Effects of highly purified eicosapentaenoic acid on erythrocyte fatty acid composition and leukocyte and colonic mucosa leukotriene B4 production in children with ulcerative colitis.
BACKGROUND
n-3 Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have been suggested as a treatment for ulcerative colitis (UC). However, the efficacy of n-3 PUFAs against UC has not been examined in children. Therefore, the authors investigated the effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) on fatty acid composition and leukotriene (LT) production in children with UC.


METHODS
For 2 months the authors administered highly purified EPA ethyl ester (EPA-E) (1.8 g/d) to children with UC in remission. Colonic mucosal histology, fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membrane phospholipids, and LTB4 production by leukocytes and colonic mucosa were measured before and 2 months after the initiation of EPA-E treatment.


RESULTS
No patients relapsed during the study period, and no significant differences were detected in laboratory findings obtained before and 2 months after the initiation of EPA-E ingestion. There were no significant differences in mucosal histologic scores before and 2 months after EPA-E treatment. The EPA levels in erythrocyte membranes 2 months after the initiation of EPA-E treatment were significantly higher than before treatment, but the other fatty acids showed no significant changes. LTB4 production by leukocytes and rectal mucosa after 2 months of EPA-E treatment was significantly lower than before treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
EPA-E treatment increased the levels of EPA in erythrocytes and decreased LTB4 levels produced by leukocytes and colonic mucosa. To assess the concomitant clinical changes, we should examine the long-term effects of EPA-E ingestion on the maintenance of remission in children with UC.
Department of Pediatrics, Juntendo University, School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. tsimizut@aol.com
Toshiaki
T
Shimizu
Tohru
T
Fujii
Ryuyo
R
Suzuki
Jun
J
Igarashi
Yoshikazu
Y
Ohtsuka
Satoru
S
Nagata
Yuichiro
Y
Yamashiro
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000097:blood; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000737:chemistry*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood*; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6 / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D007975:Leukotriene B4 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000097:blood; D012008:Recurrence
D005227:Fatty Acids; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D010743:Phospholipids; D007975:Leukotriene B4; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; C035276:eicosapentaenoic acid ethyl ester; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid