BACKGROUND: N-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have been hypothesized to have opposing influences on neonatal immune responses that might influence the risk of allergy or asthma. However, both n-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and n-6 arachidonic acid (AA) are required for normal fetal development. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated whether cord blood fatty acid levels were related to neonatal immune responses and whether n-3 and n-6 PUFA responses differed. METHODS: We examined the relation of cord blood plasma n-3 and n-6 PUFAs (n = 192) to antigen- and mitogen-stimulated cord blood lymphocyte proliferation (n = 191) and cytokine (IL-13 and IFN-gamma; n = 167) secretion in a US birth cohort. RESULTS: Higher levels of n-6 linoleic acid were correlated with higher IL-13 levels in response to Bla g 2 (cockroach, P = .009) and Der f 1 (dust mite, P = .02). Higher n-3 EPA and n-6 AA levels were each correlated with reduced lymphocyte proliferation and IFN-gamma levels in response to Bla g 2 and Der f 1 stimulation. Controlling for potential confounders, EPA and AA had similar independent effects on reduced allergen-stimulated IFN-gamma levels. If neonates had either EPA or AA levels in the highest quartile, their Der f 1 IFN-gamma levels were 90% lower (P = .0001) than those with both EPA and AA levels in the lowest 3 quartiles. Reduced AA/EPA ratio was associated with reduced allergen-stimulated IFN-gamma level. CONCLUSION: Increased levels of fetal n-3 EPA and n-6 AA might have similar effects on attenuation of cord blood lymphocyte proliferation and IFN-gamma secretion. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The implications of these findings for allergy or asthma development are not yet known.
BACKGROUND:N-3 andn-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have been hypothesized to have opposing influences on neonatal immune responses that might influence the risk of allergy or asthma. However, both n-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and n-6 arachidonic acid (AA) are required for normal fetal development. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated whether cord blood fatty acid levels were related to neonatal immune responses and whether n-3 and n-6 PUFA responses differed. METHODS: We examined the relation of cord blood plasma n-3 and n-6 PUFAs (n = 192) to antigen- and mitogen-stimulated cord blood lymphocyte proliferation (n = 191) and cytokine (IL-13 and IFN-gamma; n = 167) secretion in a US birth cohort. RESULTS: Higher levels of n-6 linoleic acid were correlated with higher IL-13 levels in response to Bla g 2 (cockroach, P = .009) and Der f 1 (dust mite, P = .02). Higher n-3 EPA and n-6 AA levels were each correlated with reduced lymphocyte proliferation and IFN-gamma levels in response to Bla g 2 and Der f 1 stimulation. Controlling for potential confounders, EPA and AA had similar independent effects on reduced allergen-stimulated IFN-gamma levels. If neonates had either EPA or AA levels in the highest quartile, their Der f 1 IFN-gamma levels were 90% lower (P = .0001) than those with both EPA and AA levels in the lowest 3 quartiles. Reduced AA/EPA ratio was associated with reduced allergen-stimulated IFN-gamma level. CONCLUSION: Increased levels of fetal n-3 EPA and n-6 AA might have similar effects on attenuation of cord blood lymphocyte proliferation and IFN-gamma secretion. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The implications of these findings for allergy or asthma development are not yet known.
Authors: Catherine A Thornton; John W Upham; Matthew E Wikström; Barbara J Holt; Gregory P White; Mary J Sharp; Peter D Sly; Patrick G Holt Journal: J Immunol Date: 2004-09-01 Impact factor: 5.422
Authors: P W Finn; J O Boudreau; H He; Y Wang; M D Chapman; C Vincent; H A Burge; S T Weiss; D L Perkins; D R Gold Journal: J Allergy Clin Immunol Date: 2000-05 Impact factor: 10.793
Authors: Seema Mihrshahi; Jennifer K Peat; Guy B Marks; Craig M Mellis; Euan R Tovey; Karen Webb; Warwick J Britton; Stephen R Leeder Journal: J Allergy Clin Immunol Date: 2003-01 Impact factor: 10.793
Authors: Janet A Dunstan; Trevor A Mori; Anne Barden; Lawrence J Beilin; Angie L Taylor; Patrick G Holt; Susan L Prescott Journal: J Allergy Clin Immunol Date: 2003-12 Impact factor: 10.793
Authors: Roger B Newson; Seif O Shaheen; A John Henderson; Pauline M Emmett; Andrea Sherriff; Philip C Calder Journal: J Allergy Clin Immunol Date: 2004-09 Impact factor: 10.793
Authors: Ekaterina Maslova; Sheryl L Rifas-Shiman; Emily Oken; Thomas A E Platts-Mills; Diane R Gold Journal: Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol Date: 2018-09-12 Impact factor: 6.347
Authors: Rebecca T Emeny; Susan A Korrick; Zhigang Li; Kari Nadeau; Juliette Madan; Brian Jackson; Emily Baker; Margaret R Karagas Journal: Environ Res Date: 2019-01-11 Impact factor: 6.498
Authors: Emily Oken; Andrea A Baccarelli; Diane R Gold; Ken P Kleinman; Augusto A Litonjua; Dawn De Meo; Janet W Rich-Edwards; Sheryl L Rifas-Shiman; Sharon Sagiv; Elsie M Taveras; Scott T Weiss; Mandy B Belfort; Heather H Burris; Carlos A Camargo; Susanna Y Huh; Christos Mantzoros; Margaret G Parker; Matthew W Gillman Journal: Int J Epidemiol Date: 2014-03-16 Impact factor: 7.196
Authors: Jill Hahn; Diane R Gold; Brent A Coull; Marie C McCormick; Patricia W Finn; David L Perkins; Janet W Rich-Edwards; Sheryl L Rifas Shiman; Emily Oken; Laura D Kubzansky Journal: Psychosom Med Date: 2019-05 Impact factor: 4.312
Authors: Joanne E Sordillo; Sheryl L Rifas-Shiman; Karen Switkowski; Brent Coull; Heike Gibson; Mary Rice; Thomas A E Platts-Mills; Itai Kloog; Augusto A Litonjua; Diane R Gold; Emily Oken Journal: J Allergy Clin Immunol Date: 2019-08-19 Impact factor: 10.793
Authors: Benjamin A Turturice; Ravi Ranjan; Brian Nguyen; Lauren M Hughes; Kalista E Andropolis; Diane R Gold; Augusto A Litonjua; Emily Oken; David L Perkins; Patricia W Finn Journal: Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol Date: 2017-10 Impact factor: 6.914
Authors: Philipp Latzin; Urs Frey; Jakob Armann; Elisabeth Kieninger; Oliver Fuchs; Martin Röösli; Bianca Schaub Journal: PLoS One Date: 2011-08-03 Impact factor: 3.240