Biological relevance of double lipoxygenase products of polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially within blood vessels and brain

The double lipoxygenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) is possible with PUFA having at least three methylene-interrupted double bonds. Several PUFA of the omega-3/n-3 and -6 families may be converted through this route, and the products show interesting inhibitory effects on blood platelet function and cyclooxygenase activities. This review focuses on two main omega-3 PUFA of nutritional interest, namely docosahexaenoic acid (DHA/22:6n-3) and alpha linolenic acid (ALA/18:3n-3). The chemical configuration of the double lipoxygenase end-product from DHA (protectin DX) is compared with that of protectin D1 which is produced through a mono-lipoxygenation step followed by an epoxidation and epoxide hydrolysis process. The different metabolic pathways are discussed as well as the different biological activities of both protectins.