title: Epidermal anti-Inflammatory properties of 5,11,14 20:3: effects on mouse ear edema, PGE2 levels in cultured keratinocytes, and PPAR activation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  5,11,14 20:3 is similar to 20:4n-6 but lacks the internal Delta8 double bond essential for prostaglandin and eicosanoid synthesis. When previously fed to laboratory animals as a gymnosperm seed oil component it has shown anti-inflammatory properties.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Herein, topically applied Podocarpus nagi methyl esters (containing 26% 5,11,14 20:3) were incorporated into mouse ear phospholipids, reduced 20:4n-6, and reduced 20:4n-6- and TPA-induced mouse ear edema. Purified 5,11,14 20:3 was taken up by cultured human skin keratinocytes, reduced 20:4n-6, and reduced PGE2 levels dramatically. Purified 5,11,14 20:3 did not affect PPARalpha, PPARgamma, or PPARdelta transactivation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Topical application of 5,11,14 20:3 to skin surfaces can thus reduce inflammatory processes, most likely by displacing 20:4n-6 from phospholipid pools and reducing downstream inflammatory products derived from 20:4n-6 such as PGE2 and leukotrienes. It could have potential use in treating clinical skin disorders resulting from overproduction of 20:4n-6-derived eicosanoid products.
authors.affiliation: Nestlé Research Center, Vers-Chez-les-Blanc, 1000 Lausanne 26, Switzerland. alvin@cytochroma.com
authors.forename: Alvin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Monnard
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baur
authors.forename: Corinne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Charbonnet
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Safonova
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jomard