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alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) metabolism
Stable Identifier
R-HSA-2046106
Type
Pathway
Species
Homo sapiens
Compartment
endoplasmic reticulum lumen
,
endoplasmic reticulum membrane
,
peroxisomal matrix
,
peroxisomal membrane
ReviewStatus
5/5
Locations in the PathwayBrowser
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Metabolism (Homo sapiens)
Metabolism of lipids (Homo sapiens)
Fatty acid metabolism (Homo sapiens)
alpha-linolenic (omega3) and linoleic (omega6) acid metabolism (Homo sapiens)
alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) metabolism (Homo sapiens)
General
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Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3(n-3)) is an omega-3 fatty acid, supplied through diet as it cannot be synthesized by humans. ALA has an important role in human health. It is converted to long chain more unsaturated n-3 fatty acids by a series of alternating desaturation and elongation reactions. Omega-3 products of ALA such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) reduce inflammation and may help lower risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease and arthritis. All the desaturation and elongation steps occur in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) except for the final step which requires translocation to peroxisomes for partial beta-oxidation.
The alpha-linolenic acid pathway involves the following steps: 18:3(n-3)--> 18:4(n-3)-->20:4(n-3)-->20:5(n-3)-->22:5(n-3)-->24:5(n-3)-->24:6(n-3)-->22:6(n-3). Two desaturation enzymes are involved in this process: delta-6 desaturase that converts 18:3(n-3) to 18:4(n-3) and 24:5(n-3) to 24:6(n-3) respectively, delta-5 desaturase 20:4(n-3) to 20:5(n-3). (Sprecher 2002).
Literature References
PubMed ID
Title
Journal
Year
16828546
Metabolism of alpha-linolenic acid in humans
Burdge, GC
Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids
2006
8443237
Desaturation and chain elongation of n - 3 and n - 6 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the human CaCo-2 cell line
Chen, Q
,
Nilsson, A
Biochim Biophys Acta
1993
Participants
Events
Activation of alpha-linolenic acid to alpha-linolenoyl-CoA
(Homo sapiens)
Desaturation of alpha-linoleoyl-CoA to Stearidonoyl-CoA
(Homo sapiens)
Elongation of stearidonoyl-CoA to eicosatetraenoyl-CoA
(Homo sapiens)
Desaturation of eicosatetraenoyl-CoA to eicosapentaenoyl-CoA
(Homo sapiens)
Elongation of eicosapentaenoyl-CoA to docosapentaenoyl-CoA
(Homo sapiens)
Elongation of docosapentaenoyl-CoA to tetracosapentaenoyl-CoA
(Homo sapiens)
Desaturation of tetracosapentaenoyl-CoA to tetracosahexaenoyl-CoA
(Homo sapiens)
Translocation of tetracosahexaenoyl-CoA to peroxisomes
(Homo sapiens)
Oxidation of tetracosapentaenoyl-CoA to delta2-tetracosaheptaenoyl-CoA
(Homo sapiens)
Hydration of delta2-tetracosaheptaenoyl-CoA to 3-hydroxy tetracosahexaenoyl-CoA
(Homo sapiens)
Dehydrogenation of 3-hydroxy tetracosahexaenoyl-CoA
(Homo sapiens)
Formation of DHA-CoA catalysed by sterol carrier protein X (SCPx)
(Homo sapiens)
Formation of DHA-CoA catalysed by 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase
(Homo sapiens)
Conversion of DHA-CoA to docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)
(Homo sapiens)
Retranslocation of DHA back to ER
(Homo sapiens)
Participates
as an event of
alpha-linolenic (omega3) and linoleic (omega6) acid metabolism (Homo sapiens)
Event Information
Go Biological Process
alpha-linolenic acid metabolic process (0036109)
Orthologous Events
alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) metabolism (Bos taurus)
alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) metabolism (Caenorhabditis elegans)
alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) metabolism (Canis familiaris)
alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) metabolism (Danio rerio)
alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) metabolism (Dictyostelium discoideum)
alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) metabolism (Drosophila melanogaster)
alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) metabolism (Gallus gallus)
alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) metabolism (Mus musculus)
alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) metabolism (Plasmodium falciparum)
alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) metabolism (Rattus norvegicus)
alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) metabolism (Saccharomyces cerevisiae)
alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) metabolism (Schizosaccharomyces pombe)
alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) metabolism (Sus scrofa)
alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) metabolism (Xenopus tropicalis)
Authored
Garapati, P V (2012-01-11)
Created
Garapati, P V (2012-01-11)
© 2024
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