Publications by authors named "Josephine E Watson"

Neonatal brain development can be disrupted by infection that results in microglial cell activation and neuroinflammation. Studies indicate that polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and their metabolites can resolve inflammation. It is not known if dietary PUFA increases lipid metabolites in brain or reduces neuroinflammation in neonates.

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Cannabinoid receptor activation is involved in homeostatic regulation of the body. These receptors are activated by cannabinoids, that include the active constituents of Cannabis sativa, as well as endocannabinoids (eCBs). The eCBs are endogenously synthesized from the omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs).

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Accumulating studies have linked inflammation to tumor progression. Dietary omega-3 fatty acids, such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), have been shown to suppress tumor growth through their conversion to epoxide metabolites. Alternatively, DHA is converted enzymatically into docosahexaenoylethanolamide (DHEA), an endocannabinoid with antiproliferative activity.

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Clinical studies suggest that diets rich in ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) provide beneficial anti-inflammatory effects, in part through their conversion to bioactive metabolites. Here we report on the endogenous production of a previously unknown class of ω-3 PUFA-derived lipid metabolites that originate from the crosstalk between endocannabinoid and cytochrome P450 (CYP) epoxygenase metabolic pathways. The ω-3 endocannabinoid epoxides are derived from docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) to form epoxyeicosatetraenoic acid-ethanolamide (EEQ-EA) and epoxydocosapentaenoic acid-ethanolamide (EDP-EA), respectively.

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