Involvement of Microglia in Neurodegenerative Diseases: Beneficial Effects of Docosahexahenoic Acid (DHA) Supplied by Food or Combined with Nanoparticles

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Karine Charrière¹  Imen Ghzaiel²  Gérard Lizard²  Anne Vejux² 

[1] Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Besançon, Centre d’Investigation Clinique, INSERM CIC 1431, 25030 Besançon, France;Team Bio-PeroxIL, “Biochemistry of the Peroxisome, Inflammation and Lipid Metabolism” (EA7270), Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, INSERM, UFR Sciences Vie Terre et Environnement, 21000 Dijon, France;

关键词: docosahexaenoic acid;    microglia;    neurodegenerative disease;    inflammation;    nanomedicine;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijms221910639

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Neurodegenerative diseases represent a major public health issue and require better therapeutic management. The treatments developed mainly target neuronal activity. However, an inflammatory component must be considered, and microglia may constitute an important therapeutic target. Given the difficulty in developing molecules that can cross the blood–brain barrier, the use of food-derived molecules may be an interesting therapeutic avenue. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (22:6 omega-3), has an inhibitory action on cell death and oxidative stress induced in the microglia. It also acts on the inflammatory activity of microglia. These data obtained in vitro or on animal models are corroborated by clinical trials showing a protective effect of DHA. Whereas DHA crosses the blood–brain barrier, nutritional intake lacks specificity at both the tissue and cellular level. Nanomedicine offers new tools which favor the delivery of DHA at the cerebral level, especially in microglial cells. Because of the biological activities of DHA and the associated nanotargeting techniques, DHA represents a therapeutic molecule of interest for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

【 授权许可】

Unknown