n-3 poly-unsaturated fatty Acid(n-3PUFA)and neuroprotection:Is docosahexaenoic acid(DHA) involved in glutamate uptake by astrocytes?

摘要

The high amount of DHA(the main n-3PUFA)in brain cell membranes depends on n-3PUFA dietary intake.High n-3PUFA intakes reduce the occurrence of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and have a protective effect on experimentally induced excitotoxicity.A high amount of DHA in cell membranes may thus confer to the brain a better resistance to insults.We recently showed that the amount of DHA in membrane phospholipids influences astrocytes physiology.Thus,the neuroprotective effect of n-3PUFA may rely on astrocyte functions involved in neuron protection and synaptic repair.Glutamate scavenging,a major task of astrocytes preventing excitotoxic damage,is under the influence of lipid signalling.We thus hypothesized that a high brain DHA content resulting from adequate n-3PUFA intakes may promote the glutamate uptake by astrocytes.