Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids modulate sphingolipid metabolism in the hippocampus of aged rats
Loay Khaled Hassouneh1,2, Salameh Otallah Aldajah1, Manal Mammdoh Najdawi3, Ala Yahia Sirhan4, Mai Adnan Abdullah5, Ahmad Ajwad Altalhouni1, Zead Helmi Abudayeh1
- Isra University, Amman, Jordan
- Sohar University, Sultanate of Oman
- Middle East University, Amman, Jordan
- Amman Arab University, Jordan
- Huson College University – Al-Balqa Applied University, Amman, Jordan
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15407/fz71.06.037

Abstract
Neural cell membranes are rich in sphingolipids, which are powerful regulators of brain omeostasis.
Ceramide is a potent signaling molecule involved in critical events in neurodegenerative brain diseases.
The ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUF As) are a group of essential fatty acids that serve as key
components of cell membranes and energy sources, playing a vital role in maintaining normal brain
function. This study aims to determine the impact of supplementing old rats with ω-3 PUF As on hippocampal
sphingolipid metabolism. To investigate the effect of ω-3 PUF As on sphingolipid metabolism in aged
rats, a comparison was made between 3-month-old and 24-month-old rats. The 24-month-old rats were
divided into two groups: the experimental group received a diet supplemented with ω-3 PUF As, and the
control group received a diet supplemented with beef fat. Next, lipids were extracted from hippocampus
homogenates and separated into classes (sphingomyelin, ceramide, glucosylceramide, and sphingosine)
using thin-layer chromatography, followed by quantitative analysis. It has been determined that ceramide,
glucosylceramide, and sphingosine synthesis increase in the hippocampus of 24-month-old rats with a
non-significant decrease in the synthesis of sphingomyelin as compared to the 3-month-old animals. The
nutritional factor ω-3 PUF A used in this work reduces the mass and de novo synthesis of the proapoptotic
lipid ceramide in the hippocampus, which increases with age. Concurrently, ω-3 PUF As also increase the
levels of newly synthesized sphingomyelin in this region. These findings provide evidence that PUF As act as
physiological regulators of sphingolipid metabolism, reducing ceramide accumulation in the hippocampus
during aging. Moreover, these results suggest that ω-3 PUF As may help mitigate the risk of neurological
diseases and alleviate age-related brain dysfunction in old age.
Keywords:
ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids; hippocampus; ceramide; glucosylceramide; sphingomyelin; sphingosine
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