Investigation of fatty acid profile of eyes recovered from slaughterhouse waste
Mayssa Hachem,
J. Rafael Bermudez,
Abdelmoneim H. Ali,
Fiza F. Murtaza,
Mohan Rommala,
Peter R. Corridon
Affiliations
Mayssa Hachem
Department of Chemistry, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Khalifa University of Sciences and Technology, Abu Dhabi, P.O. Box 127788, United Arab Emirates; Healthcare Engineering Innovation Group (HEIG), Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Corresponding author. Department of Chemistry, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Khalifa University of Sciences and Technology, Abu Dhabi P.O. Box 127788, United Arab Emirates.
J. Rafael Bermudez
Department of Chemistry, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Khalifa University of Sciences and Technology, Abu Dhabi, P.O. Box 127788, United Arab Emirates
Abdelmoneim H. Ali
Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Khalifa University of Sciences and Technology, Abu Dhabi, P.O. Box 127788, United Arab Emirates
Fiza F. Murtaza
Department of Biomedical Engineering & Biotechnology, College of Medicine & Health Sciences, Khalifa University of Science & Technology, Abu Dhabi, P.O. Box 127788, United Arab Emirates
Mohan Rommala
Analytical Chemistry and Biochemistry Core Laboratories, Khalifa University of Sciences and Technology, Abu Dhabi, P.O. Box 127788, United Arab Emirates
Peter R. Corridon
Healthcare Engineering Innovation Group (HEIG), Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Department of Biomedical Engineering & Biotechnology, College of Medicine & Health Sciences, Khalifa University of Science & Technology, Abu Dhabi, P.O. Box 127788, United Arab Emirates; Center for Biotechnology, Khalifa University of Sciences and Technology, Abu Dhabi, P.O. Box 127788, United Arab Emirates; Corresponding author. Department of Biomedical Engineering & Biotechnology, College of Medicine & Health Sciences, Khalifa University of Science & Technology, Abu Dhabi, P.O. Box 127788, United Arab Emirates.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), principally Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3), the foremost omega-3 PUFAs in the brain and eyes, have been implicated in maintaining the structural and functional properties of the retina and cornea. Another PUFA, Arachidonic Acid (AA, 20:4n-6), primary omega-6 PUFA in the cell membrane of phospholipids, is a central inflammatory mediator involved in many molecular and cellular functions under physiological and pathological conditions, including dry eye disease (DED) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This study investigated the fatty acids (FA) composition of the vitreous humor, retina, cornea, and whole eye in two mammals, the Arabian sheep (Ovis aries) and Arabian camel (Camelus dromedarius), with the aim of exploring new paths for beneficial PUFA production. In Ovis aries, the retina exhibited the highest content in DHA and AA with 4.30 ± 0.63 % and 13.48 ± 1.33 % of the total fatty acid content, respectively. In Camelus dromedarius, the DHA content was greater in the retina compared to all samples, and AA was detected in the vitreous humor, cornea, retina, and whole eye, with the highest content in the retina (15.38 ± 0.71 %). Comparing both mammals, the DHA fraction was higher in camel's retina than in sheep's retina, whereas no differences were noticed for AA accumulation. In conclusion, ocular tissues collected from agri-food waste in slaughterhouses could serve as a sustainable source for FA production and provide an innovative and emerging prospect in the nutrition, pharmaceutical, and healthcare sectors.
