title: Formula feeding potentiates docosahexaenoic and arachidonic acid biosynthesis in term and preterm baboon neonates.
abstract: Infant formulas supplemented with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA) are now available in the United States; however, little is known about the factors that affect biosynthesis. Baboon neonates were assigned to one of four treatments: term, breast-fed; term, formula-fed; preterm (155 of 182 days gestation), formula-fed; and preterm, formula+DHA/ARA-fed. Standard formula had no DHA/ARA; supplemented formula had 0.61%wt DHA (0.3% of calories) and 1.21%wt ARA (0.6% of calories), and baboon breast milk contained 0.68 +/- 0.22%wt DHA and 0.62 +/- 0.12%wt ARA. At 14 days adjusted age, neonates received a combined oral dose of [U-13C]alpha-linolenic acid (LNA*) and [U-13C]linoleic acid (LA*), and tissues were analyzed 14 days after dose. Brain accretion of linolenic acid-derived DHA was approximately 3-fold greater for the formula groups than for the breast-fed group, and dietary DHA partially attenuated excess DHA synthesis among preterms. A similar, significant pattern was found in other organs. Brain linoleic acid-derived ARA accretion was significantly greater in the unsupplemented term group but not in the preterm groups compared with the breast-fed group. These data show that formula potentiates the biosynthesis/accretion of DHA/ARA in term and preterm neonates compared with breast-fed neonates and that the inclusion of DHA/ARA in preterm formula partially restores DHA/ARA biosynthesis to lower, breast-fed levels. Current formula DHA concentrations are inadequate to normalize long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids synthesis to that of breast-fed levels.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nutritional Sciences, Savage Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853.
authors.forename: Eszter
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sarkadi-Nagy
authors.forename: Vasuki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Wijendran
authors.forename: Guan Yeu
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Diau
authors.forename: Angela Chueh
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: Andrea T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Anu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Turpeinen
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lawrence
authors.forename: Peter W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Nathanielsz
authors.forename: J Thomas
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Brenna
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000378:metabolism*; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001835:Body Weight; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D041943:Infant Formula / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016014:Linear Models; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D010215:Papio / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid