Retinal bioavailability and functional effects of a synthetic very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid in mice
Aruna Gorusupudi, Rameshu Rallabandi, Binxing Li, Ranganathan Arunkumar, J. David Blount, Gregory T. Rognon, Fu‐Yen Chang, Alexander Wade, Steven Lucas, John C. Conboy, Jon D. Rainier, Paul S. Bernstein
Abstract
Significance Very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLC-PUFAs) longer than 26 carbons are not present in normal vertebrate diets, yet they are uniquely found in the retina and a few other tissues, implying physiological importance of their biosynthesis from shorter-chain dietary precursors via the action of the ELOVL4 enzyme. While progress has been made by studying retinal samples from human donors and by investigating mouse models of Elovl4 dysfunction, further physiology and interventional research has been hampered by the scarcity of pure VLC-PUFAs. Here, we report the synthesis of a VLC-PUFA (32:6 n-3) in sufficient quantity to study its bioavailability in mice and to investigate its potential roles in normal retinal function and for treatment of disorders associated with VLC-PUFA deficiencies.