title: Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in the FADS Gene Cluster but not the ELOVL2 Gene are Associated with Serum Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Composition and Development of Allergy (in a Swedish Birth Cohort).
abstract: Exposure to polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) influences immune function and may affect the risk of allergy development. Long chain PUFAs are produced from dietary precursors catalyzed by desaturases and elongases encoded by FADS and ELOVL genes. In 211 subjects, we investigated whether polymorphisms in the FADS gene cluster and the ELOVL2 gene were associated with allergy or PUFA composition in serum phospholipids in a Swedish birth-cohort sampled at birth and at 13 years of age; allergy was diagnosed at 13 years of age. Minor allele carriers of rs102275 and rs174448 (FADS gene cluster) had decreased proportions of 20:4 n-6 in cord and adolescent serum and increased proportions of 20:3 n-6 in cord serum as well as a nominally reduced risk of developing atopic eczema, but not respiratory allergy, at 13 years of age. Minor allele carriers of rs17606561 in the ELOVL2 gene had nominally decreased proportions of 20:4 n-6 in cord serum but ELOVL polymorphisms (rs2236212 and rs17606561) were not associated with allergy development. Thus, reduced capacity to desaturase n-6 PUFAs due to FADS polymorphisms was nominally associated with reduced risk for eczema development, which could indicate a pathogenic role for long-chain PUFAs in allergy development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Food and Nutrition Science, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96 Göteborg, Sweden. malin.barman@chalmers.se.
authors.forename: Malin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barman
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematical Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96 Göteborg, Sweden. Staffan.nilsson@chalmers.se.
authors.forename: Staffan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Göteborg, Sweden. asa@genomics.sahlgrenska.gu.se.
authors.forename: Åsa
authors.initials: Å
authors.lastname: Torinsson Naluai
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Paediatrics, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden. kxanasan@nll.se.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sandin
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Göteborg, Sweden. agnes.wold@microbio.se.
authors.forename: Agnes E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Wold
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Food and Nutrition Science, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96 Göteborg, Sweden. ann-sofie.sandberg@chalmers.se.
authors.forename: Ann-Sofie
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Sandberg
mesh_terms: D000123:Acetyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000293:Adolescent; D000483:Alleles; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000081031:Fatty Acid Elongases; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D060005:Genotyping Techniques; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D005810:Multigene Family; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000097:blood; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D013548:Sweden
chemical_list: C000630967:ELOVL2 protein, human; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D010743:Phospholipids; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases; D000123:Acetyltransferases; D000081031:Fatty Acid Elongases
keywords: BAS birth cohort; ELOVL2; FADS; allergy; arachidonic acid; atopic eczema; elongase; fatty acid desaturase; long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids; nutrigenetics; phospholipids; respiratory allergy; single nucleotide polymorphism; umbilical cord serum