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Valentin-Escalera J, Leclerc M, Calon F. High-Fat Diets in Animal Models of Alzheimer's Disease: How Can Eating Too Much Fat Increase Alzheimer's Disease Risk? J Alzheimers Dis 2024; 97:977-1005. [PMID: 38217592 PMCID: PMC10836579 DOI: 10.3233/jad-230118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
High dietary intake of saturated fatty acids is a suspected risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). To decipher the causal link behind these associations, high-fat diets (HFD) have been repeatedly investigated in animal models. Preclinical studies allow full control over dietary composition, avoiding ethical concerns in clinical trials. The goal of the present article is to provide a narrative review of reports on HFD in animal models of AD. Eligibility criteria included mouse models of AD fed a HFD defined as > 35% of fat/weight and western diets containing > 1% cholesterol or > 15% sugar. MEDLINE and Embase databases were searched from 1946 to August 2022, and 32 preclinical studies were included in the review. HFD-induced obesity and metabolic disturbances such as insulin resistance and glucose intolerance have been replicated in most studies, but with methodological variability. Most studies have found an aggravating effect of HFD on brain Aβ pathology, whereas tau pathology has been much less studied, and results are more equivocal. While most reports show HFD-induced impairment on cognitive behavior, confounding factors may blur their interpretation. In summary, despite conflicting results, exposing rodents to diets highly enriched in saturated fat induces not only metabolic defects, but also cognitive impairment often accompanied by aggravated neuropathological markers, most notably Aβ burden. Although there are important variations between methods, particularly the lack of diet characterization, these studies collectively suggest that excessive intake of saturated fat should be avoided in order to lower the incidence of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josue Valentin-Escalera
- Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
- Axe Neurosciences, Centre de recherche du centre Hospitalier de l'Université Laval (CHUL), Québec, Canada
- Institut sur la Nutrition et les Aliments Fonctionnels, Québec, Canada
- OptiNutriBrain - Laboratoire International Associé (NutriNeuro France-INAF Canada)
| | - Manon Leclerc
- Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
- Axe Neurosciences, Centre de recherche du centre Hospitalier de l'Université Laval (CHUL), Québec, Canada
- Institut sur la Nutrition et les Aliments Fonctionnels, Québec, Canada
- OptiNutriBrain - Laboratoire International Associé (NutriNeuro France-INAF Canada)
| | - Frédéric Calon
- Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
- Axe Neurosciences, Centre de recherche du centre Hospitalier de l'Université Laval (CHUL), Québec, Canada
- Institut sur la Nutrition et les Aliments Fonctionnels, Québec, Canada
- OptiNutriBrain - Laboratoire International Associé (NutriNeuro France-INAF Canada)
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Crawford MA, Sinclair AJ, Wang Y, Schmidt WF, Broadhurst CL, Dyall SC, Horn L, Brenna JT, Johnson MR. Docosahexaenoic Acid Explains the Unexplained in Visual Transduction. ENTROPY (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 25:1520. [PMID: 37998212 PMCID: PMC10670429 DOI: 10.3390/e25111520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
In George Wald's Nobel Prize acceptance speech for "discoveries concerning the primary physiological and chemical visual processes in the eye", he noted that events after the activation of rhodopsin are too slow to explain visual reception. Photoreceptor membrane phosphoglycerides contain near-saturation amounts of the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The visual response to a photon is a retinal cis-trans isomerization. The trans-state is lower in energy; hence, a quantum of energy is released equivalent to the sum of the photon and cis-trans difference. We hypothesize that DHA traps this energy, and the resulting hyperpolarization extracts the energized electron, which depolarizes the membrane and carries a function of the photon's energy (wavelength) to the brain. There, it contributes to the creation of the vivid images of our world that we see in our consciousness. This proposed revision to the visual process provides an explanation for these previously unresolved issues around the speed of information transfer and the purity of conservation of a photon's wavelength and supports observations of the unique and indispensable role of DHA in the visual process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A. Crawford
- Institute of Brain Chemistry and Human Nutrition, Imperial College, London SW10 9NH, UK; (Y.W.); (M.R.J.)
| | - Andrew J. Sinclair
- Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia;
- Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food, Monash University, Notting Hill, VIC 3168, Australia
| | - Yiqun Wang
- Institute of Brain Chemistry and Human Nutrition, Imperial College, London SW10 9NH, UK; (Y.W.); (M.R.J.)
| | - Walter F. Schmidt
- US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA; (W.F.S.); (C.L.B.)
| | - C. Leigh Broadhurst
- US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA; (W.F.S.); (C.L.B.)
| | - Simon C. Dyall
- School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Roehampton, London SW15 4JD, UK;
| | | | - J. Thomas Brenna
- Dell Pediatric Research Institute, Dell Medical School, Austin, TX 78723, USA;
| | - Mark R. Johnson
- Institute of Brain Chemistry and Human Nutrition, Imperial College, London SW10 9NH, UK; (Y.W.); (M.R.J.)
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Crawford MA, Sinclair AJ, Hall B, Ogundipe E, Wang Y, Bitsanis D, Djahanbakhch OB, Harbige L, Ghebremeskel K, Golfetto I, Moodley T, Hassam A, Sassine A, Johnson MR. The imperative of arachidonic acid in early human development. Prog Lipid Res 2023; 91:101222. [PMID: 36746351 DOI: 10.1016/j.plipres.2023.101222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
This review is about the role of arachidonic acid (ArA) in foetal and early growth and development. In 1975 and '76, we reported the preferential incorporation of ArA into the developing brain of rat pups, its conservation as a principal component in the brains of 32 mammalian species and the high proportion delivered by the human placenta for foetal nutrition, compared to its parent linoleic acid (LA). ArA is quantitatively the principal acyl component of membrane lipids from foetal red cells, mononuclear cells, astrocytes, endothelium, and placenta. Functionally, we present evidence that ArA, but not DHA, relaxes the foetal mesenteric arteries. The placenta biomagnifies ArA, doubling the proportion of the maternal level in cord blood. The proportions of ArA and its allies (di-homo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA), adrenic acid and ω6 docosapentaenoic acid) are similar or higher than the total of ω3 fatty acids in human milk, maintaining the abundant supply to the developing infant. Despite the evidence of the importance of ArA, the European Food Standard Agency, in 2014 rejected the joint FAO and WHO recommendation on the inclusion of ArA in infant formula, although they recommended DHA. The almost universal dominance of ArA in the membrane phosphoglycerides during human organogenesis and prenatal growth suggests that the importance of ArA and its allies in reproductive biology needs to be re-evaluated urgently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Crawford
- Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Campus of Imperial College, London, UK; The Institute of Brain Chemistry and Human Nutrition, SW10 9NH, UK.
| | - Andrew J Sinclair
- Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food, Monash University, Notting Hill, Victoria, Australia; Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
| | - Barbara Hall
- The Institute of Brain Chemistry and Human Nutrition, SW10 9NH, UK
| | - Enitan Ogundipe
- Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Campus of Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Yiqun Wang
- Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Campus of Imperial College, London, UK; The Institute of Brain Chemistry and Human Nutrition, SW10 9NH, UK
| | - Dimitrios Bitsanis
- The Institute of Brain Chemistry and Human Nutrition, SW10 9NH, UK; EvexiaDiet dietetic practise, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Laurence Harbige
- The Institute of Brain Chemistry and Human Nutrition, SW10 9NH, UK; School of Human Sciences, London Metropolitan University, UK
| | | | - Ivan Golfetto
- The Institute of Brain Chemistry and Human Nutrition, SW10 9NH, UK; Department of General Pathology and Physiopathology, Central University of Venezuela, Venezuela
| | - Therishnee Moodley
- The Institute of Brain Chemistry and Human Nutrition, SW10 9NH, UK; Centre for Reproductive Medicine, St Bartholomew's, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK
| | | | - AnnieBelle Sassine
- Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Campus of Imperial College, London, UK; The Institute of Brain Chemistry and Human Nutrition, SW10 9NH, UK
| | - Mark R Johnson
- Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Campus of Imperial College, London, UK
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Sinclair AJ, Wang Y, Li D. What Is the Evidence for Dietary-Induced DHA Deficiency in Human Brains? Nutrients 2022; 15:nu15010161. [PMID: 36615819 PMCID: PMC9824463 DOI: 10.3390/nu15010161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is a major constituent of neural and visual membranes and is required for optimal neural and visual function. DHA is derived from food or by endogenous synthesis from α-linolenic acid (ALA), an essential fatty acid. Low blood levels of DHA in some westernised populations have led to speculations that child development disorders and various neurological conditions are associated with sub-optimal neural DHA levels, a proposition which has been supported by the supplement industry. This review searched for evidence of deficiency of DHA in human populations, based on elevated levels of the biochemical marker of n-3 deficiency, docosapentaenoic acid (22:5n-6). Three scenarios/situations were identified for the insufficient supply of DHA, namely in the brain of new-born infants fed with high-linoleic acid (LA), low-ALA formulas, in cord blood of women at birth who were vegetarians and in the milk of women from North Sudan. Twenty post-mortem brain studies from the developed world from adults with various neurological disorders revealed no evidence of raised levels of 22:5n-6, even in the samples with reduced DHA levels compared with control subjects. Human populations most likely at risk of n-3 deficiency are new-born and weanling infants, children and adolescents in areas of dryland agriculture, in famines, or are refugees, however, these populations have rarely been studied. This is an important topic for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J. Sinclair
- Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Notting Hill, VIC 3168, Australia
- Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC 3152, Australia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +61-(0)414-906-341
| | - Yonghua Wang
- School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China
| | - Duo Li
- Institute of Nutrition & Health, College of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
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Tremblay MÈ, Almsherqi ZA, Deng Y. Plasmalogens and platelet-activating factor roles in chronic inflammatory diseases. Biofactors 2022; 48:1203-1216. [PMID: 36370412 DOI: 10.1002/biof.1916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Fatty acids and phospholipid molecules are essential for determining the structure and function of cell membranes, and they hence participate in many biological processes. Platelet activating factor (PAF) and its precursor plasmalogen, which represent two subclasses of ether phospholipids, have attracted increasing research attention recently due to their association with multiple chronic inflammatory, neurodegenerative, and metabolic disorders. These pathophysiological conditions commonly involve inflammatory processes linked to an excess presence of PAF and/or decreased levels of plasmalogens. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the roles of plasmalogens in inflammation have remained largely elusive. While anti-inflammatory responses most likely involve the plasmalogen signal pathway; pro-inflammatory responses recruit arachidonic acid, a precursor of pro-inflammatory lipid mediators which is released from membrane phospholipids, notably derived from the hydrolysis of plasmalogens. Plasmalogens per se are vital membrane phospholipids in humans. Changes in their homeostatic levels may alter cell membrane properties, thus affecting key signaling pathways that mediate inflammatory cascades and immune responses. The plasmalogen analogs of PAF are also potentially important, considering that anti-PAF activity has strong anti-inflammatory effects. Plasmalogen replacement therapy was further identified as a promising anti-inflammatory strategy allowing for the relief of pathological hallmarks in patients affected by chronic diseases with an inflammatory component. The aim of this Short Review is to highlight the emerging roles and implications of plasmalogens in chronic inflammatory disorders, along with the promising outcomes of plasmalogen replacement therapy for the treatment of various PAF-related chronic inflammatory pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Ève Tremblay
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
- Axe Neurosciences, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Université de Laval, Québec City, Canada
- Neurology and Neurosurgery Department, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Centre for Advanced Materials and Related Technology (CAMTEC), University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Zakaria A Almsherqi
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yuru Deng
- Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou, China
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Mao R, Li W, Jia P, Ding H, Teka T, Zhang L, Fu Z, Fu X, Kaushal S, Dou Z, Han L. An efficient and sensitive method on the identification of unsaturated fatty acids in biosamples: Total lipid extract from bovine liver as a case study. J Chromatogr A 2022; 1675:463176. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2022.463176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Crawford M. A study of severe malnutrition in Malawian children illustrates the need for appropriate lipid nutrition to protect the brain. Am J Clin Nutr 2022; 115:1257-1258. [PMID: 35445701 DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/nqab425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Crawford
- Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Campus of Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
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Mota-Martorell N, Andrés-Benito P, Martín-Gari M, Galo-Licona JD, Sol J, Fernández-Bernal A, Portero-Otín M, Ferrer I, Jove M, Pamplona R. Selective brain regional changes in lipid profile with human aging. GeroScience 2022; 44:763-783. [PMID: 35149960 PMCID: PMC9135931 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-022-00527-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Fatty acids are key components in the structural diversity of lipids and play a strategic role in the functional properties of lipids which determine the integrity of neuronal and glial cell membranes, the generation of lipid signaling mediators, and the chemical reactivity of acyl chains. The present study analyzes using gas chromatography the fatty acid profiles of 13 regions of the human central nervous system in healthy individuals ranging from 40 to 80 years old. The outcomes suggest the existence of general traits in fatty acid composition such as an average chain length of 18 carbon atoms, high monounsaturated fatty acid content, and predominance in polyunsaturated fatty acids of those of series n-6 over series n-3 which are shared by all brain regions regardless of age. Our results also show a general sustained and relatively well-preserved lipid profile throughout the adult lifespan in most studied regions (olive, upper vermis, substantia nigra, thalamus, hippocampus, putamen, caudate, occipital cortex, parietal cortex, entorhinal cortex, and frontal cortex) with minor changes that are region-dependent. In contrast, of particular relevance is the involvement of the inferior temporal cortex and cingulate cortex. It is proposed that during normal human brain aging, the lipid profile is resistant to changes with age in most human brain regions to ensure cell survival and function, but some particular regions involved in specific memory domains are greatly affected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Mota-Martorell
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Lleida—Lleida Biomedical Research Institute (UdL-IRBLleida), 25198 Lleida, Spain
| | - Pol Andrés-Benito
- Center for Biomedical Research On Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Institute of Health Carlos III, 28220 Madrid, Spain
| | - Meritxell Martín-Gari
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Lleida—Lleida Biomedical Research Institute (UdL-IRBLleida), 25198 Lleida, Spain
| | - José Daniel Galo-Licona
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Lleida—Lleida Biomedical Research Institute (UdL-IRBLleida), 25198 Lleida, Spain
| | - Joaquim Sol
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Lleida—Lleida Biomedical Research Institute (UdL-IRBLleida), 25198 Lleida, Spain
| | - Anna Fernández-Bernal
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Lleida—Lleida Biomedical Research Institute (UdL-IRBLleida), 25198 Lleida, Spain
| | - Manuel Portero-Otín
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Lleida—Lleida Biomedical Research Institute (UdL-IRBLleida), 25198 Lleida, Spain
| | - Isidro Ferrer
- Center for Biomedical Research On Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Institute of Health Carlos III, 28220 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08907 Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Bellvitge (IDIBELL), 08907 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Mariona Jove
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Lleida—Lleida Biomedical Research Institute (UdL-IRBLleida), 25198 Lleida, Spain
| | - Reinald Pamplona
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Lleida—Lleida Biomedical Research Institute (UdL-IRBLleida), 25198 Lleida, Spain
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