The physiological and pathological properties of Mead acid, an endogenous multifunctional n-9 polyunsaturated fatty acid
Hiroshi Kawashima, Katsuhiko Yoshizawa
Abstract
Mead acid (MA, 5,8,11-eicosatrienoic acid) is an n-9 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and a marker of essential fatty acid deficiency, but nonetheless generally draws little attention. MA is distributed in various normal tissues and can be converted to several specific lipid mediators by lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase. Recent pathological and epidemiological studies on MA raise the possibility of its effects on inflammation, cancer, dermatitis and cystic fibrosis, suggesting it is an endogenous multifunctional PUFA. This review summarizes the biosynthesis, presence, metabolism and physiological roles of MA and its relation to various diseases, as well as the significance of MA in PUFA metabolism.
Topics & Concepts
Polyunsaturated fatty acidClinical chemistryLipidologyEndogenyLipoxygenaseFatty acidBiochemistryMetabolismFatty acid metabolismPathologicalInflammationLipid metabolismBiologyChemistryEnzymeMedicineInternal medicineImmunologyFatty Acid Research and HealthSphingolipid Metabolism and SignalingCholesterol and Lipid Metabolism