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Fatty acid isomerism: analysis and selected biological functions
Zhen Wang1,2, Tingxiang Yang1, J Thomas Brenna3,4
1School of Agriculture, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China. wangdh36@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
Food & Function
|January 10, 2024
Summary
Advanced mass spectrometry techniques now enable precise identification of unusual fatty acids. This aids research into their roles in diseases like cancer and diabetes, and their impact on human health.
Area of Science:
- Lipidomics and Analytical Chemistry
- Biochemistry and Human Health
Background:
- Fatty acid structure (chain length, double bonds, branching) dictates biological function.
- Unusual fatty acid isomers in foods may significantly impact human health.
- Advances in structural elucidation are crucial for understanding fatty acid roles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements in fatty acid structural elucidation using mass spectrometry.
- To compare novel mass spectrometry methods with traditional techniques.
- To highlight the impact of accurate fatty acid isomer identification on health research.
Main Methods:
- Mass spectrometry techniques: solvent-mediated covalent adduct chemical ionization (SM-CACI), ozone induced dissociation (OzID), charge inversion methods.
- Paternò-Büchi (PB) reaction for derivatization to determine double bond position.
- Chemical ionization (CI) based multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) for branched chain fatty acids (BCFAs), surpassing electron ionization (EI) limitations.
Main Results:
- Novel instrumental methods (SM-CACI, OzID) accurately determine double bond positions.
- PB reaction and CI-MRM enable identification of unusual fatty acid structures, including low-level BCFAs.
- Accurate quantification of isomers facilitates biomarker discovery for cancer, diabetes, NAFLD, and atherosclerosis.
Conclusions:
- Improved analytical capabilities are essential for studying fatty acid biological functions.
- Coupling advanced analytical methods with mechanistic research promises refined outcomes in lipid science.
- Understanding unusual fatty acids offers insights into eicosanoid modulation, weight management, and overall health.
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