A common fatty acid found in the Western diet degrades into compounds that lead to increased temperature and pain sensitivity but not itch sensitivity in psoriatic lesions.
Washington: Fatty acids have been extensively studied in terms of their impact in health and illness. A common fatty acid found in the Western diet, according to a recent study published in JID Innovations, breaks down into compounds that lead to increased temperature and pain sensitivity in psoriatic lesions but not itch sensitivity.
The discovery might lead to a better understanding of how lipids connect with sensory neurons, potentially leading to better pain and sensitivity therapies for psoriasis sufferers. Linoleic acid is a fatty acid present in vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds that is one of the most abundant in the Western diet.
Linoleic acid metabolites, or the compounds created when the body breaks it down during digestion, have a role in skin barrier function. “We discovered significant quantities of two types of lipids produced from linoleic acid in psoriatic lesions,” said Santosh Mishra, associate professor of neurology at North Carolina State University and the study’s corresponding author.
“This prompted us to wonder if the lipids will influence how sensory neurons communicate in these injuries. We wanted to look into whether their existence was linked to the temperature or pain sensitivities that many psoriasis patients experience.” The researchers employed mass spectrometry to generate lipid profiles of psoriatic lesions’ skin.
They concentrated on two oxylipids generated from linoleic acid: 13-hydroxy-9,10-epoxy octadecenoate (9,13-EHL) and 9,10,13-trihydroxy-octadecenoate (9,10,13-THO) (9,10,13-THL). Through contact with certain enzymes, the initial form, 9,13-EHL, can be converted into the more stable 9,10,13-THL form. While both forms attach to receptors on sensory neurons beneath the skin, the researchers discovered that the more stable version – 9,10,13-THL – had a longer lasting impact than 9,13-EHL.
They also discovered that when the lipids connect to the neural receptor, they activate neurons carrying TRPA1 and TRPV1 receptors, which are involved in temperature and pain sensitivities, allowing them to communicate with the central nervous system. Interestingly, the lipids had no effect on itching.
“It was interesting that these lipids could cause hypersensitivity while having no effect on itch feeling, which is normally the most bothersome symptom associated with psoriasis,” Mishra adds. “This is most probably linked to the way the neuron is triggered, which we have yet to uncover.”
Now that a link between linoleic acid and hypersensitivity to temperature and pain has been proven, the researchers want to look into how this response is produced. They hope that the answers will lead to treatments that will help psoriasis patients reduce their symptoms.
“We know that this lipid changes forms, but we don’t know what causes it,” Mishra explained.
“We also know which protein the lipids attach to, but not where the link is formed. The answers to these questions may lead to new medicines – or nutritional remedies – for some psoriasis patients.”
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