Docosapentaenoic acid

They are also commonly termed n-6 DPA and n-3 DPA, respectively; these designations describe the position of the double bond being 6 or 3 carbons closest to the (omega) carbon at the methyl end of the molecule and is based on the biologically important difference that n-6 and n-3 PUFA are separate PUFA classes, i.e. the omega-6 fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids, respectively.

Mammals, including humans, can not interconvert these two classes and therefore must obtain dietary essential PUFA fatty acids from both classes in order to maintain normal health (see essential fatty acids).

Mammalian cells, including human cells, metabolize DPAn-3 to an array of products that are members of the specialized proresolving mediators class of PUFA metabolites.

These metabolites include four resolvins of T series and three of D series (RvT1, RvT2, RvT3, RvT4, RvD1n-3, RvD2n-3, and RvD5n-3 (do not confuse with D series resolvins derived from DHA); see Specialized proresolving mediators § n-3 DPA-derived resolvins and Resolvin), two protectins (PD1n-3 and PD2n-3; see Specialized proresolving mediators § n-3 DPA-derived protectins/neuroprotectins and Neuroprotectin), and three maresins (MaR1n-3, MaR2n-3, and MaR3n-3; see Specialized proresolving mediators § n-3 DPA-derived maresins and Maresin).

[4] Dietary sources These are the top five sources for DPA according to the USDA Agricultural Research Service:[5] Seal meat and human breast milk are rich in DPA.