Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) Supplementation in a Triglyceride Form Prevents from Polyglutamine-Induced Dysfunctions in Caenorhabditis elegans

Data de publicació: 01/12/2024

Autors de IIS La Fe

• Rafael Vázquez Manrique

  Autor

Autors aliens a IIS La Fe

• Mora, Ignasi
• Teixido, Alex
• Puiggros, Francesc
• Arola, Lluis

Grups d'Investigació

• Biomedicina Molecular, Celular y Genómica

  

  Leader

  José María Millán Salvador

• Unidad mixta de investigación en enfermedades raras (CIPF)

  

  Leader

  José María Millán Salvador

Abstract

A common hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases is the accumulation of polypeptide aggregates in neurons. Despite the primary cause of these diseases being inherently genetic, their development can be delayed with proper preventive treatments. Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 LCPUFA) are promising bioactive nutrients that are beneficial for brain health. In this study, the impact of an oil rich in a structured form of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) triglyceride (TG) was assessed in a Caenorhabditis elegans model expressing long poly-glutamine (polyQ) chains, which mimics the symptomatology of polyQ-related neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington's disease (HD), among others. The lifespan, the motility, the number of polyQ aggregates, the oxidative stress resistance, and the cognitive performance associated with sensitive stimuli was measured in mutant nematodes with polyQ aggregates. Overall, DHA-TG at 0.5 mu M improved the lifespan, the motility, the oxidative stress resistance, and the cognitive performance of the nematodes, emphasizing the protection against serotonergic synapse dysfunction. Furthermore, the treatment reduced the polyQ aggregates in the nematodes. The data described herein shed light on the connection between DHA and the cognitive performance in neurodegenerative diseases and demonstrated the potential of DHA-TG as nutritional co-adjuvant to prevent the development of polyQ-associated dysfunctions.

Keywords

• polyQ; DHA; omega-3; Huntington's; <italic>C. elegans</italic>; serotonin