Lipid mediator profiling of serum in children with H1N1 infection

H1N1 virus can cause severe acute respiratory distress syndrome, and death in young children and the elderly. The H1N1 infection initiates the inflammatory responses that are directed toward containment and elimination of microbial invaders. Because various lipid mediators (LMs) are biosynthesized and play a critical role in fighting against the virus during inflammation, profiling the LMs in patients may uncover the disrupted pathways and reveal mechanistical insights of diseases. To date, little is known about the LM molecular alterations and pathogenesis of H1N1 in children. Here, we employed a targeted LC-MS/MS platform to map serum LM profiles from children with H1N1 and after recovery. We found that 22 LM species have changed in H1N1 children with mild symptoms. Analysis of LM profiles of children with recovery revealed that the level of 12 altered LM species in H1N1 infection were partially restored, including cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzyme-derived DIHETEs and HETEs from AA, and EpOMEs from LA, whereas PGs are decreased. Taken together, this study established a link between serum lipid mediators and H1N1 infection in children with mild symptoms. The LM species dramatically altered in H1N1-children could serve as potential therapeutics or adjuvants against H1N1 influenza.