Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 3 complete abstracts (545 words), 9 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
Organic, monobasic acids derived from hydrocarbons by the equivalent of oxidation of a methyl group to an alcohol, aldehyde, and then acid. Fatty acids are saturated and unsaturated (fatty acids, unsaturated). (Grant and Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed)
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Fatty Acid; Aliphatic Acids; Aliphatic Acid; Acid, Aliphatic; Fatty Acids, Esterified; Esterified Fatty Acids; Esterified Fatty Acid; Acid, Esterified Fatty.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Lipids
- Narrower topics
- Caprylates; Decanoic Acids; Eicosanoic Acids; Endocannabinoids; Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; Fatty Acids, Volatile; Heptanoic Acids; Lauric Acids; Mupirocin; Mycolic Acids; Mycophenolic Acid; Myristic Acids; Palmitic Acids
Related concepts
- Fatty Acids
- Unsaturated
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 535,446 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Fatty Acids” (counts retrieved 2026-10-31). 81,142 of them (15.2%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 219,082 records.
Reviews account for 43,898 records (8.2%) and meta-analyses for 2,538. Randomized controlled trials number 21,062 (3.9%) as a share of all records on the topic.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 219,082 |
| 2000-2009 | 106,843 |
| 2010-2019 | 128,379 |
| 2020 onward | 81,142 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 43,898 | 8.2% |
| Meta-analyses | 2,538 | 0.5% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 21,062 | 3.9% |
Method: PubMed query "Fatty Acids"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-31.
Reading the evidence in drugs and chemicals
Studies of a chemical or drug can answer very different questions: what it is and how it behaves in cells and animals, how the body handles it, and whether it changes outcomes in people. Laboratory and animal findings often do not carry over to patients, and observational studies of exposures are confounded by who uses a substance and why. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to use, avoid, start or stop any substance or medicine; talk to a qualified clinician or pharmacist about your own situation. Check the dose, the species, the comparison group and whether a patient-relevant outcome was measured.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor Fluvastatin Promotes Th2-Skewed Immune Responses by Modulating Dendritic Cell Differentiation | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 42680200 · DOI · PMC13533597 |
| Palmitate promotes liver metastases by decreasing neutrophil antitumour behaviour | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 42557388 · DOI · PMC7619559 |
| Effects of Prepartum Supplementation with Flaxseed and Black Soldier Fly Larvae Oils on Fatty Acid Composition and Lipid Quality Indices in Sheep Milk | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 42588476 · DOI · PMC13467788 |
The HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor Fluvastatin Promotes Th2-Skewed Immune Responses by Modulating Dendritic Cell Differentiation [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Statins, inhibitors of HMG-CoA reductase, exert immunomodulatory effects beyond lipid lowering, yet how they regulate T helper (Th) cell differentiation remains poorly understood.
- Closing excerpt
- These findings indicate that continuous fluvastatin exposure during DC differentiation is associated with an altered DC phenotype and enhanced Th2-polarizing capacity.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (178 words)
Statins, inhibitors of HMG-CoA reductase, exert immunomodulatory effects beyond lipid lowering, yet how they regulate T helper (Th) cell differentiation remains poorly understood. We show that fluvastatin administration to C57BL/6 mice for 7 days suppressed interferon-γ and elevated interleukin-4 production by splenic CD4+ T cells, shifting the immune balance toward Th2 without altering splenocyte numbers or major immune cell subset proportions. This effect was not shared by rosuvastatin, suggesting that lipophilicity-dependent cellular uptake influences immunomodulatory potency. In vitro experiments confirmed a direct Th2-promoting action of fluvastatin on CD4+ T cells. Basophils were excluded as mediating cells, as fluvastatin suppressed rather than enhanced basophil interleukin-4 production. Continuous fluvastatin exposure during granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)-driven dendritic cell (DC) differentiation altered the phenotype of the resulting DCs and markedly enhanced their Th2-polarizing capacity in co-cultures with antigen-specific CD4+ T cells. These functional changes were accompanied by alterations in DC surface molecule expression, although their causal contribution remains to be established. These findings indicate that continuous fluvastatin exposure during DC differentiation is associated with an altered DC phenotype and enhanced Th2-polarizing capacity.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42680200 · DOI · PMC13533597
Palmitate promotes liver metastases by decreasing neutrophil antitumour behaviour [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Liver metastases are frequent and challenging to treat owing to the liver's metabolically active and immune-tolerant environment.
- Closing excerpt
- Taken together, we find that liver palmitate not only supports tumour intrinsic processes but also enables immune evasion.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (150 words)
Liver metastases are frequent and challenging to treat owing to the liver's metabolically active and immune-tolerant environment. However, how cancer cells exploit nutrient availability in the liver to evade immune surveillance remains unknown. Here we show that cancer cells use the palmitate availability in the liver to impair the neutrophil antitumour function. Mechanistically, we find that breast and colorectal cancer cells metastasizing to the liver, but not the lung, require the palmitoyltransferase 17 (DHHC17, gene name ZDHHC17) to stabilize laminin-511 enabling its secretion. In turn, neutrophils in the liver metastasis environment respond to laminin-511 by decreasing their cancer cell-killing capacity. Consistently, silencing ZDHHC17 in cancer cells decreases liver metastases only in the presence of neutrophils, while metastasis growth is restored in ZDHHC17-silenced metastases upon injection of laminin-511 or inhibition of neutrophil degranulation. Taken together, we find that liver palmitate not only supports tumour intrinsic processes but also enables immune evasion.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42557388 · DOI · PMC7619559
Effects of Prepartum Supplementation with Flaxseed and Black Soldier Fly Larvae Oils on Fatty Acid Composition and Lipid Quality Indices in Sheep Milk [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- The peripartum period in prolific ewes is associated with increased metabolic demands, and dietary lipid supplementation may increase the energy density of the prepartum diet.
- Closing excerpt
- These findings additionally indicate that prepartum lipid supplementation may exert a persistent carry-over effect into early lactation, influencing the fatty acid composition of mature sheep milk.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (217 words)
The peripartum period in prolific ewes is associated with increased metabolic demands, and dietary lipid supplementation may increase the energy density of the prepartum diet. This study evaluated the effects of prepartum supplementation with alternative lipid matrices on the physicochemical characteristics and comprehensive fatty acid (FA) profiles of mature and transitional sheep milk. Thirty-two pregnant Olkuska ewes were randomly assigned to four cohorts (n = 8/group): Control (basal diet), flaxseed oil (low n-3/high n-6 variety; FO), black soldier fly larvae oil (BSFL oil), and Mix oil (2:1 ratio of FO to BSFL oil). Dietary treatments exerted no significant effects (p > 0.05) on transitional milk composition or lipid quality indices. In contrast, in mature milk, BSFL oil supplementation significantly increased milk fat content (6.09%) compared to the Control group (4.70%; p p p cis-9, trans-11 CLA concentration and the significant reduction in both the atherogenic and thrombogenic indices (p < 0.01), were observed exclusively in mature milk. These findings suggest that the combination of sustainable insect lipids with high-linoleic plant oils may represent a viable strategy to transform sheep milk into a functional food with potential cardiovascular health benefits for consumers. These findings additionally indicate that prepartum lipid supplementation may exert a persistent carry-over effect into early lactation, influencing the fatty acid composition of mature sheep milk.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42588476 · DOI · PMC13467788
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Clinician guidelines for the treatment of psychiatric disorders with nutraceuticals and phytoceuticals: The World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry (WFSBP) and Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) Taskforce [4]
- Research article The Relationship of Omega-3 Fatty Acids with Dementia and Cognitive Decline: Evidence from Prospective Cohort Studies of Supplementation, Dietary Intake, and Blood Markers [5]
- Research article Effect of Long-Term Marine ɷ-3 Fatty Acids Supplementation on the Risk of Atrial Fibrillation in Randomized Controlled Trials of Cardiovascular Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis [6]
- Research article Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Muscle Mass, Muscle Strength and Muscle Performance among the Elderly: A Meta-Analysis [7]
- Research article The comparative effectiveness of migraine preventive drugs: a systematic review and network meta-analysis [8]
- Research article Impact of α-Linolenic Acid, the Vegetable ω-3 Fatty Acid, on Cardiovascular Disease and Cognition [9]
References
- Ishikawa S, Mizuno H, Murase K, Sasano K, Ogawa I, Itoh Y, et al.. The HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor Fluvastatin Promotes Th2-Skewed Immune Responses by Modulating Dendritic Cell Differentiation. . 2026. PMID 42680200 · DOI · PMC13533597
- Vandekeere A, Fernández-García J, Peng-Winkler Y, Martín Pérez M, Liu M, Fernandes SI, et al.. Palmitate promotes liver metastases by decreasing neutrophil antitumour behaviour. . 2026. PMID 42557388 · DOI · PMC7619559
- Lewandowska K, Pachura-Hanusek N, Szumny A, Zielak-Steciwko A, Kupczyński R. Effects of Prepartum Supplementation with Flaxseed and Black Soldier Fly Larvae Oils on Fatty Acid Composition and Lipid Quality Indices in Sheep Milk. . 2026. PMID 42588476 · DOI · PMC13467788
- Sarris J, Ravindran A, Yatham LN, Marx W, Rucklidge JJ, McIntyre RS, et al.. Clinician guidelines for the treatment of psychiatric disorders with nutraceuticals and phytoceuticals: The World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry (WFSBP) and Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) Taskforce. World J Biol Psychiatry. 2022. PMID 35311615 · DOI
- Wei BZ, Li L, Dong CW, Tan CC, Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, Xu W. The Relationship of Omega-3 Fatty Acids with Dementia and Cognitive Decline: Evidence from Prospective Cohort Studies of Supplementation, Dietary Intake, and Blood Markers. Am J Clin Nutr. 2023. PMID 37028557 · DOI · PMC10447496
- Gencer B, Djousse L, Al-Ramady OT, Cook NR, Manson JE, Albert CM. Effect of Long-Term Marine ɷ-3 Fatty Acids Supplementation on the Risk of Atrial Fibrillation in Randomized Controlled Trials of Cardiovascular Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Circulation. 2021. PMID 34612056 · DOI · PMC9109217
- Huang YH, Chiu WC, Hsu YP, Lo YL, Wang YH. Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Muscle Mass, Muscle Strength and Muscle Performance among the Elderly: A Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2020. PMID 33291698 · DOI · PMC7761957
- Lampl C, MaassenVanDenBrink A, Deligianni CI, Gil-Gouveia R, Jassal T, Sanchez-Del-Rio M, et al.. The comparative effectiveness of migraine preventive drugs: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. J Headache Pain. 2023. PMID 37208596 · DOI · PMC10197489
- Sala-Vila A, Fleming J, Kris-Etherton P, Ros E. Impact of α-Linolenic Acid, the Vegetable ω-3 Fatty Acid, on Cardiovascular Disease and Cognition. Adv Nutr. 2022. PMID 35170723 · DOI · PMC9526859
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-31.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.