title: Comparative analysis of erythrocyte fatty acid composition in a sample of Mexico City children and young adults on a free diet.
abstract: In the present study the influence of age on red blood cell fatty acid (RBCFA) composition was analyzed in a sample of Mexico City children and young people on a free diet, as there is scarce information about RBCFA composition in the Mexican population. Erythrocyte lipids were extracted with isopropyl alcohol and fatty acid methyl esters were prepared to be analyzed by gas liquid chromatography. The 1- to 2-year-old group showed a higher percent level of C18:0 (34.75 +/- 2.5 vs. 29.67 +/- 1.3, p < 0.002) and lower of C16:1 (0.58 +/- 0.2 vs. 1.09 +/- 0.2, p < 0.05), C20:4 (14.08 +/- 4.1 vs, 18.20 +/- 1.2, p < 0.05) and C22:5 (2.79 +/- 1.7 vs. 7.68 +/- 0.8, p < 0.001) than the 20- to 25-year-old group. Both groups showed a very low linoleic acid proportion, children 0.48% and young adults 0.54%. The unsaturated/saturated fatty acid ratio was found to be 0.55 +/- 0.2 in children and 0.91 +/- 0.1 in adults (p < 0.001). These findings indicate the presence of factors related to age that affect the fatty acid composition in the erythrocyte membrane different from diet habits in the sample analyzed. Results are compared with reports in the literature.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D.F.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Cuevas-Covarrubias
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Miranda-Zamora
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Juarez-Oropeza
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Diaz-Zagoya
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D004032:Diet; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids