Regulation of gene expression by polyunsaturated fatty acids

Consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) has been shown to be beneficial in the prevention of several human diseases, including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. It has become clear that linolenic (n-3) and linoleic (n-6) PUFAs can act at the nuclear level to affect expression of genes involved in diverse metabolic pathways. PUFAs act via nuclear receptors such as peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α and liver X receptor α, and through the transcription factor, sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c, to elicit a favorable hypolipidemic phenotype. Further understanding of the molecular effects of PUFAs will be key to devising novel approaches to the treatment and prevention of disease.