Possible Interaction: Arachidonic Acid and Gamma-Linolenic Acid

“The addition of gamma-linolenic acid resulted in higher arachidonic acid concentrations in red blood cells.”

“… GLA diet produced some changes in the total fatty acid composition … tumor, plasma and liver of host mice: GLA and arachidonic acid (20:4 n-6, AA) induced significant increases, whereas oleic (18:1 n-9, OA) and linoleic acids (18:2 n-6, LA) were decreased (Table 2).”

“ ARA supplementation increased plasma content of ARA and gamma-linolenic acid , while decreasing relative abundance of linoleic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid.”

“In the fibroblast type cells (HSF43 and E8T4) S- and G2/M-phase arrests were evident after 48 h exposure to AA and GLA , and in the lymphoblast cell lines (TK6 and WTK1) the cells were arrested in the G1-phase.”

“Taken together, these data reveal that there are enzymes within the human neutrophil that metabolize GLA or its elongation product DGLA, and that the metabolism of GLA and AA may interact at a number of critical junctures.”

“Suppression of endometrial prostaglandin E2 and F2 alpha synthesis following GLA or EPA supplementation can be explained as direct competition between these fatty acids and arachidonic acid (the precursor of 2-series prostaglandins) for incorporation into membrane phospholipids.”

“When sub-optimal concentrations of GLA and AA were added together, leukocytes showed an additive effect on free radical generation.”

“We have found that administration of relatively small amounts of GLA , up to 360 mg/d, raises human blood levels of dihomogammalinolenic acid (DGLA) and arachidonic acid (AA).”

“ Arachidonic acid (AA) is proposed to block the endogenous conversion of dietary linoleic acid to GLA and DGLA, which results in impared cholesterol transport to the liver and increased serum levels.”

“However, in presence of gamma-linolenic , lauric and stearic acids conversion of arachidonic acid into PGE2 during 30 sec incubation was increased.”