Multiple Beneficial Health Effects of Natural Alkylglycerols from Shark Liver Oil

Alkylglycerols (alkyl-Gro) are ether lipids abundant in the liver of some elasmobranch fish species such as ratfishes and some sharks. Shark liver oil from Centrophorus squamosus (SLO), or alkyl-Gro mix from this source, have several in vivo biological activities including stimulation of hematopoiesis and immunological defences, sperm quality improvement, or anti-tumor and anti-metastasis activities. Several mechanisms are suggested for these multiple activities, resulting from incorporation of alkyl-Gro into membrane phospholipids, and lipid signaling interactions. Natural alkyl-Gro mix from SLO contains several alkyl-Gro, varying by chain length and unsaturation. Six prominent constituents of natural alkyl-Gro mix, namely 12:0, 14:0, 16:0, 18:0, 16:1 n-7, and 18:1 n-9 alkyl-Gro, were synthesized and tested for anti-tumor and anti-metastatic activities on a model of grafted tumor in mice (3LL cells). 16:1 and 18:1 alkyl-Gro showed strong activity in reducing lung metastasis number, while saturated alkyl- Gro had weaker (16:0) or no (12:0, 14:0, 18:0) effect. Multiple compounds and mechanisms are probably involved in the multiple activities of natural alkyl-Gro

Liver phospholipids fatty acids composition in response to different types of diets in rats of both sexes

Background: Dietary intake influence changes in fatty acids (FA) profiles in liver which plays a central role in fatty acid metabolism, triacylglycerol synthesis and energy homeostasis. We investigated the effects of 4-weeks treatment with milk-and fish-based diet, on plasma biochemical parameters and FA composition of liver phospholipids (PL) in rats of both sexes. Methods: Adult, 4 months old, Wistar rats of both sexes, were fed with different types of diets: standard, milk-based and fish-based, during 4 weeks. Analytical characterization of different foods was done. Biochemical parameters in plasma were determined. Fatty acid composition was analyzed by gas-chromatography. Statistical significance of FA levels was tested with two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) using the sex of animals and treatment (type of diet) as factors on logarithmic or trigonometric transformed data. Results: Our results showed that both, milk-and fish-based diet, changed the composition and ratio of rat liver phospholipids FA, in gender-specific manner. Initially present sex differences appear to be dietary modulated. Although, applied diets changed the ratio of total saturated fatty acids (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and effects were gender specific. Milk-based diet lowered SFA and elevated MUFA in males and increased PUFA in females vs. standard diet. The same diet decreased n-3, increased n-6 and n-6/n-3 ratio in males. Fish-based diet increased n-3, decreased n-6 and n-6/n-3 ratio vs. standard and milk-based diet in females. However, the ratio of individual FA in liver PL was also dietary-influenced, but with gender specific manner. While in females fish-based diet decreased AA (arachidonic acid) increased level of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), DPA (docosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), the same diet elevated only DHA levels in males. Conclusion: Gender related variations in FA composition of rat liver PL were observed, and results have shown that those initial differences could be significantly modulated by the type of diet. Furthermore, the modulatory effects of milk-and fish-based diets on liver phospholipids FA profiles appeared to be sex-specific

La mémoire des anneaux. Sept siècles d'enfermement au chÂteau d'Angers

International audienc

Association between Pollution and Public Perception of Air Quality-SEQAP, a Risk Perception Study in France

Many studies have been published in environmental perception field, including atmospheric air pollution. However, most of them only used opinion questions to quantify public perception of air quality. On the other hand, few studies linked perception of air quality and objective measurement of air pollution. The SEQAP project aims to construct and validate a scale to measure air quality perception (QAP) in order to study the relation between perception and pollution concentrations, and the representations and risk perception associated to pollution, using epidemiological and sociological approaches

A new air quality perception scale for global assessment of air pollution health effects.

International audienceDespite improvements in air quality in developed countries, air pollution remains a major public health issue. To fully assess the health impact, we must consider that air pollution exposure has both physical and psychological effects; this latter dimension, less documented, is more difficult to measure and subjective indicators constitute an appropriate alternative. In this context, this work presents the methodological development of a new scale to measure the perception of air quality, useful as an exposure or risk appraisal metric in public health contexts. On the basis of the responses from 2,522 subjects in eight French cities, psychometric methods are used to construct the scale from 22 items that assess risk perception (anxiety about health and quality of life) and the extent to which air pollution is a nuisance (sensorial perception and symptoms). The scale is robust, reproducible, and discriminates between subpopulations more susceptible to poor air pollution perception. The individual risk factors of poor air pollution perception are coherent with those findings in the risk perception literature. Perception of air pollution by the general public is a key issue in the development of comprehensive risk assessment studies as well as in air pollution risk management and policy. This study offers a useful new tool to measure such efforts and to help set priorities for air quality improvements in combination with air quality measurements

Impact d’une supplémentation en acide docosapentaénoïque n-3 sur la composition tissulaire en acides gras n-3 chez le rat

International audienceIntroduction et but de l’étudeLe rôle des Acides Gras Polyinsaturés (AGPI) n-3 sur le métabolisme lipidique est bien connu. Néanmoins, la plupart des recherches sont axées sur l’acide docosahexaènoïque (DHA, C22:6 n-3) et l’acide eicosapentaènoïque (EPA, C20:5 n-3). Peu d’études concernent l’acide docosapentaènoïque n-3 (DPA n-3, C22:5 n-3), peu disponible commercialement. Cet acide gras est un dérivé intermédiaire entre l’EPA et le DHA dans la voie de conversion des AGPI n-3 à partir de l’acide a-linolénique (ALA, C18:3 n-3). Il pourrait être intéressant tant pour sa capacité à se convertir en EPA ou en DHA que pour ses effets physiologiques spécifiques potentiels. A notre connaissance, aucune étude n’a permis d’observer globalement l’enrichissement spécifique de cet acide gras dans les tissus quand il était supplémenté in vivo.L’objectif de cette étude est donc d’examiner l’effet d’une supplémentation en DPA à une dose physiologique sur la composition en AGPI des principaux tissus chez le rat pour pouvoir orienter de futures études vers la recherche d’effets physiologiques.Matériel et méthodesDeux lots de rats mâles Sprague Dawley (n=8/lot) ont été nourris pendant 3 semaines à partir du sevrage avec un régime à 10% de lipides en masse supplémenté ou non avec du DPA à hauteur de 0,5% des acides gras totaux (AGT) et contenant de l’ALA (2,3% des AGT, ratio n-6/n-3=5). La composition en AGT de 20 tissus a été étudiée par chromatographie gazeuse couplée à un spectromètre de masse. Les deux lots ont été comparés par le test t de Student (p<0,05).Résultats et analyse statistiqueLorsqu’il est supplémenté, la proportion de DPA est augmentée significativement dans le cœur (x2,1), le poumon (x1,8), la rate (x1,6), la moelle osseuse (x1,5) et le rein (x1,3). Sa proportion tend à augmenter dans les globules rouges (x1,4) et le pancréas (x1,2) mais reste stable dans le foie, le plasma, le cerveau et la rétine qui sont connus pour être impactés avec des régimes supplémentés en EPA ou en DHA.Les statuts en DHA ont été élevés significativement dans la rate (x1,2), le poumon (x1,2) et tendent à augmenter dans la moelle osseuse (x1,6). La supplémentation en DPA augmenterait donc la conversion jusqu’au DHA.Les proportions d’EPA ont été accrues significativement dans le foie (x2,0), le plasma (x2,0), la rate (x1,5), le poumon (x1,3) et la moelle osseuse (x1,1). Cela confirmerait la rétroconversion directe ou indirecte en passant par le DHA du DPA vers l’EPA.Concernant les AGPI de la série n-6 en compétition avec les enzymes de la voie de conversion des n-3, les proportions de DPA n-6 (C22:5 n-6) et d’acide arachidonique (C20:4 n-6) ont diminué dans certains tissus spécifiquement (globules rouges, cœur, rein, rate, poumon).ConclusionUne supplémentation en DPA à hauteur de 0,5% des AGT entraîne un enrichissement en AGPI n-3 et un appauvrissement en AGPI n-6 ciblés dans certains tissus. Cela laisse présager une action potentielle et spécifique de cet acide gras. De futures études sont maintenant programmées pour déterminer les potentiels effets physiologiques spécifiques du DPA au niveau de ces organes en comparaison au DHA et à l’EPA

Des lésions oculaires dans le goître exophthalmique / par L.-M.-A. Pédrono,...

Avec mode text