title: Membrane lipid raft organization is uniquely modified by n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
abstract: Fish oil, enriched in bioactive n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), has been shown to play a role in prevention of colon cancer. The effects of n-3 PUFA are pleiotropic and multifaceted, resulting in an incomplete understanding of their molecular mechanisms of action. Here, we focus on a highly conserved mechanism of n-3 PUFA, which is the alteration of the organization of the plasma membrane. We highlight recent work demonstrating that enrichment of n-3 PUFA in the plasma membrane alters the lateral organization of membrane signaling assemblies (i.e. lipid rafts). This mechanism is central for n-3 PUFA regulation of downstream signaling, T-cell activation, transcriptional activation, and cytokine secretion. We conclude that these studies provide strong evidence for a predominant mechanism by which n-3 PUFA function in colon cancer prevention.
authors.affiliation: Program in Integrative Nutrition and Complex Diseases and the Center for Environmental and Rural Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
authors.forename: Harmony F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Turk
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Chapkin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D021962:Membrane Microdomains / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005395:Fish Oils