Syntheses, biological effects and mechanisms of action of fatty acid analogues with conjugated double bonds

CLA is a group of fatty acids which are naturally found in ruminant fat, formed by biohydrogenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, and has recently become an interesting health care product. Natural ASA is the world's leading producer of CLA, and covers more than 70 % of the market. Interest in CLA has increased because of the possible beneficial health effects: alters body composition, reduced risk of cardiac diseases, protection against cancer and type 2 diabetes. However, the mechanisms responsible f or these effects are not fully known, nor is it known if some of the intermediates formed during oxidation of CLA also have these effects. It will be of interest to synthesize the assumed intermediates, and also CLA analogues with conjugated double bonds in 2 and 4 positions, with or without methyl/ethyl groups in the alpha-position. The mechanisms of action of these intermediates and analogues will be studied, and compared with those of CLA. Our focus on the mechanistic level will be to study if these compounds act as ligands for nuclear receptors involved in lipid- and cholesterol metabolism. fatty acids with double bonds in the positions 2 and 4 have antioxidant properties, and this proper ty will be studied in bioactive systems.