Charles Austin Pickens

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC · Biochemical Mass Spectrometry Laboratory

Obesity is associated with dysregulated lipid metabolism and adipokine secretion. Our group has previously reported obesity and adipokines are associated with % total fatty acid (FA) differences in plasma phospholipids. The objective of our current study was to identify in which complex lipid species (i.e., phosphatidylcholine, sphingolipids, etc)...

BACKGROUND: Altered lipid metabolism and plasma fatty acid (FA) levels are associated with colorectal cancer (CRC). Obesity and elevated waist circumference (WC) increase the likelihood of developing precancerous colon adenomas. METHODS: Venous blood was collected from 126 males, ages 48 to 65 years, who received routine colonoscopies. Plasma phosp...

Obesity, in particular abdominal obesity, alters the composition of plasma and tissue fatty acids (FAs), which contributes to inflammation and insulin resistance. FA metabolism is modulated by desaturases and may affect adipokine and insulin secretion. Therefore, we examined relationships between adipokines, a marker of insulin production, and plas...

The obese lipid profile is associated with increased free fatty acids and triacylglycerides. Currently, little is known about the plasma lipid species associated with obesity. In this study, we compared plasma lipid fatty acid (FA) profiles as a function of BMI. Profiling phospholipid (PL) FAs and their respective oxylipids could predict which obes...

Oxylipids are potent lipid mediators associated with inflammation-induced colon carcinomas and colon tumor survival. Therefore, oxylipid profiles may be useful as novel biomarkers of colon polyp presence. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between plasma non-esterified oxylipids and the presence of colon polyps. A total of 12...

The purpose of this study was to identify locally available foods that can be utilized by Northern Ghanaians to improve child growth status. An assortment of seeds, nuts and oils were collected from a local market, packaged in plastic containers, and shipped to the US for all analyses. Fatty acids (FAs) were extracted and derivatized to FA methyl e...

In Northern Ghana, 33% of children are stunted due to economic disparities. Dietary fatty acids (FA) are critical for growth, but whether blood FA levels are adequate in Ghanaian children is unknown. The objective of this study was to determine the association between whole blood FAs and growth parameters in Northern Ghanaian children 2–6 years of...

Obesity is a state of chronic inflammation influenced by lipids such as fatty acids and their secondary oxygenated metabolites deemed oxylipids. Many such lipid mediators serve as potent signaling molecules of inflammation, which can further alter lipid metabolism and lead to carcinogenesis. For example, sphingosine-1-phosphate activates cyclooxyge...

Median (Q1, Q3) of fatty acid proportions in whole blood. Values represent blood fatty acid (FA) % composition. (DOCX)

Significant (p≤.05) correlations between all FAs and growth parameters. Correlations for all FA and growth parameters shown that are significant. (DOCX)

Regression results between HAZ, WAZ, and fatty acids (model: HAZ = fatty acid + hemoglobin; WAZ = fatty acid + hemoglobin; HAZ = ratio + hemoglobin; WAZ = ratio + hemoglobin). Model is not adjusted for sex as there were few significantly different FAs between sexes and regression values were essentially unaffected when evaluated with sex adjustment...

FA and growth data of Northern Ghana children. Raw data used for all analyses. (CSV)

Supplementation with omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids may improve cognitive performance and protect against cognitive decline. However, changes in brain phospholipid fatty acid composition after supplementation with n-3 fatty acids are poorly described. The purpose of this study was to feed increasing n-3 fatty acids and characterise the changes in brain...

Delta-5 (D5D) and delta-6 (D6D) desaturase are key enzymes in fatty acid (FA) metabolism. Dietary eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may alter tissue FA composition via D5D and D6D. The purpose was to determine the relationship between dietary EPA + DHA, estimated desaturase activities of various tissues and the reflection o...

Changes in the proteome and lipidome are associated with increased inflammation, inflammation-induced colon carcinomas, and colon tumor survival. Our lab has previously reported levels of specific serum proteins and plasma fatty acids are associated with colon polyps. The objective of this study was to determine associations with colon polyps and t...

Fatty acids (FA) and minerals play crucial roles in growth and development. However, Ghanaian diets consist mainly of starchy roots and cereals, with intake of fats and many minerals below recommended levels. The purpose of this study was to quantify FA and mineral levels of seeds, nuts, and oils in Ghana that are available but not usually incorpor...

Background. Oxylipids are oxygenated polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) metabolites that are responsible for the onset and resolution of the inflammatory response. Enzymatic oxygenation through the lipoxygenase (LOX) or cytochrome P450 (CYP) pathways can form oxylipids that have either proinflammatory or proresolving functions depending on the type...

Dietary lipid intake can be associated with an increased risk for colorectal cancer depending on its composition. Carcinogenesis alters lipid metabolism to facilitate cell growth and survival. For instance, metabolites of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are associated with increasing colon cell proliferation. Moreover, precancerous colon lesion...

Obesity alters the composition of plasma and tissue fatty acids (FAs), which contributes to inflammation and insulin resistance. Several studies have reported obesity and insulin resistance are associated with altered levels of linoleic (18:2), dihomo-gamma linolenic (20:3), arachidonic (20:4), and nervonic (24:1) acid in total plasma phospholipids...

Delta-5-desaturase (D5D) and delta-6-desaturase (D6D) are critical in polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) metabolism. D5D and D6D catalyze the conversion of linoleic acid (LA) into arachidonic acid (AA) and that of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) into eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Altered PUFA desaturation (i.e., increased D6D and decreased D5D) can exacer...

Fatty acids (FA) and minerals have crucial roles in growth and development. These nutrients can be found in seeds, nuts and oils. However, Tanzanian diets are mainly starchy and cereal-based with the intake of fats below recommended levels. Tanzania is the home to several seeds, nuts and oils but the FA profiles and mineral level of these foods are...

Plasma phospholipid fatty acids and enzyme activity estimates are associated with serum adipokines and C-peptide. (DOCX)

Oxylipids, oxygenated fatty acids, are implicated in inflammation, immune cell signaling, and tumor survival. The link between obesity, inflammation, and cancer is well-accepted, but it is unknown if obesity is associated with specific oxylipids. The objective of this study was to identify associations between non-esterified plasma oxylipids and bo...