Funding outcome

Approximately 5% of infants and children in North America suffer from food allergies. Upon ingestion, the body's immune system is activated in efforts to tolerate the offending food component. If it is unable to it results in adverse and potentially life-threatening symptoms, ranging from skin rashes to rapid closure of the airway (anaphylaxis). Allergies are being increasingly developed in early postnatal life, despite the understanding that maternal breast milk contains nutritional components that promote immune system development. Two of these functional nutrients include docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA), which are principle long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs). Dr. Field and her research team have previously shown that feeding milk-producing rats (dams) and their babies (pups) diets rich in DHA and ARA induces immune system maturation and the establishment of oral tolerance (prevention of allergic reaction to food), demonstrating the essentiality of DHA intake during lactation. Unfortunately, regulatory requirements controlling the formulation of infant formula do not mandate the addition of DHA and ARA, largely because of the absence of scientific evidence regarding the benefits of these LCPUFAs and the levels of DHA in breast milk in Canadian women are the lowest in the world. Presently, no research has investigated ARA's role in immune functioning. The objective of the proposed summer studentship at the University of Alberta's Li Ka Shing Centre of Health Research Innovation is to explore the contribution of ARA (and DHA) when different amounts of these nutrients are fed to lactating dams and pups. It is hypothesized that in the presence of DHA, ARA also functions to promote immune system maturity and oral tolerance, preventing allergy development. Overall, this research study proposes a simple dietary intervention strategy that could help infants achieve oral tolerance early in life.