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Fish oil supplementation in early infancy modulates developing infant immune responses

N D'Vaz1, S J Meldrum, J A Dunstan

  • 1School of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.

Clinical and Experimental Allergy : Journal of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology
|July 19, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Postnatal fish oil supplementation increased infant levels of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. This was associated with a reduced allergic immune response, suggesting a protective effect against allergies in infants.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Nutritional Science
  • Pediatric Allergy

Background:

  • Maternal fish oil intake during pregnancy is linked to altered infant immunity and reduced allergy risk.
  • Early life immune programming is crucial for preventing allergic diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of early postnatal fish oil supplementation on infant cellular immune function.
  • To assess the relationship between fish oil intake and allergic disease development in infants at 6 months of age.

Main Methods:

  • A double-blind randomized controlled trial involving 420 high-atopic-risk infants.
  • Infants received fish oil (containing docosahexaenoic acid [DHA] and eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA]) or control oil from birth to 6 months.
  • Immune assessments at 6 months included fatty acid levels, cytokine responses, T cell subsets, and HLA-DR expression.

Main Results:

  • Fish oil supplementation significantly increased infant DHA and EPA levels, while decreasing arachidonic acid (AA).
  • The fish oil group showed lower Interleukin-13 (IL-13) responses to allergens and higher Interferon-gamma (IFNγ) and Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) responses to mitogens.
  • Higher DHA levels correlated with reduced Th2 responses to specific allergens like beta-lactoglobulin (BLG).

Conclusions:

  • Postnatal fish oil supplementation enhances infant n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels.
  • This supplementation is associated with a shift from Th2 to Th1 immune responses, potentially offering allergy protection.
  • Results support the immunomodulatory role of n-3 PUFA in preventing infant allergies.
Abstract

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