Fatty acids

Fatty acids

hydrocarbon chain which have a carboxyl end and a methyl end.
Omega-3:
There are three double bonds located from the end of the methyl terminus
Omega- 6:
there are six double bonds located from the end of the methyl terminus

Fatty acids are transported in the blood by lipoproteins, (VLDL,LDL,HDL)
they have a role in the membranes as they are the phospholipid structure

Dietary n-3 fatty acids (Omega-3)
produce leukotrienes 5 and prostaglandins 3, which cause less inflammation and improved immunity, reduce swelling and pain

where as dietary n-6 fatty acids (omega-6)
produce leukotrienes 4 ad prostaglandins 2, which cause inflammation and dysregulated immunity swelling, pain, fever and redness

 

Fatty acids have various roles:

protein acylation - fatty acids can covalently bind to proteins, they play a key role in cellular structure and function, enables the proteins to be anchored to the membrane

lipid peroxidation - the more unsaturated a membrane is the more effected it is by lipid peroxidation. Induced by hydroxyl radicals, which are generated by phagocytes during immune activation. lipid peroxide is produced which is toxic to cells, and damages DNA by oxidation reactions. the risk of lipid peroxidation is reduced by ascorbic acid, a-tocopherol and selenium which leads to the production of catalase ( which decomposes hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen)

gene expression - fatty acids bind to transcription factors, affecting the regulation of genes. they promote or inhibit the expression of genes e.g. TNF-a, COX-3, 5-LOX