Abnormal fatty acid composition in umbilical cord blood of infants at high risk of atopic disease

Abstract

It is well known that patients with atopic disease have anomalies of fatty acid composition in their blood. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether infants from atopic families also have abnormal cord blood levels of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) in plasma and red blood cells. The levels of LC-PUFA in umbilical cord blood of 50 healthy, full-term infants with a hereditary risk of atopic disease were analysed and compared with a control group of 50 infants from families without a history of atopic disease. The atopy group was comprised of children from families suffering from atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, asthma bronchiale and food allergy. Within this group, a group (n = 11) was formed in which the risk was determined only by paternal atopy. Fatty acids of plasma and red blood cell phospholipids, triglycerides and sterol esters were separated by high-resolution gas-liquid chromatography. In particular, the levels of arachidonic acid (C20:4n-6) and docosatetraenoic acid (C22:4n-6) were significantly lower in infants at risk of atopic disease than in infants not at risk. Interestingly, there were more significant differences shown between the control group and the paternal atopy group than between the control group and the entire atopy group. The results of this study could be due to a genetic influence of fatty acid metabolism or could reflect the different dietary behaviours of the mothers during pregnancy.