Algae result from a complex evolutionary history that shapes their metabolic network. For example, these organisms can synthesize different polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as those found in land plants and oily fish. Due to the presence of numerous double-bonds, such molecules can be oxidized nonenzymatically, and this results in the biosynthesis of high-value bioactive metabolites named isoprostanoids. So far, there have been only a few studies reporting isoprostanoid productions in algae. To fill this gap, the current investigation aimed at profiling isoprostanoids by liquid chromatography -mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in four marine microalgae. A good correlation was observed between the most abundant polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) produced by the investigated microalgal species and their isoprostanoid profiles. No significant variations in the content of oxidized derivatives were observed for Rhodomonas salina and Chaetoceros gracilis under copper stress, whereas increases in the production of C18-, C20- and C22-derived isoprostanoids were monitored in Tisochrysis lutea and Phaeodactylum tricornutum. In the presence of hydrogen peroxide, no significant changes were observed for C. gracilis and for T. lutea, while variations were monitored for the other two algae. This study paves the way to further studying the physiological roles of isoprostanoids in marine microalgae and exploring these organisms as bioresources for isoprostanoid production.

Microalgae are photosynthetic microscopic organisms that serve as the primary food source in aquatic environments. Microalgae can synthesize a wide variety of molecules, such as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) of the omega-3 and omega-6 series. Oxidative degradation of PUFA due to radical and/or enzymatic conversion leads to the formation of oxylipins, which are compounds known for their bioactive properties. In the present study, we aim to profile oxylipins from five microalgae species grown in 10-L photo-bioreactors under optimal conditions. During their exponential phase, microalgae were harvested, extracted and analyzed by LC-MS/MS to determine the qualitative and quantitative profile of oxylipins for each species. The five different selected microalgae revealed a high diversity of metabolites, up to 33 non-enzymatic and 24 enzymatic oxylipins present in different concentrations. Taken together, these findings highlight an interesting role of marine microalgae as a source of bioactive lipids mediators, which we hypothesize have an important function in preventive health measures such as amelioration of inflammation. The rich mixture of oxylipins may display advantages to biological organisms, especially by providing for human health benefits including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective or immunomodulator activities. Some oxylipins are also well known for their cardiovascular properties.