title: Erythrocyte membrane and plasma non-esterified n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids of pregnant and non-pregnant Brazilian adolescents.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of pregnancy in adolescents on the fatty acid composition of the erythrocyte membrane, which was used as a proxy for status of n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and also on the composition of plasma non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) mobilized from the adipose tissue. Two matched groups of healthy adolescents (14-19 years) from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, were compared: pregnant (n=26; 32.7+/-3.9 weeks of gestation, mean+/-SD) and non-pregnant (n=20). Blood samples were collected after an overnight fast. Mean dietary intakes of total fat and n-3 and n-6 PUFA (energy %) were not different between pregnant and non-pregnant adolescents, and the consumption of food sources of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) was low. Fasting total NEFA and NEFA 18:2n-6, 18:3n-6 and 20:4n-6 (g/100g fatty acids) were higher in pregnant than in non-pregnant adolescents. Although erythrocyte 20:4n-6 was lower in pregnant adolescents, there were no differences in DHA (g/100g fatty acids), in DHA status indices (22:5n-6/22:4n-6 and 22:6n-3/22:5n-6 ratios) and in the index of n-3+n-6 PUFA status ([Sigman-3+Sigman-6]/[Sigman-7+Sigman-9]) in erythrocytes as compared with those of non-pregnant adolescents. In conclusion, pregnancy did not have an adverse effect on erythrocyte DHA content or on DHA and n-3+n-6 PUFA status indices in the adolescents studied.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Bioquímica Nutricional e de Alimentos, Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Cidade Universitária, CT bloco A, lab. 528, 21941-909 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Meneses
authors.forename: Jacqueline G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Ney
authors.forename: Alexandre G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Nadia M F
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Trugo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001938:Brazil; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000737:chemistry*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6 / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6