Inverse association between trans isomeric and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in cord blood lipids of full-term infants.
BACKGROUND
Previous studies showed significant inverse correlations between values of trans isomeric and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in plasma lipids of preterm infants and healthy children aged 1-15 y.


OBJECTIVE
We sought to evaluate the same correlations in full-term infants at birth.


METHODS
We studied healthy full-term infants (n = 42) born after normal pregnancies and deliveries. All infants had a family history of atopy (both parents or one of the parents and a sibling had atopic symptoms). The fatty acid composition of venous cord blood lipids was determined by high-resolution capillary gas-liquid chromatography.


RESULTS
The mean (+/-SEM) sum of trans fatty acids was 0.49 +/- 0.02% by wt in phospholipids, 2.47 +/- 0.20% by wt in cholesterol esters, 1.73 +/- 0.09% by wt in triacylglycerols, and 1.59 +/- 0.07% by wt in nonesterified fatty acids. Linear correlation analysis showed significant inverse correlations between the sum of trans fatty acids and both arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in phospholipids (r = -0.56, P < 0.001, and r = -0.48, P = 0.01, respectively), cholesterol esters (r = -0.52, P < 0.001, and r = -0.39, P = 0.018, respectively), and nonesterified fatty acids (r = -0.41, P = 0.007, and r = -0.41, P = 0.006, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Because trans fatty acids in the fetal circulation must originate from the maternal diet, our results indicate that maternal exposure to trans fatty acids may represent a previously neglected variable that inversely influences long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid status in full-term infants at birth.
Decsi
T
T
Department of Paediatrics, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary. decsi@apacs.pote.hu
Burus
I
I
Molnár
S
S
Minda
H
H
Veitl
V
V
D002788:Cholesterol Esters / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000097:blood; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry*; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007536:Isomerism; D008297:Male; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry; D011247:Pregnancy; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry
D002788:Cholesterol Esters; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D010743:Phospholipids; D014280:Triglycerides