Polyunsaturated fatty acids in health and disease

Abstract

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are necessary for overall health. Two PUFAs families, n-6 and n-3 fatty acids, are physiologically and metabolically distinct. The proportion of PUFAs in serum and erythrocyte phospholipids, which depends on endogenous metabolism controlled by genetic polymorphisms and dietary intake, is an important determinant of both health and disease. Both n-3 and n-6 PUFAs are processed to powerful promoters of eicosanoids synthesis at the cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase level. Evidence from observational and intervention studies suggest that n-3 PUFAs are cardio-protective, perhaps through their anti-inflammatory, anti-arrhythmic, lipid-low­ering and antihypertensive effects. In contrast, dietary n-6 PUFAs have pro-inflammatory effects. Low n-3 and elevated n-6 PUFAs levels were found in patients with cancer on different sites. The present review focuses on current knowledge related to PUFAs intake and status in health and disease, with reference to the Serbian population.

Polinezasićene masne kiseline (PMK) su neophodne za normalno funkcionisanje organizma. Dve PMK familije, n-6 i n-3 masne kiseline se fiziološki i metabolički razlikuju. Udeo PMK u fosfolipidima seruma i eritrocita je važan pokazatelj zdravlja i bolesti, i zavisi od endogenog metabolizma, koji je kontrolisan genetskim polimorfizmom, i unosa hrane. I n-6 i n-3 PMK su prekursori za sintezu eikozanoida na ciklooksigenaznom i lipooksigenaznom nivou. Opservacione i interventne studije ukazuju da n-3 PMK imaju kardioprotektivni efekat, delujući anti-inflamatorno, anti-aritmogeno, hipolipidemično i antihipertenzivno. Nasuprot tome, smatra se da n-6 PMK imaju pro-inflamatorno dejstvo. Nizak nivo n-3 i povišen udeo n-6 PMK je pokazan kod pacijenata sa različitim tipovima maligniteta. U okviru ovog rada dat je pregled najnovijih saznanja o dijetarnom unosu i biomarkerima statusa PMK u promociji zdravlja i prevenciji bolesti, sa posebnim osvrtom na rezultate u našoj populaciji.