Role of maternal dietary omega3 fatty acids in modulation of allergen-specific T cell responses in the offspring

Funded Activity Summary

Environmental lifestyle changes are implicated in the concerning increase in allergic diseases such as asthma and allergic diseases over the 25 years. Despite the enormous personal, social and economic cost, the exact causes are not clear. Diet is one of the most important yet unstudied environmental exposures linked to the recent increase in both asthma and allergic disease. Authorities in this area have recommended diet as research priority in the search for allergy prevention strategies. Allergic diseases result from inappropriate inflammatory immune responses to protein substances such as dust mite (allergens), and it now evident that these patterns of immune responses are commonly initiated before birth. This study will address the influence of maternal diet in pregnancy on the developing human immune system, and how it contributes to the development of allergic immune responses in offspring. One of the most significant dietary changes associated with increasing urbanisation is the increasing intake of pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids (which may promote allergic immune responses) and declining dietary levels of omega-3 fatty acids (which inhibit inflammatory immune responses). Omega-3 fatty acids have beneficial effects in many inflammatory diseases, and are important for healthy pregnancy. It is possible that maternal diets which are becoming increasingly deficient in omega-3 fatty acids may prime the fetus to respond more readily to allergens, and increase the risk of later allergic responses. This study will determine whether increasing dietary omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy using fish oil supplements, can alter immune responses to house dust mite and other allergens at birth and later infancy. The findings will contribute to our understanding of the relationship between antenatal nutrition and immune development and may lead to dietary recommendations as a cost effective, non invasive strategy to help prevent allergic disease.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2001

End Date: 01-01-2003

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $287,036.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Anaesthesiology

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

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Other Keywords

Asthma and allergic disease prevention | Dietary influences on developing fetal immune responses | Immune modulation strategies during early development | Links between pro-inflammatory diets & allergic diseases | Maternal dietary n-3 fatty acids & neonatal immune function | Modifiying cord blood allergen-specific cytokine responses | Modifying expression of neonatal inflammatory markers | Primary allergy prevention strategies in utero | The environmental basis for increasing allergic diseases

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