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Updated: Aug 6, 2026

Dietary Supplementation of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Caenorhabditis elegans
Published on: November 29, 2013
Differential induction of electrophile-responsive element-regulated genes by n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids
Vincent A van Beelen1, Jac M M J G Aarts, Astrid Reus
1Division of Toxicology, Wageningen University and Research Center, Tuinlaan 5, 6703 HE Wageningen, The Netherlands. Vincent.vanBeelen@wur.nl
Abstract:
In this study the n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid appear to be effective inducers of electrophile-responsive element (EpRE) regulated genes, whereas the n-6 PUFA arachidonic acid is not. These n-3 PUFAs need to be oxidized to induce EpRE-regulated gene expression, as the antioxidant vitamin E can partially inhibit the PUFA induced dose-dependent effect. Results were obtained using a reporter gene assay, real-time RT-PCR and enzyme activity assays. The induction of EpRE-regulated phase II genes by n-3 PUFAs may be a major pathway by which n-3 PUFAs, in contrast to n-6 PUFAs, are chemopreventive and anticarcinogenic.
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