Inflammation and Lipid Peroxidation: how it effects the cells
Lipid Peroxidation is a process where oxidants like free radicals attack lipids containing double carbon molecules such as polyunsaturated fatty acids (pufa).Two major classes of pufas include omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. Pufas are particularly susceptible to peroxidation.
Pufa examples include:canola oil, corn oil, sunflower oil and nuts and seeds like walnuts, soybeans and flaxseed and fatty fish like salmon.
Cell membranes contain polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Free radicals and reactive oxidative species/ROS (signaling molecules of inflammation) are normal reactions produced by the mitochondria, plasma membrane, naturally resulting from exercise and enzymatic reactions.
External stimuli like radiation, ultraviolet rays, tobacco smoke, pathogen infections, environmental toxins, herbicide/insecticides are sources of ROS.
Even your wifi. Exposure to EMF has been observed to cause increased free radical production in the cellular environment. PMID 30023251.
In response to membrane lipid peroxidation the cells may promote cell survival response or prompt cell death. When there is a low lipid peroxidation rate the cells enable their survival through antioxidant defense systems (check out previous post on which food is the highest in the antioxidant fiestin) or upregulate antioxidant proteins.
If the level of oxidative damage is too much for the defense mechanisms, it leads to cell damage, leading to cell death.
Aldehydes are often formed as a result of lipid peroxidation (which can damage the electron transport chain in the cell leading to higher production of ROS by the mitochondria)
Increased lipid peroxidation end products have been shown to be carcinogenic and implicated as an underlying mechanism of cardiovascular disease, neurological disorders and cancer.
Hydroxyl radicals (type of ROS) cause oxidative damage to cells because they attack molecules located less than a new nanometers from the site of generation
(The process involves hydrogen abstraction from a carbon with oxygen insertion resulting in lipid radicals)
The lipid peroxidation process has 3 steps: initiation, propagation and termination
In the termination step, antioxidants like vit E donate a hydrogen atom to form non radical products
