Dietary docosahexaenoic acid-enriched glycerophospholipids exert cardioprotective effects in ouabain-treated rats via physiological and metabolic changes.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) might prevent heart failure or optimise drug treatments by improving cardiac contraction. We investigated whether DHA-enriched avian glycerophospholipids (GPL-DHA) exert cardioprotection in ouabain-treated rats after 4 weeks of dietary supplementation with 10, 35 or 60 mg DHA per kg body weight versus none (DHA10, DHA35, DHA60 and control groups, respectively). The contractile responsiveness to different doses of ouabain (10(-7) to 10(-4) M), ouabain intoxication (at 3 × 10(-4) M), and relative variations in cardiac energy metabolism were determined using (31)P NMR in isolated perfused rat hearts.

A 9-wk docosahexaenoic acid-enriched supplementation improves endurance exercise capacity and skeletal muscle mitochondrial function in adult rats.

Decline in skeletal muscle mass and function starts during adulthood. Among the causes, modifications of the mitochondrial function could be of major importance. Polyunsaturated fatty (ω-3) acids have been shown to play a role in intracellular functions.

At low doses, a gamma-linolenic acid-lipoic acid conjugate is more effective than docosahexaenoic acid-enriched phospholipids in preventing neuropathy in diabetic rats.

A deficiency in essential fatty acid metabolism has been reported in diabetes. Nutritional supplementations with (n-6) or (n-3) PUFA have differential efficiency on parameters of diabetic neuropathy, including nerve conduction velocity (NCV) and nerve blood flow (NBF). The aim of this study was to compare the neuroprotective effects of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA)-lipoic acid (LA) conjugate (GLA-LA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-enriched phospholipids (PL) supplementations on NCV and NBF.

Docosahexaenoic acid-enriched egg consumption induces accretion of arachidonic acid in erythrocytes of elderly patients.

Many studies in humans volunteers have shown that dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplied as triacylglycerol can increase DHA levels in blood lipids but often strongly decreases those of arachidonic acid (AA). The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of dietary supplementation with egg-yolk powder enriched in DHA, corresponding to the French recommended dietary allowance for DHA, on the blood lipid status of an elderly population. Institutionalised elderly individuals aged between 63 and 93 years consumed an egg product enriched in DHA (150 mg/d) once daily for 9 months.

Neuroprotective effect of docosahexaenoic acid-enriched phospholipids in experimental diabetic neuropathy.

A deficiency in essential fatty acid metabolism has been widely reported in both human and animal diabetes. Fish oil supplementations (n-3 fatty acids), containing docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), were less effective on diabetic neuropathy than (n-6) fatty acids. This partial effect of (n-3) fatty acids might be attributed to the presence of EPA, a competitor of arachidonic acid, which enhanced the diabetes-induced decrease of this fatty acid in serum and tissues.

Identification of the ricin lipase site and implication in cytotoxicity.

Ricin is a heterodimeric plant toxin and the prototype of type II ribosome-inactivating proteins. Its B-chain is a lectin that enables cell binding. After endocytosis, the A-chain translocates through the membrane of intracellular compartments to reach the cytosol where its N-glycosidase activity inactivates ribosomes, thereby arresting protein synthesis.