While experts generally agree that essential fatty acids are beneficial for human health, some EFAs pose more risks than benefits. A 2018 study in Respiratory Research examined the effects of arachidonic acid, an omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid, on pulmonary fibroblasts in human lung cells as compared to omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, saturated fatty acids, and the obesity-associated cytokine TNF-alpha.
The study found that administration of arachidonic acid resulted in increased expression of interleukin-6 and CXCL8 from fibroblasts in healthy tissue, although this release was reduced in COPD-affected tissue. The researchers also found that arachidonic acid reduced the basal deposition of fibronectin, type I collagen, tenascin, and perlecan into the extracellular matrix in COPD fibroblasts. The study authors concluded that arachidonic acid has disease-specific effects on inflammation, and the response to arachidonic acid is impaired in patients with COPD. This study could explain, in part, why obesity appears to have a less detrimental effect on COPD compared to other lung diseases.
