Published online January 2, 2008
PEDIATRICS Vol. 121 Supplement January 2008, pp. S93 (doi:10.1542/peds.2007-2022L)
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ALLERGOLOGY


ESSENTIAL FATTY ACID STATUS IN CORD-BLOOD ERYTHROCYTES AND POSSIBLE FETAL PRIMING OF ATOPY

Georgia Skoulia, Maria Eboriadoua, Katerina Haidopouloub, Anatoli Petridouc, Panagiotis Laiosd, Theodouli Papastauroue, Theodoros Agorastosf and Afroditi Sakellaropouloug

a Second Pediatric Department, AHEPA Hospital
b Fourth Pediatric Department, Papageorgiou Hospital
c Departments of Physical Education and Sport Science
d Medical Informatics
e First Pediatric Department, Ippokratio Hospital
f Papageorgiou Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
g First Pediatric Department, University of Athens, Athens, Greece

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Environmental factors, diet among them, that act during gestation may play an important role in determining subsequent atopy development. Studies conducted on adults and children have suggested that an imbalance of essential fatty acid (EFA) intake may predispose one to atopic diseases. Few data are available on the possible relation between EFAs and fetal priming of atopy.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to investigate the hypothesis that EFAs may play a role in the regulation of the fetal immune response.

METHODS: We collected umbilical cord-blood samples from 236 neonates with a gestational age of >34 weeks. Serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels and fatty acid composition of the erythrocyte membrane were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and gas chromatography, respectively. Neonates were separated into 2 groups according to IgE value: the infants in group A had IgE levels of >0.35 IU/mL, and those in group B had IgE levels of ≤0.35 IU/mL.

RESULTS: Group A consisted of 30 neonates with increased IgE levels. Analysis of fatty acid composition revealed higher percentages of arachidic acid (20:0) (mean: 0.22 vs 0.19; P < .05) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3) (mean: 1.36 vs 1.04; P < .05) in the infants in group B.

CONCLUSIONS: Important differences were detected in cord-blood fatty acid composition in neonates with increased IgE levels. These differences suggest that EFAs may play a role in the development of atopy predisposition in utero life.

Submitted by Georgia Skouli