Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Kuda, Ondrej

Titel

Bioactive metabolites of docosahexaenoic acid

Ist Teil von

• Biochimie, 2017-05, Vol.136, p.12-20

Ort / Verlag

France: Elsevier B.V

Erscheinungsjahr

2017

Quelle

MEDLINE

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an essential fatty acid that is recognized as a beneficial dietary constituent and as a source of the anti-inflammatory specialized proresolving mediators (SPM): resolvins, protectins and maresins. Apart from SPMs, other metabolites of DHA also exert potent biological effects. This article summarizes current knowledge on the metabolic pathways involved in generation of DHA metabolites. Over 70 biologically active metabolites have been described, but are often discussed separately within specific research areas. This review follows DHA metabolism and attempts to integrate the diverse DHA metabolites emphasizing those with identified biological effects. DHA metabolites could be divided into DHA-derived SPMs, DHA epoxides, electrophilic oxo-derivatives (EFOX) of DHA, neuroprostanes, ethanolamines, acylglycerols, docosahexaenoyl amides of amino acids or neurotransmitters, and branched DHA esters of hydroxy fatty acids. These bioactive metabolites have pleiotropic effects that include augmenting energy expenditure, stimulating lipid catabolism, modulating the immune response, helping to resolve inflammation, and promoting wound healing and tissue regeneration. As a result they have been shown to exert many beneficial actions: neuroprotection, anti-hypertension, anti-hyperalgesia, anti-arrhythmia, anti-tumorigenesis etc. Given the chemical structure of DHA, the number and geometry of double bonds, and the panel of enzymes metabolizing DHA, it is also likely that novel bioactive derivatives will be identified in the future. •Docosahexaenoic acid can be converted into a diverse set of bioactive metabolites.•Both oxygenated metabolites and DHA conjugates exert pleiotropic effects.•Structural elucidation and confirmation of their bioactions are crucial.•It is likely that novel DHA bioactive derivatives will be identified in the future.