Autistic Children Exhibit Decreased Levels of Essential Fatty Acids in Red Blood Cells

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Sarah A. Brigandi¹  Hong Shao²  Steven Y. Qian³  Yiping Shen²  Bai-Lin Wu²  Jing X. Kang¹ 

[1] Laboratory of Lipid Medicine and Technology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA; E-Mail:;Genetics Diagnostic Lab, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Children’s Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA; E-Mails:;Department of Pharmaceutical Science, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58108, USA; E-Mail:

关键词: polyunsaturated fatty acids;    omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids;    prostaglandin E2;    lipid metabolism;    neuroinflammation;    autism;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijms160510061

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Omega-6 (n-6) and omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are essential nutrients for brain development and function. However, whether or not the levels of these fatty acids are altered in individuals with autism remains debatable. In this study, we compared the fatty acid contents between 121 autistic patients and 110 non-autistic, non-developmentally delayed controls, aged 3–17. Analysis of the fatty acid composition of red blood cell (RBC) membrane phospholipids showed that the percentage of total PUFA was lower in autistic patients than in controls; levels of n-6 arachidonic acid (AA) and n-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were particularly decreased (p < 0.001). In addition, plasma levels of the pro-inflammatory AA metabolite prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) were higher in a subset of the autistic participants (n = 20) compared to controls. Our study demonstrates an alteration in the PUFA profile and increased production of a PUFA-derived metabolite in autistic patients, supporting the hypothesis that abnormal lipid metabolism is implicated in autism.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.