Breastfeeding's protection against illness-induced anorexia is mediated partially by docosahexaenoic acid.
OBJECTIVE
To test whether breastfeeding's protection against anorectic responses to infection is mediated by n-3 fatty acids' attenuation of interleukin (IL)-1beta and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)alpha.


METHODS
Experimental and observational studies.


METHODS
A hospital-based study was conducted.


METHODS
Five groups of infants were followed; three in the experimental and two in the observational study.


METHODS
Breast-fed- (BF-1), DHA-supplemented formula- (SFF-1), and non-DHA-supplemented formula-fed (FF-1) infants were studied before and after immunization against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and haemophilus influenzae type b. Pre- and post-immunization energy intakes (EI) and serum IL-1beta and TNFalpha were measured. The two other groups, breast-fed (BF-2) and formula-fed (FF-2) infants with pneumonia were followed throughout hospitalization. EI, IL-1beta and TNFalpha were measured at admission and discharge. Baseline erythrocyte fatty acid contents were determined.


RESULTS
Both cytokines increased following immunization in all feeding groups. Post-immunization reductions in EI of SFF-1 infants (-11.8+/-5%, CI(95)=-23.3, 1.4%, P=0.07) were intermediate to those observed in BF-1 (-5.2+/-4.2%, CI(95)=-15.2, 5.9%, P=0.27) and FF-1 infants (-18+/-4.4%, CI(95)=-29%, -5.4%, P=0.02). In the observational study, TNFalpha (17.2+/-8.3 vs 3.4+/-3.0 ng/l, P=0.001) and decreases in EI (-31+/-43 vs -15+/-31%, CI(95)=-34%, 0.001%, P=0.056) were greater in FF-2 than in BF-2 infants at admission. Breastfeeding duration was associated positively with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) erythrocyte contents, and negatively with admission TNFalpha. Decreases in EIs were associated with IL-1beta and TNFalpha concentrations.


CONCLUSIONS
Reductions in EI following immunologic or infectious stimuli were associated with increases in IL-1beta and TNFalpha. Those reductions were attenuated by breastfeeding, and mediated in part by tissue DHA.
López-Alarcón
M
M
Unidad de Investigación Médica en Nutrición, Hospital de Pediatría, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI. Mexican Institute of Social Security, Mexico City, Mexico. marsau2@prodigy.net.mx
Garza
C
C
del Prado
M
M
García-Zúñiga
P A
PA
Barbosa
L
L
D000855:Anorexia; D001903:Bottle Feeding; D001942:Breast Feeding; D015721:Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology
D015721:Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C080881:diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis-haemophilus b conjugate vaccine; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids