Docosahexaenoic acid

Lipidomics Gateway (24 March 2010) [doi:10.1038/lipidmaps.2010.11]

An omega-3 fatty acid that is important for proper brain function.

Structure of docosahexaenoic acid. Visit DHA in the LIPID MAPS structure database for more molecular information.
3D image taken with permission from 3Dchem.com.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is a 22-carbon fatty acid with 6 double bonds (full systematic name 4Z,7Z,10Z,13Z,16Z,19Z-docosahexaenoic acid), which in humans is primarily derived from dietary fish oil. It is the most abundant fatty acid found in membrane phospholipids in the brain and is essential for cognitive development. Part of the larger class of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), the reported health benefits of this omega-3 fatty acid include protection from Alzheimer's and cardiovascular diseases.

DHA exerts its effects in part through metabolism to active lipid mediators including resolvins and neuroprotectins. It helps to maintain membrane ionic permeability and the function of membrane proteins, and activates pro-survival signaling pathways. Our research highlight article Cancer cells: Why DHA is not protectin' this month describes how DHA is metabolized differently in neuroblastoma cells, and how this might be exploited as a treatment for neuroblastoma, a prevalent childhood cancer.

Emma Leah

References:

  1. Gómez-Pinilla, F. Brain foods: the effects of nutrients on brain function.

    Nat. Rev. Neuroscience 9, 568-578 (2008). doi:10.1038/nrn2421

  2. Akbar, A., Calderon, F., Wen, Z. & Kim, H.-Y. Docosahexaenoic acid: A positive modulator of Akt signaling in neuronal survival.

    Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 102, 19858-19863 (2005). doi:10.1073/pnas.0502903102

  3. Gleissman, H., Yang, R., Martinod, K., Lindskog, M., Serhan, C.N. et al. Docosahexaenoic acid metabolome in neural tumors: identification of cytotoxic intermediates.

    The FASEB Journal 24, 906-915 (2010). doi:10.1096/fj.09-137919

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