title: Associations of cord blood fatty acids with lymphocyte proliferation, IL-13, and IFN-gamma.
abstract: 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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The implications of these findings for allergy or asthma development are not yet known.
authors.affiliation: Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. diane.gold@channing.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Diane R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Gold
authors.forename: Ben M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Willwerth
authors.forename: Kelan G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Tantisira
authors.forename: Patricia W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Finn
authors.forename: Bianca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schaub
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Perkins
authors.forename: Arthur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tzianabos
authors.forename: Ngoc P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Ly
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schroeter
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gibbons
authors.forename: Hannia
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oken
authors.forename: Matthew W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Gillman
authors.forename: Lyle J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.forename: Louise M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: Scott T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Weiss
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000008:administration & dosage; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood*; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000097:blood; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6 / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood*; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000097:blood*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D005227:Fatty Acids; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D018793:Interleukin-13; D007371:Interferon-gamma