Bioactive lipids in deep-sea sharks

The objective of this study was to search for bioactive lipids in different tissues frorn deep-sea sharks. The internal organs (heart, hver, kidney, pancreas, spleen, intestine, stomach and rectalgland) from the three deeps ea species Portuguese dogfish (Centroscymnus coelolepis), black dogfish (Centroscylliumfabricii) and Ieafscale gulper shark (Centrophorus squarnosus) were exarnined.

The fatty acid composition in tissues from Portuguese dogfish, leafscale gulper shark and black dogfish is similar to other marine organisrns, with a dorninance of C 16:0, C 18:1 and C22:6 fatty acids. In the total lipid fraction, the saturated, rnonounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids were evenly distributed. The polar hipid fraction had a high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, whereas the nonpolar lipid fraction was dominated by the monounsaturated fatty acids. All tissues exarnined contained squalen. High content of squalene was found in hver.

Samples from hver, spleen and pancreas from Portuguese dogfish, leafscale gulper shark and black dogfish showed antimicrobial activity against the bacterias S. aurus, E. co/i, S.pyogenes and E. cioacae and the yeast C. albicans. Spleen and pancreas from black dogfish and hver from leafscale gulper shark had the strongest activity. Also compounds from stornach, heart, rectalgland and kidney showed weak antimicrobial activity against 8. aureus and E. cloacae and strong activity against S.pyogenes.