Biological relevance of double lipoxygenase products of polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially within blood vessels and brain

Abstract : The double lipoxygenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) is possible with PUFA having at least three methylene-interrupted double bonds. Several PUFA of the omega-3/n-3 and -6 families may be converted through this route, and the products show interesting inhibitory effects on blood platelet function and cyclooxygenase activities. This review focuses on two main omega-3 PUFA of nutritional interest, namely docosahexaenoic acid (DHA/22:6n-3) and alpha linolenic acid (ALA/18:3n-3). The chemical configuration of the double lipoxygenase end-product from DHA (protectin DX) is compared with that of protectin D1 which is produced through a mono-lipoxygenation step followed by an epoxidation and epoxide hydrolysis process. The different metabolic pathways are discussed as well as the different biological activities of both protectins.