生体分子研究と治療学ジャーナル

概要

Assessment of the Essential Fatty Acids in Neonates at Risk for Atopy

Arnaldo Cantani

Essential fatty acids (EFA) are the major components of cellular phospholipids (PLs), contributing to their stability and functions. They are also precursors of inflammation mediators such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes, and are involved in cellular immunoregulation. Most recent studies have stressed that EFA levels are important in various diseases. Several Authors have stated that patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) have altered EFA levels in plasmatic PLs, and showed clinical improvement after oral EFA administration. The aim of our work was to study EFA composition of PLs of cord blood lymphocytes in 32 newborns at risk for atopy, in order to correlate EFA levels at birth with total IgE values and with the onset of atopic disease. Thirty not at risk newborns were studied as controls. Our results demonstrate a significant decrease (p