Dietary lipids and the brain during development and ageing

Figures & data

Fig. 1. Effect of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and oleic acid (OA) supplementation on the expression of genes involved in eicosanoid production and in early events of the inflammatory response. Numbers indicate the ratio of the corresponding mRNA in retina explants exposed to DHA or OA compared with non-supplemented. DHA exposure resulted in increased expression of the genes for lipocortin and phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase. The expression of the gene for leukotriene A₄ hydrolase was markedly reduced by DHA. OA induced minor non-significant changes. PLA₂: phospholipase A₂; COX2: cyclooxygenase-2; HPTE:; HETE: hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid; LT: leukotriene; PG: prostaglandin. (Based on data published in ref. 23.)

Table 1. Effect of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation on the fatty acid composition of human foetal retinal explants after 14 days of incubation in bovine serum with 20 µM DHA or none added

Fatty acid	DHA supplementation
	+	–	Ratio
	(%)	(%)
Saturated	52.3	51.1	1.0
Monounsaturated	22.5	27.6	0.8
n6-PUFA	13.8	15.3	0.9
n3-PUFA	10.5	4.5	2.3
Total	100	100
n3-LCP	11.9	6.30	1.9
C20:5 n-3	0.54	0.14	4.0
C22:5 n-3	0.25	0.12	1.9
C22:6 n-3	9.58	4.09	2.3
n6-LCP	13.2	14.46	0.9
C20:4 n-6	8.25	9.13	0.9
C22:5 n-6	1.44	1.86	0.9

PUFA: polyunsaturated fatty acid; LCP: long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (>18 carbons in length).