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Effect of Dietary (n-3) and (n-6) Fatty Acids on In Vivo Pulmonary Bacterial Clearance by Neonatal Rabbits^1,2,

University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Pediatrics-Division of Neonatology, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1752

Intrapulmonary bacterial clearance, lung inflammatory cell recruitment and macrophage superoxide generating capacity were studied in newborn rabbits nursed by their mother and given a supplement of either high [5 g/(kg·d)] or low [0.22 g/(kg·d)] doses of fish oil, safflower oil or saline for 7 d after birth. The high dose fish and safflower oil regimens diminished lung clearance of inspired Staphylococcus aureus by 50% compared with the saline controls, but they did not alter lung neutrophil recruitment or alveolar macrophage bacterial phagocytosis. Only high dose fish oil decreased macrophage superoxide anion generation (by 30%). With high dose fish or safflower oil supplementation, the fatty acid content of lung parenchyma, bronchoalveolar lavage effluent and alveolar macrophages increased significantly. Low dose supplementation did not have this effect. We conclude that pharmacologic dietary (n-6) and (n-3) fatty acid supplementation impairs the ability of the neonatal rabbit lung to kill intrapulmonary S. aureus. It has been proposed that human infant formula be supplemented with fatty acids either to alleviate dietary deficiencies or to treat pulmonary inflammatory disorders. Based on our findings, the effects of such supplementation should be monitored relative to the possible heightened risk of bacterial infection.

KEY WORDS: • rabbits • newborns • fish oil • safflower oil • lungs • immune system

¹ Preliminary results presented at the Society for Pediatric Research Meeting, Washington, DC, May 4, 1989 [D'Ambola, J. B., Gaffar, S., Campbell, L. A. & Sherman, M. P. (1989) Dietary fatty acid supplementation reduces intrapulmonary killing of inhaled staphylococci by newborn rabbits. Pediatr. Res. 25: Pt 2: 287A].

² Supported in part by a grant from the American Lung Association of California and by U.S. Public Health Service grant HL 40675 from the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Sherman is the recipient of an Established Investigator Award of the American Lung Association of California.

Manuscript received 18 June 1990. Revision accepted 21 December 1990.

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