title: Dietary n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in allergy prevention and asthma treatment.
abstract: The rise in non-communicable diseases, such as allergies, in westernized countries links to changes in lifestyle and diet. N-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) present in marine oils facilitate a favorable milieu for immune maturation and may contribute to allergy prevention. N-3 LCPUFA can suppress innate and adaptive immune activation and induce epigenetic changes. Murine studies convincingly show protective effects of fish oil, a source of n-3 LCPUFA, in food allergy and asthma models. Observational studies in human indicate that high dietary intake of n-3 LCPUFA and low intake of n-6 PUFA may protect against the development of allergic disease early in life. High n-6 PUFA intake is also associated with an increased asthma risk while n-3 LCPUFA may be protective and reduce symptoms. The quality of the marine oil used has impact on efficacy of allergy prevention and several observations link in particular n-3 LCPUFA DHA to allergy suppression. Randomized controlled trials indicate that optimal timing, duration and dosage of n-3 LC-PUFA is required to exert an allergy protective effect. Supplementation during early pregnancy and lactation has shown promising results regarding allergy prevention. However these findings should be confirmed in a larger cohort. Although clinical trials in asthma patients reveal no consistent clinical benefits of n-3 LCPUFA supplementation on lung function, it can suppress airway inflammation. Future food-pharma approaches may reveal whether adjunct therapy with dietary n-3 LCPUFA can improve allergy prevention or immunotherapy via support of allergen specific oral tolerance induction or contribute to the efficacy of drug therapy for asthma patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: L.E.M.Willemsen@uu.nl.
authors.forename: Linette E M
authors.initials: LEM
authors.lastname: Willemsen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6 / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6
keywords: Asthma; Fish oil; Food allergy; LCPUFA; Sensitization