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Fatty acids, the immune response, and autoimmunity: a question of n-6 essentiality and the balance between n-6 and n-3.

Vitamin D, nervous system and aging.\nP. Tuohimaa, T. Keisala, A. Minasyan, J. Cachat and A. Kalueff. .\nPsychoneuroendocrinology, Volume 34, Supplement 1, December 2009, Pages S278-S286\n NEUROACTIVE STEROIDS: EFFECTS and MECHANISMS ofACTION\n \n\nReview of vitamin D3, its active metabolites, and their functioning in the central nervous system (CNS), especially in relation to nervous system pathologies and aging. The vitamin D3 endocrine system consists of 3 active calcipherol hormones: calcidiol (25OHD3), 1α-calcitriol (1α,25(OH)2D3) and 24-calcitriol (24,25(OH)2D3). The impact of the calcipherol hormone system on aging, health and disease is discussed. Low serum calcidiol concentrations are associated with an increased risk of several chronic diseases including osteoporosis, cancer, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and muscle weakness ~ all of which can be considered aging-related diseases. The relationship of many of these diseases and aging-related changes in physiology show a U-shaped response curve to serum calcidiol concentrations. Clinical data suggest that vitamin D3 insufficiency is associated with an increased risk of several CNS diseases, including multiple sclerosis, Alzheimers, Parkinsons, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and schizophrenia. In line with this, recent animal and human studies suggest that vitamin D insufficiency is associated with abnormal development and functioning of the CNS. * Overall, imbalances in the calcipherol system appear to cause abnormal function, including premature aging, of the CNS. *

Clinical studies have reported that oral fish oil supplementation has beneficial effects in rheumatoid arthritis and among some patients with asthma, supporting the idea that the n-3 PUFA in fish oil are anti-inflammatory. There are indications that inclusion of n-3 PUFA in enteral and parenteral formulas might be beneficial to patients in intensive care or post-surgery.

Effect of a protein and energy dense n-3 fatty acid enriched oral supplement on loss of weight and lean tissue in cancer cachexia: a randomised double blind trial

Mice fed fish oil and curcumin showed a significantly reduced tumor volume, 25% (P < 0.04) and 43% (P < 0.005), respectively, and importantly, a combination of curcumin and fish oil diet showed > 72% (P < 0.0001) tumor volume reduction. Expression and activity of iNOS, COX-2, and 5-LOX are downregulated, and p21 is upregulated in tumor xenograft fed curcumin combined with fish oil diet when compared to individual diets. The preceding results evidence for the first time that curcumin combined with omega-3 fatty acids provide synergistic pancreatic tumor inhibitory properties. \n\nPrevention and treatment of pancreatic cancer by curcumin in combination with omega-3 fatty acids.\nSwamy MV, Citineni B, Patlolla JM, Mohammed A, Zhang Y, Rao CV. \nNutr Cancer. 2008;60 Suppl 1:81-9. \nPMID: 19003584

This study shows that by modulating the eicosanoid metabolism using a combination of n-3 fatty acids and cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, some of the signs and symptoms associated with a Systemic Immune-Metabolic Syndrome (SIMS) could be ameliorated.

It was concluded that omega-3 fatty acid could inhibit the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cell line SW1990 cells and promote their apoptosis. The down-regulation of the cyclin E expression by omega-3 fatty acid might be one of the mechanisms for its anti-tumor effect on pancreatic cancer. \n\nModulatory effects of EPA and DHA on proliferation and apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells.\nZhang W, Long Y, Zhang J, Wang C.\nJ Huazhong Univ Sci Technolog Med Sci. 2007 Oct;27(5):547-50.\nPMID: 18060632

PubMed abstracts and citations of landmark studies concerning PUFAs, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamine E, fish oils, and guidelines from the American Heart Association.