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The role of polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in intestinal inflammation and neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis
Author(s) -
Caplan Michael S.,
Jilling Tamas
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
lipids
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.601
H-Index - 120
eISSN - 1558-9307
pISSN - 0024-4201
DOI - 10.1007/s11745-001-0816-3
Subject(s) - lipidology , necrotizing enterocolitis , clinical chemistry , polyunsaturated fatty acid , medicine , enterocolitis , gastroenterology , fatty acid , chemistry , biochemistry
Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) supplementation has been shown to reduce the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in a recent randomized, controlled trial. These compounds are known to modulate the inflammatory cascade and to influence intestinal health in a variety of ways. Although the pathophysiology of NEC is not well understood, recent evidence suggests that platelet‐activating factor (PAF) is a key endogenous mediator of intestinal necrosis in animals. Using a neonatal rat model of NEC that includes the key risk factors of asphyxia and formula feeding, we investigated the role of dietary PUFA supplementation on the incidence and pathophysiology of NEC. Our findings suggest that PUFA reduce the incidence of NEC by modulating PAF metabolism and endotoxin translocation.