HOUSTON, Texas—New, unpublished research on the omega-3 fatty acid, docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) will be presented at Experimental Biology 2014, a meeting held April 26-30 at the San Diego Convention Center. Results of two separate, unpublished studies will be presented by the co-author, Amanda Pepper-Yowell, doctoral candidate at Texas Tech University, Department of Animal and Food Science. Both studies were sponsored by Omega Protein Corporation and conducted by Texas Tech University.

Results from the first study found that purified eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), DPA and  docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and menhaden-oil derived OmegaActiv Super DPA (from Nutegrity)  improved serum lipid profiles in mice. The study also demonstrates that DPA decreases aortic plaque building, showing its potential role in the reduction of atherosclerosis. The study will be featured as part of a mini-symposium entitled “Medical Nutrition: Nutrition and Inflammation" on April 26 at 10:30 a.m., Room 29C. 

Results  from the second study on anti-inflammatory effects of DPA in cell culture model will be featured during poster session 1034.16 on April 29, from 1:45 to 2:45 p.m. in the exhibit halls. The study looks at the molecular mechanisms and anti-inflammatory actions of DPA.

“Science focused specifically on DPA is on the rise and the scientific community is increasingly recognizing DPA’s therapeutic potential to work with EPA and DHA, and as a stand-alone fatty acid," said Mark E. Griffin, Ph.D., senior vice president of research and development at Omega Protein Corporation. “These two studies reveal DPA’s important role in health and both will be published in peer-reviewed journals in the immediate future."

New research is increasingly recognizing the significance of DPA on human health. DPA is structurally similar to EPA and the body can store twice the amount of DPA in blood as EPA and about half as much DPA as DHA. Omega Protein Corporation, through its human nutrition division Nutegrity, supplies menhaden fish oil that contains significantly higher levels of DPA compared to typical fish oil sources like sardines and anchovies.