Does Metabolism of Conjugated Linoleic Acid Play a Role in Its Biological Activities?

Despite the existence of ample evidence demonstrating the wide spectrum of biological activities of CLA, information on the way in which CLA functions [i.e., the underlying mechanism(s)], remains scarce. To gain a better understanding of the basis on which CLA acts, the common features observed in various biological activities of CLA should be established. To date, clinical evidence seems to indicate that eicosanoid metabolism is intimately involved in various CLA biological activities. This raises the question: how does CLA influence eicosanoid activity and/or formation?