Potential treatment of Parkinson’s disease with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids

ABSTRACT

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by dysfunction of the nigrostriatal system, loss of dopamine neurons and intracellular aggregation of α-synuclein. Recently, both clinical and experimental studies have reported that neuroinflammation and oxidative stress markedly contribute to the etiology of PD. Current clinical pharmacotherapies only temporarily relieve the symptoms of PD, accompanied by many side effects. Hence, searching for natural anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and neuroprotective agents has received great attention. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), especially omega (n)-3, are essential lipid nutrients in the human diet and important components of cell membranes. Together by competing with the production of n-6 PUFAs, the precursors of inflammatory mediators, n-3 PUFAs can inhibit microglial activity and neuroinflammation, protect astrocyte function to produce neurotrophins, thereby normalizing neurotransmission and improving neurodegeneration. Thus, with regard to the hypotheses of PD, our and other’s recent studies have demonstrated that n-3 PUFAs may improve PD by inhibiting proinflammatory cytokine release, promoting neurotrophic factor expression, recovering mitochondrial function and membrane fluidity, decreasing the levels of oxidant production, maintaining α-synuclein proteostasis, calcium homeostasis, axonal transport, and reducing endoplasmic reticulum stress. This review mainly introduces and analyzes the effect of n-3 PUFA treatments on PD-related behavioral and neuropathological abnormalities in clinical patients and different cellular and animal models of PD. Finally, the limitations and future work in n-3 PUFAs anti-PD area are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Polyunsaturated fatty acids
• neuroinflammation
• oxidative stress
• mitochondrial dysfunction
• Parkinson’s disease

Acknowledgements

Author contributions: Peng Li contributed to collection and/or assembly of literature, manuscript writing. Cai Song contributed to conception and design, manuscript editing and review, financial support, final approval of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by Guangdong Provincial Special Fund for Promoting Economic Development Project (Marine Economic Development Purpose) (Yue Natural Resources Contract No. [2019]015), Guangdong Provincial Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province, China (2016B020235001), Shenzhen Dapeng District industrial development special funds for science and technology support project (KY20180201), and Project of Enhancing School with Innovation of Guangdong Ocean University (GDOU2013050102).

Notes on contributors

Peng Li

Peng Li, (1985- ) is a PhD student.

Cai Song

Cai Song, (1956- ) is a Director, Institute of Marine Medicine and Nutrition, Professor and PhD student supervisor. Research area: neurodegenerative diseases (mainly in AD and PD).