Docosahexaenoic acid

About: Docosahexaenoic acid is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 14412 publications have been published within this topic receiving 620852 citations. The topic is also known as: all-cis-DHA & all-cis-docosa-4,7,10,13,16,19-hexaenoic acid.

Fatty acid production in Schizochytrium sp.: Involvement of a polyunsaturated fatty acid synthase and a type I fatty acid synthase

Abstract: Schizochytrium sp. is a marine microalga that has been developed as a commercial source for docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22∶6 ω−3), enriched biomass, and oil. Previous work suggested that the DHA, as well as docosapentaenoic acid (DPA, C22∶5 ω−6), that accumulate in Schizochytrium are products of a multi-subunit polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) synthase (1). Here we show data to support this view and also provide information of other aspects of fatty acid synthesis in this organism. Three genes encoding subunits of the PUFA synthase were isolated from genomic DNA and expressed in E. coli along with an essential accessory gene encoding a phosphopantetheinyl transferase (PPTase). The resulting transformants accumulated both DHA and DPA. The ratio of DHA to DPA was approximately the same as that observed in Schizochytrium. Treatment of Schizochytrium cells with certain levels of cerulenin resulted in inhibition of 14C acetate incorporation into short chain fatty acids without affecting labeling of PUFAs, indicating distinct biosynthetic pathways. A single large gene encoding the presumed short chain fatty acid synthase (FAS) was cloned and sequenced. Based on sequence homology and domain organization, the Schizochytrium FAS resembles a fusion of fungal FAS β and α subunits.

Developmental quotient at 24 months and fatty acid composition of diet in early infancy : a follow up study

Abstract: Accepted 11 December 1996 AIM—A follow up study of developmental quotient (DQ) at 24 months of toddlers whose diets in early infancy differed in fatty acid composition, and in whom an association between diet and DQ was observed at 4months. METHODS—81 toddlers were distributed among three groups according to early type of diet: standard infant formula (SFo, n = 30); long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) enriched formula (LCPFo, n = 26); human milk (HM, n = 25). DQ at 24 months was assessed by Brunet-Lezine's psychomotor developmental test. A subgroup (n = 20; SFo 8; LCPFo 6; HM 6) was tested for erythrocyte phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine. RESULTS—No DQ differences were found by analysis of variance. Neither DQ nor erythrocyte docosahexaenoic acid at 4 months were predictors of DQ scores at 24 months. Phosphatidylcholine arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acid correlated positively, and phosphatidylcholine linoleic acid and phosphatidylethanolamine eicosapentaenoic acid negatively, with DQ. Multiple regression analysis including these variables explained 52% of interindividual DQ variance. A strong association was found between the erythrocyte phosphatidylcholine arachidonic/linoleic acid ratio and DQ (r = 0.75; p = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS—The diet/DQ association found at 4 months was not predictive of DQ scores at 24 months. Irrespective of dietary or genetic factors, there appears to be a strong correlation between the LC-PUFA composition of the red cell membrane and higher neurodevelopmental performance.

Circulating and dietary omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and incidence of CVD in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Abstract: Background Dietary guidelines support intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in fish and vegetable oils. However, some controversy remains about benefits of PUFAs, and most prior studies have relied on self-reported dietary assessment in relatively homogeneous populations. Methods and Results In a multiethnic cohort of 2837 US adults (whites, Hispanics, African Americans, Chinese Americans), plasma phospholipid PUFAs were measured at baseline (2000–2002) using gas chromatography and dietary PUFAs estimated using a food frequency questionnaire. Incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) events (including coronary heart disease and stroke; n=189) were prospectively identified through 2010 during 19 778 person-years of follow-up. In multivariable-adjusted Cox models, circulating n-3 eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid were inversely associated with incident CVD, with extreme-quartile hazard ratios (95% CIs) of 0.49 for eicosapentaenoic acid (0.30 to 0.79; P trend=0.01) and 0.39 for docosahexaenoic acid (0.22 to 0.67; P trend<0.001). n-3 Docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) was inversely associated with CVD in whites and Chinese, but not in other race/ethnicities ( P -interaction=0.01). No significant associations with CVD were observed for circulating n-3 alpha-linolenic acid or n-6 PUFA (linoleic acid, arachidonic acid). Associations with CVD of self-reported dietary PUFA were consistent with those of the PUFA biomarkers. All associations were similar across racial-ethnic groups, except those of docosapentaenoic acid. Conclusions Both dietary and circulating eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, but not alpha-linolenic acid or n-6 PUFA, were inversely associated with CVD incidence. These findings suggest that increased consumption of n-3 PUFA from seafood may prevent CVD development in a multiethnic population.