Are Fatty Acid Patterns Characteristic of Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency Indicative of Oxidative Stress?

Abstract

Several unrelated diseases show plasma and tissue fatty acid patterns characteristic of those seen in Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency Disease (EFADD). A common feature occurring in all these diseases is oxidative stress. We hypothesize that reactive oxygen species or products of oxidative damage, particularly those derived from lipids, act as signal molecules to alter desaturase enzymes and induce the fatty acid patterns characteristic of EFADD.

Key Words:

• Essential fatty acid deficiency
• desaturases
• oxidative stress
• lipid peroxidation
• antioxidants
• signal molecules