Zhang Li, Li Yadong, Pu Yunjing, Dang Tianyuan, Shi Qian, Wu Wenjuan
Department of Dermatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, 650032, China.
Department of Dermatology, Kunming Children's Hospital (Children's Hospital Affiliated of Kunming Medical University), Kunming, Yunnan, 650118, China.
Eur J Nutr. 2025 Mar 19;64(3):130. doi: 10.1007/s00394-025-03647-4.
This study aims to comprehensively analyze the intricate relationship between unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs, particularly omega-3 and omega-6 UFAs) and acne, from their clinical therapeutic effects to their underlying genetic regulatory mechanisms, to elucidate the role of UFAs in acne pathogenesis.
Clinical evidence synthesis: we systematically reviewed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the impact of UFA supplementation on acne treatment outcomes. Genetic analysis: two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis we used to investigate causal relationships between serum UFA metabolites and acne, identifying potential key regulatory enzymes.
The synthesis of these RCT studies confirmed that UFA supplementation improved acne conditions. MR analysis revealed causal links between three serum UFA metabolites and acne, with dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA) (OR = 8.457; 95% CI: 2.367-30.214; P-value = 0.001) as a risk factor and arachidonic acid (AA) (OR = 0.209; 95% CI: 0.071-0.618; P-value = 0.005) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (OR = 0.318; 95% CI: 0.102-0.991; P-value = 0.048) as protective factors. Functional annotation suggested enzymes such as Δ5 desaturase (FADS1) and Δ6 desaturase (FADS2) may play a role in acne regulation.
This study offers evidence that supports a connection between UFAs and acne, examining this relationship from both clinical and genetic angles. These findings highlight the role of specific UFAs and their associated metabolic enzymes in the development of acne. Omega-3 UFAs seem to have a protective effect against acne, whereas certain types and ratios of omega-6 UFAs might contribute to acne formation. The varied impacts of UFAs on acne could be attributed to disease processes mediated by specific enzymes. However, the study's limitations include its genetic analysis being primarily based on European populations, which limits the applicability of the findings to other groups. Future research should aim to include a more diverse range of participants to improve the generalizability of the results.
本研究旨在全面分析不饱和脂肪酸（UFA，特别是ω-3和ω-6不饱和脂肪酸）与痤疮之间的复杂关系，从其临床治疗效果到潜在的基因调控机制，以阐明不饱和脂肪酸在痤疮发病机制中的作用。
临床证据综合分析：我们系统回顾了随机对照试验（RCT），以评估补充不饱和脂肪酸对痤疮治疗结果的影响。基因分析：我们采用两样本孟德尔随机化（MR）分析来研究血清不饱和脂肪酸代谢物与痤疮之间的因果关系，确定潜在的关键调控酶。
这些随机对照试验研究的综合分析证实，补充不饱和脂肪酸可改善痤疮病情。孟德尔随机化分析揭示了三种血清不饱和脂肪酸代谢物与痤疮之间的因果联系，其中二高-γ-亚麻酸（DGLA）（比值比[OR]=8.457；95%置信区间[CI]：2.367 - 30.214；P值=0.001）为危险因素，而花生四烯酸（AA）（OR = 0.209；95% CI：0.071 - 0.618；P值 = 0.005）和二十碳五烯酸（EPA）（OR = 0.318；95% CI：0.102 - 0.991；P值 = 0.048）为保护因素。功能注释表明，Δ5去饱和酶（FADS1）和Δ6去饱和酶（FADS2）等酶可能在痤疮调控中发挥作用。
本研究提供了支持不饱和脂肪酸与痤疮之间存在关联的证据，从临床和基因两个角度审视了这种关系。这些发现突出了特定不饱和脂肪酸及其相关代谢酶在痤疮发生发展中的作用。ω-3不饱和脂肪酸似乎对痤疮有保护作用，而某些类型和比例的ω-6不饱和脂肪酸可能促成痤疮形成。不饱和脂肪酸对痤疮的不同影响可能归因于特定酶介导的疾病过程。然而，该研究的局限性包括其基因分析主要基于欧洲人群，这限制了研究结果对其他群体的适用性。未来的研究应旨在纳入更多样化的参与者，以提高结果的普遍性。
