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Peroxisome Biology: Experimental Models, Peroxisomal Disorders and Neurological Diseases pp 171–193Cite as

Biological Functions of Plasmalogens

Part of the Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology book series (AEMB,volume 1299)

Abstract

Plasmalogens (Pls) are one kind of phospholipids enriched in the brain and other organs. These lipids were thought to be involved in the membrane bilayer formation and anti-oxidant function. However, extensive studies revealed that Pls exhibit various beneficial biological activities including prevention of neuroinflammation, improvement of cognitive function, and inhibition of neuronal cell death. The biological activities of Pls were associated with the changes in cellular signaling and gene expression. Membrane-bound GPCRs were identified as possible receptors of Pls, suggesting that Pls might function as ligands or hormones. Aging, stress, and inflammatory stimuli reduced the Pls contents in cells, and addition of Pls inhibited inflammatory processes, which could suggest that reduction of Pls might be one of the risk factors for the diseases associated with inflammation. Oral ingestion of Pls showed promising health benefits among Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients, suggesting that Pls might have therapeutic potential in other neurodegenerative diseases.

Keywords

  • Plasmalogens
  • Neuroinflammation
  • Neurodegenerative diseases
  • Aging
  • Signaling mechanism

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu university, Fukuoka, Japan

    Md Shamim Hossain

  2. Institute of Rheological Functions of Food, Fukuoka, Japan

    Shiro Mawatari & Takehiko Fujino

Authors
  1. Md Shamim Hossain
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  2. Shiro Mawatari
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  3. Takehiko Fujino
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Correspondence to Md Shamim Hossain .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Team ‘Biochemistry of the Peroxisome, Inflammation and Lipid Metabolism’ EA 7270/University of Bourgogne Franche-Comté/Inserm, Dijon, France

    Gérard Lizard

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Hossain, M.S., Mawatari, S., Fujino, T. (2020). Biological Functions of Plasmalogens. In: Lizard, G. (eds) Peroxisome Biology: Experimental Models, Peroxisomal Disorders and Neurological Diseases. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 1299. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-60204-8_13

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