Principal Investigator: Guang-Yu Yang, MD, PhD

Most patients with Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE) experience an abnormal immune-mediated response to food antigens. Identifying unique biomarkers involved in the pathogenesis of allergic inflammation could significantly improve treatments. The conversion of cell membrane arachidonic acid to ω-6 prostaglandin and ω-6 leukotriene eicosanoids during the inflammatory cascade provides many potential drug targets to impede the inflammatory process in patients with EoE. ω-3 and ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have opposing influences on inflammation. Currently, there is no study on PUFA metabolism and the role these PUFAs metabolites play in the pathogenesis of EoE. Dr. Yang’s study aims to determine the ω-3 and ω-6 PUFAs metabolites/eicosanoids profile in eosinophilic esophagitis using a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based metabolomics approach and to identify the unique eicosanoids or biomarker/s for diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring the therapeutic effect on EoE.