A high ratio of (n-3)/(n-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids in vivo is potentially beneficial in chronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has emerged as a global health problem of epidemic proportions in the past few years. One of the major progressive features seen in CKD is renal fibrosis, which is one of the largest challenges in nephrology because it ends in chronic renal failure (CRF). The mechanisms of progression of CKD are poorly understood. Epidemiologic studies suggest a strong genetic component, but the genes that contribute to the onset and progression of CKD are largely unknown. Many studies have shown that ω-3/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) ameliorate renal ischemic injury according to functional and histologic criteria. This is associated with decreased activation of the genes for TGF-β and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Fat-1 transgenic mice, in which an exogenous fat-1 gene from Caenorhabditis elegans has been inserted, can endogenously synthesize ω-3/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) from ω-6/n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-6 PUFAs). It has long been realized that dietary supplementation with fish oils that contain large amounts of n-3 PUFAs can bring benefits in the treatment of CKD. Some clinical studies have focused on the effect of n-3 fatty acids from fish oil on blood pressure, and on the lipid profiles of dialysis patients, confirming the feasibility and safety of this treatment in human beings. In general, we hypothesis that a high ratio of (n-3)/(n-6) PUFAs in vivo may prevent progression of CKD, which is a novel approach to clinical treatment of this condition.