Linoleic Acid Effects on Epidermal DNA Synthesis and Cutaneous Prostaglandin Levels in Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency

Abstract

An essential fatty acid (EFA) deficient state has been induced in hairless mice. The epidermal changes included hyperkeratosis, hypergranulosis and acanthosis. Epidermal DNA synthesis was increased 3-fold compared with normal diet mice. Prostaglandin E (PGE) and prostaglandin F (PGF) levels, measured by radioimmunoassay, were much reduced in the EFA deficient mice skin. 10% Linoleic acid applied topically for 2 weeks corrected the gross and histological skin abnormalities and reduced epidermal DNA synthesis to normal values. The levels of PGE and PGF were only partially corrected. Linoleic acid applied to normal diet mice increased skin levels of PGE and PGF compared with the control vehicle treated normal diet mice. These results provide further evidence for the importance of essential fatty acids in the control of epidermal proliferation and differentiation. The importance of PGE and PGF in controlling epidermal DNA synthesis in EFA deficiency is less clear.

Fish oil-based lipid emulsion: current updates on a promising novel therapy for the management of parenteral nutrition-associated liver disease

“…They act as second messengers and ligands for nuclear receptors [ 15 ]. Long-chain PUFAs are also precursors for eicosanoids and various other compounds such as resolvins and neuroprotectins [ 16 , 17 ]. Although, the human body synthesizes most of the FAs, some should be supplemented through diet.…”

“…To avoid EFA deficiency, exogenous EFAs, which include linoleic (LA), linolenic (α-LA), and arachidonic acids (AA), must be provided [ 17 ]. Of these, only LA is required since α-LA has no known function in humans [ 18 ].…”

Alterations in Plasma Fatty Acid Composition in Psoriatic Patients

“…Several investigators revealed an important role of essential fatty acid (EFA) such as LA in the control of epidermal proliferation and differentiation. Animals fed an EFA-deficient diet show psoriasis-like skin and their epidermal DNA synthesis is increased [12,13]. Thus LA deficiency as observed in psoriatic plasma may be responsible for the development of psoriatic lesions.…”

Role of Prostaglandins in Inflammatory and Proliferative Skin Disease

“…I have already suggested that prostaglandins should be looked upon as local tissue hormones with a physiological modulatory role in the skin, since epidermis contains both prostaglandin synthesising and prostaglandin-degrading enzymes. Epidermis which is depleted of prostaglandins in essential fatty acid deficient animals shows hyper-proliferation of epidermis and increased DNA synthesis (19). Indomethacin promotes, and prostaglandin E 2 diminishes virus-transformed 3T3 fibroblasts (20), and finally Bem and Greaves (21) have shown that prostaglandin E 1 inhibits epidermal cell growth in vitro.…”