major substrates for the production of SPMs, these signaling molecules may have additional therapeutic benefits beyond those provided by the precursor n-3 fatty acids themselves. In this article, we discuss the accumulating evidence that supports SPMs as a novel therapeutic tool and the possible statin–n-3 fatty acid interactions relevant to the prevention and treatment of ASCVD. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Omega-3 Fatty Acids throughout the Lifecycle: Innovative Advances for Prevention and Therapeutics)

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