The role of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids in inflammation

Abstract

Low-grade systemic inflammation is at the base of the most chronic non-communicable diseases, which are reaching epidemic proportions worldwide. Key players in the regulation of inflammation are n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), in particular arachidonic acid (n-6) and eicosapentaenoic acid (n-3). They are precursors of eicosanoids - signaling molecules involved in modulating the intensity and duration of inflammatory responses. Eicosanoids derived from n-6 PUFAs have proinflammatory actions, while those derived from n-3 PUFAs act anti-inflammatory. Therefore, dietary intake of n-6 and n-3 PUFAs, as well as their ratio, could markedly affect the pathogenesis and manifestation of many chronic diseases associated with low-grade inflammation. This review will focus on the relationship between dietary PUFAs and inflammation, with reference to PUFAs status in plasma phospholipids in Serbian population.

U osnovi većine hroničnih nezaraznih bolesti, koje širom sveta dostižu epidemijske razmere, leži 'tiha' inflamacija. Ključni igrač u regulaciji inflamacije su polinezasićene masne kiseline (PNMK) n-6 i n-3 familije, posebno arahidonska (n-6) i eikozapentaenska kiselina (n-3). One su prekursori eikozanoida - signalnih molekula koji su uključeni u intenzitet i trajanje inflamatornog odgovora. Eikozanoidi poreklom od n-6 PNMK deluju proinflamatorno, dok oni poreklom od n-3 PNMK imaju anti-inflamatorno dejstvo. Zbog toga dijetarni unos n-6 i n-3 PNMK, kao i njihov odnos, može značajno da utiče na patogenezu i manifestaciju mnogih hroničnih oboljenja koja su povezana sa 'tihom' inflamacijom. Ovaj pregledni rad se bavi vezom između unosa PNMK i inflamacije, sa osvrtom na status n-3 i n-6 masnih kiselina u fosfolipidima plazme u populaciji u Srbiji.