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Differences in n‐3 and n‐6 PUFA biosynthesis in African and European Americans (806.16)
Author(s) -
Chilton Floyd,
Howard Timothy,
Sergeant Susan,
Manichaikul Ani,
Rich Stephen,
Wilson Bryan,
Seeds Michael
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.28.1_supplement.806.16
Subject(s) - docosahexaenoic acid , biosynthesis , polyunsaturated fatty acid , arachidonic acid , gene cluster , single nucleotide polymorphism , gene , medicine , biology , fatty acid , biochemistry , chemistry , endocrinology , genetics , genotype , enzyme
Levels and ratios of omega‐6 (n‐6) and omega‐3 (n‐3) long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LcPUFAs) impact a wide range of biological activities and human diseases. We have shown marked differences in the synthesis of the n‐6 LcPUFA, arachidonic acid (20:4, n‐6), between African (AfAm) and European (EuAm) ancestry populations in the US. N‐3 LcPUFA biosynthesis is more complex, including up to 4 additional biochemical steps to make docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6, n‐3). Given the critical role of the balance of n‐6 and n‐3 LcPUFAs on biological responses, the objective of the current study was to compare the efficiency of biosynthesis of both n‐6 and n‐3 LcPUFA in AfAm and EuAm subjects. Serum levels of PUFAs were examined in two cohorts, and AfAm contained higher DHA levels in both cohorts (p= 4 x 10‐6 and 1.7 x 10‐9) and higher DHA to precursor n‐3 PUFA ratios (p=1.7x10‐8 and 6.8x10‐20) than EuAm. Analysis of 77 candidate SNPs in the six genes proposed to participate in LcPUFA biosynthesis revealed strong associations between SNPs and biosynthetic capacity in the fatty acid desaturase (FADS1/2) gene cluster in EuAm and weaker associations in the elongase gene, ELOVL2. These data indicate that there are marked differences between AfAm and EuAm in n‐3 LcPUFA biosynthesis and that genetic variants, particularly within the FADS1/2 gene cluster, appear to play a critical role in the regulation of PUFA biosynthesis. These observations raise important questions of whether gene‐PUFA interactions induced by the modern western diet are differentially driving the risk of PUFA‐driven diseases in diverse populations. Grant Funding Source : NIH‐P50 AT002782