Bioactive Lipids

The purpose of this book is to introduce the readers on the perspective of the role that unsaturated fatty acids and complex lipids play on health and disease. Bioactive lipids can be modified affecting membrane composition, structure and fluidity in addition to changes in cell signaling associated to lipid-protein (membrane receptors) interactions, issues that are addressed by the authors. This book analyzes key topics involving bioactive lipids and their role in normal signaling and the mechanisms of disease. The book navigates from structural studies of oxidized and non-oxidized lipids to the reactions and cell signaling processes that bioactive lipids play in cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. The book contains the recent advances reported in the literature about lipidomics as well as the role that lipid-derived compounds exert on unfolded protein response and lipid metabolism and disease. This book represents a state of the art introduction to lipid metabolism from a biochemical to an in vivo overview being an useful tool for students and investigators. We hope the mechanistic observations on the role of bioactive lipids in health and disease serve a perspective to improve the existing treatments or propose new lipid-based pharmacology

In Bioactive lipids, Anna Nicolaou and George Kokotos have brought together an international team of authors to discuss the nomenclature, structures, biochemistry, pharmacology and recent developments in the main classes of bioactive lipids. These lipids are essential components of the cell membrane and play many dynamic roles in mediating and controlling a wide array of cellular activities including membrane structure and organization, metabolic and gene regulation, protein structure and function, energy production, and signalling pathways. The lipid interests of scientists in the pharmaceutical and food industries are converging as the broader significance of bioactive lipids is increasingly recognized. Lipids and lipid-metabolizing enzymes are targeted for the development of new drugs. Meanwhile, functional foods, nutraceuticals and supplements already have lipids as major active ingredients. The food industry will progress from simply using lipids as ingredients, to the formulation of products that influence the synthesis, metabolism and effects of bioactive lipids in the body. These advances in applied lipid biochemistry will build on the fundamental research of lipid scientists in universities worldwide, such as those scientists contributing to Bioactive lipids.

Bioactive Lipids presents the topic of bioactive lipids from a functional food development perspective. This book explores the potential of dietary lipids to understand how such bioactive compounds can be used in the development of functional foods and nutraceuticals. The book includes case studies to enable readers to understand the potential of several dietary lipids and the possibilities regarding their incorporation into several food matrices. Bioactive Lipids will be a welcome reference for researchers, lecturers and students from the food science and nutrition fields. Reviews the health benefits of several lipids and dietary sources, providing bioactive targets for therapeutic purposes Provides readers with tools for the development of new lines of research and for supporting ongoing investigations Includes case studies to present solutions for bioactive lipids incorporation into food matrices, and consequently to functional foods and nutraceuticals development

The Organizing Committee of the 15th International Conference on Bioactive Lipids in Cancer, Inflammation and Related Diseases compiled a group of junior investigators to provide reviews on the topics they presented at the Puerto Vallarta Bioactive Lipids conference, as part of the book series, Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology (AEMB). The book in this series will be titled Bioactive Lipids in Cancer, Inflammation and Related Diseases. Topics range from all classes of lipids including prostaglandins, resolvins, spingolipids, P450-derived lipids, endocannabanoids and phospholipids. The focus includes physiology, cell biology, and structural studies in organisms from bacteria to humans and how these studies addressed the role of lipids in various disease i.e. cancer, inflammation, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and others.

This book summarizes the most recent progress in the studies of lipid mediators from the molecular to clinical level and introduces newly created tools for analysis including imaging mass spectrometry. Comprising 29 chapters divided into four major parts, the book describes the molecular natures of enzymes, transporters, and receptors for lipid mediators (Part I), the function of lipid mediators in Drosophila and Zebrafish (Part II), the relationships between lipid mediators and various diseases (Part III), and detailed procedures of extraction, preparation, and quantification of lipid mediators (Part IV). Research on lipid mediators initially started with analysis of the action of aspirin, and subsequent biochemical experiments identified many enzymes and receptors responsible for the biosynthesis and signal transduction of individual lipid mediators. Through the phenotypic analyses of transgenic and knockout mice, it has been shown that the dysregulation of some lipid mediators causes inflammatory, immune, or oncogenic disorders. Lipid mediators have attracted increased attention because their structures are conserved among different species, and their biosynthetic and signaling pathways have been deciphered at the molecular level. Many drugs that target lipid mediators are already being used in hospitals, and this book suggests further possibilities for development of a wide variety of such drugs. Very recently, highly sensitive mass spectrometry has begun to be used to identify novel lipid mediators that are present only in trace amounts in tissues but with robust biological activity. Written by international experts, this book provides readers a comprehensive view of lipid mediators and related topics and helps in the process of determining research targets for the near future.

Proceedings of the Sixteenth Washington International Spring Symposium held at The George Washington University, May 6-9, 1996