Receptor-mediated signaling pathways: potential targets of modulation by dietary fatty acids.

Extracellular signals are transmitted to intracellular targets through many signal-transduction pathways. Each signaling pathway is composed of a network of interacting signaling molecules that regulate diverse cellular responses. A modulation of the functional activities of these signaling molecules as a result of altered nutritional status could lead to qualitative and quantitative changes in cellular responses to extracellular signals. Growing evidence now suggests that fatty acids can directly and indirectly modulate signaling pathways at multiple levels. Elucidating the mechanism of this modulation could help us to understand how different types of dietary fat modify the risks of many chronic diseases.