The skin produces bioactive lipids that participate in physiological and pathological states, including homeostasis, induction, propagation, and resolution of inflammation. However, comprehension of the cutaneous lipid complement, and contribution to differing roles of the epidermal and dermal compartments, remains incomplete. We assessed the profiles of eicosanoids, endocannabinoids, N-acyl ethanolamides, and sphingolipids, in human dermis, epidermis, and suction blister fluid. We identified 18 prostanoids, 12 hydroxy-fatty acids, 9 endocannabinoids and N-acyl ethanolamides, and 21 non-hydroxylated ceramides and sphingoid bases, several demonstrating significantly different expression in the tissues assayed. The array of dermal and epidermal fatty acids was reflected in the lipid mediators produced, whereas similarities between lipid profiles in blister fluid and epidermis indicated a primarily epidermal origin of suction blister fluid. Supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids ex vivo showed that their action is mediated through perturbation of existing species and formation of other anti-inflammatory lipids. These findings demonstrate the diversity of lipid mediators involved in maintaining tissue homeostasis in resting skin and hint at their contribution to signaling, cross-support, and functions of different skin compartments. Profiling lipid mediators in biopsies and suction blister fluid can support studies investigating cutaneous inflammatory responses, dietary manipulation, and skin diseases lacking biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

BACKGROUND: Pomegranate seed oil is predominantly composed of triglycerides containing unsaturated fatty acids, including high levels of conjugated linolenic acids (CLnAs). The major CLnA component, punicic acid, is known to possess biological activity. Consequently, it is desirable to obtain a detailed characterisation of pomegranate seed oil fatty acid profiles, including molecules potentially co-eluting with punicic acid, such as jacaric acid.

The differential bioactive lipid upregulation implicates their involvement in skin irritant responses, potentially reflecting roles in inflammatory cell recruitment and subsequent resolution of inflammation, giving scope for new treatment approaches to irritant dermatitis.

In this study, the crystallization and melting properties of four different fat blends with the same saturated fat content (30%) but with different ratios of symmetric and asymmetric monounsaturated triacylglycerols were investigated using pNMR, DSC and polarized light microscopy. Blends were either palmitic (P) or stearic (S) based, and were combinations of SatOSat-rich (Sat = saturated, O = oleic) and SatSatO-rich vegetable oils with high-oleic sunflower oil. The DSC results demonstrate that there was almost no difference in crystallization mechanism and crystallization rate between the two P-based blends. Both blends showed a two-step crystallization, which can be explained by polymorphism. Stop-and-return DSC results suggested an initial crystallization into an unstable polymorph followed by polymorphic transition during the crystallization. For the S-based blends there was a clear difference between the SOS-rich and the SSO-rich blend, with a slower crystallization for the SSO-rich blend. Possibly, this can be explained by fractional crystallization. The microstructure did not differ greatly between the blends. Directly after crystallization, the crystals of the SSO-rich blend were slightly larger than the crystals of the SOS-rich blend.