Transgenic <it>fat-1 </it>mouse as a model to study the pathophysiology of cardiovascular, neurological and psychiatric disorders

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) form an important constituent of all the cell membranes in the body. PUFAs such as arachidonic acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) form precursors to both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory...

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Main Authors: Puskás László G, Das Undurti N
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2009-12-01
Series:Lipids in Health and Disease
Online Access:http://www.lipidworld.com/content/8/1/61
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author Puskás László G
Das Undurti N
author_facet Puskás László G
Das Undurti N
author_sort Puskás László G
collection DOAJ
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) form an important constituent of all the cell membranes in the body. PUFAs such as arachidonic acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) form precursors to both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory compounds. Low-grade systemic inflammation occurs in clinical conditions such as insulin resistance, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, lupus, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, and other dementias, cancer and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) that are also characterized by an alteration in the metabolism of essential fatty acids in the form of excess production of pro-inflammatory eicosanoids and possibly, decreased synthesis and release of anti-inflammatory lipoxins, resolvins, protectins and maresins. We propose that low-grade systemic inflammation observed in these clinical conditions is due to an imbalance in the metabolism of essential fatty acids that is more in favour of pro-inflammatory molecules. In this context, transgenic <it>fat-1 </it>mouse that is designed to convert n-6 to n-3 fatty acids could form an ideal model to study the altered metabolism of essential fatty acids in the above mentioned conditions. It is envisaged that low-grade systemic inflammatory conditions are much less likely in the <it>fat-1 </it>mouse and/or these diseases will run a relatively mild course. Identifying the anti-inflammatory compounds from n-3 fatty acids that suppress low-grade systemic inflammatory conditions and understanding their mechanism(s) of action may lead to newer therapeutic strategies.</p>
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spelling doaj.art-7c752490849243ed896f39d8752c13372022-12-22T01:45:04ZengBMCLipids in Health and Disease1476-511X2009-12-01816110.1186/1476-511X-8-61Transgenic <it>fat-1 </it>mouse as a model to study the pathophysiology of cardiovascular, neurological and psychiatric disordersPuskás László GDas Undurti N<p>Abstract</p> <p>Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) form an important constituent of all the cell membranes in the body. PUFAs such as arachidonic acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) form precursors to both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory compounds. Low-grade systemic inflammation occurs in clinical conditions such as insulin resistance, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, lupus, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, and other dementias, cancer and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) that are also characterized by an alteration in the metabolism of essential fatty acids in the form of excess production of pro-inflammatory eicosanoids and possibly, decreased synthesis and release of anti-inflammatory lipoxins, resolvins, protectins and maresins. We propose that low-grade systemic inflammation observed in these clinical conditions is due to an imbalance in the metabolism of essential fatty acids that is more in favour of pro-inflammatory molecules. In this context, transgenic <it>fat-1 </it>mouse that is designed to convert n-6 to n-3 fatty acids could form an ideal model to study the altered metabolism of essential fatty acids in the above mentioned conditions. It is envisaged that low-grade systemic inflammatory conditions are much less likely in the <it>fat-1 </it>mouse and/or these diseases will run a relatively mild course. Identifying the anti-inflammatory compounds from n-3 fatty acids that suppress low-grade systemic inflammatory conditions and understanding their mechanism(s) of action may lead to newer therapeutic strategies.</p>http://www.lipidworld.com/content/8/1/61
spellingShingle Puskás László G
Das Undurti N
Transgenic <it>fat-1 </it>mouse as a model to study the pathophysiology of cardiovascular, neurological and psychiatric disorders
Lipids in Health and Disease
title Transgenic <it>fat-1 </it>mouse as a model to study the pathophysiology of cardiovascular, neurological and psychiatric disorders
title_full Transgenic <it>fat-1 </it>mouse as a model to study the pathophysiology of cardiovascular, neurological and psychiatric disorders
title_fullStr Transgenic <it>fat-1 </it>mouse as a model to study the pathophysiology of cardiovascular, neurological and psychiatric disorders
title_full_unstemmed Transgenic <it>fat-1 </it>mouse as a model to study the pathophysiology of cardiovascular, neurological and psychiatric disorders
title_short Transgenic <it>fat-1 </it>mouse as a model to study the pathophysiology of cardiovascular, neurological and psychiatric disorders
title_sort transgenic it fat 1 it mouse as a model to study the pathophysiology of cardiovascular neurological and psychiatric disorders
url http://www.lipidworld.com/content/8/1/61
work_keys_str_mv AT puskaslaszlog transgenicitfat1itmouseasamodeltostudythepathophysiologyofcardiovascularneurologicalandpsychiatricdisorders
AT dasundurtin transgenicitfat1itmouseasamodeltostudythepathophysiologyofcardiovascularneurologicalandpsychiatricdisorders