Polyunsaturated fatty acid status of leukocyte membranes in COPD patients

The aim of the study was to analyze n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) profile of blood leukocyte cytomembranes in mild and moderate COPD, and to establish possible role of these fatty acids in COPD progression. The study involved 110 patients with mild disease (n = 60) and moderate COPD (50 patients), at average age of 57.5±4.8 years old. The control group consisted of 32 practically healthy non-smoking people with normal pulmonary function (average age 42.0±3.4 years). The immunological study included flow cytometric determination of blood immune cell subpopulations, i.e., T lymphocytes (CD3⁺), T helper cells (CD4⁺), cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CD8⁺), and B cells (CD19⁺) using Becton Dickinson machine (USA). Fatty acid methyl esters redissolved in hexane were analyzed using “Shimadzu GC-2010” gas-liquid chromato-graphic system (Japan). Analysis of the polyunsaturated fatty acid profile of leukocyte membranes in COPD patients revealed a reduced concentration of essential linoleic acid (18:2n-6) regardless of the disease severity. The leukocyte membrane levels of the long-chain n-6 PUFAs, such as dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (20:3n-6), arachidonic acid (20:4n-6), and docosatetraenoic acid (22:4n-6), were elevated in patients with COPD compared with the control group. However, the concentration of the described above n-6 PUFAs in leukocyte membranes was increased in patients with moderate COPD compared to the patients with mild COPD. The significant deficiency of a physiologically important n-3 PUFA, eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n- 3), in leukocyte membranes in the COPD patients was revealed. In turn, the low level of 20:5n-3 could result from the deficiency of its precursor, docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3). The results of the study indicate the modification in the PUFA composition of blood leukocyte membranes in the patients with COPD. It was shown that altered composition of long-chain fatty acid of leukocyte membranes emerges already at the early stage of the disease. Therefore, the imbalance in fatty acids composition of leukocytes makes a significant contribution to the development and the progression of COPD.

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