Polyunsaturated fatty acid levels of serum and red blood cells in apparently healthy Japanese subjects living in an urban area.
OBJECTIVE
We assessed levels of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) in serum and red blood cells (RBCs) among groups stratified by generation and its clinical significance in Japanese subjects living in an urban area.


METHODS
We enrolled 200 apparently healthy Japanese (126 males, mean age: 50.3+/-9.2 years) living in an urban area. Levels of PUFA, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), arachidonic acid (AA), and dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA) in serum and RBCs were measured for each generation (G1 <35y, G2 35y-<45y, G3 45y-<55y, G4 55y-<65y, G5>or=65y).


RESULTS
No significant differences in EPA, DHA, AA, or EPA/AA were observed between males and females. After dividing into generations, stepwise increases in EPA and DHA, but not DGLA or AA, were observed in serum (all p<0.0001). EPA/AA ratios were stepwisely increased in serum (mean: G1:0.26, G2:0.29, G3:0.43, G4:0.58, G5:0.68, p<0.0001) and RBCs (mean: G1:0.10, G2:0.09, G3:0.15, G4:0.20, G5:0.23, p<0.0001). Positive correlations of EPA (r=0.83), DHA (r=0.55), DGLA (r=0.54), AA (r=0.29), and EPA/AA (r=0.91) were demonstrated between serum and RBCs. In addition, a significant positive correlation between EPA/AA ratios and insulin sensitivity as well as a negative correlation between those ratios and insulin resistance were observed in subjects with metabolic syndrome.


CONCLUSIONS
Low levels of EPA/AA, which were associated with insulin resistance, were demonstrated in young Japanese adults living in an urban area.
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Naotake
N
Yanagisawa
Kazunori
K
Shimada
Tetsuro
T
Miyazaki
Atsumi
A
Kume
Yohei
Y
Kitamura
Ryoko
R
Ichikawa
Hirotoshi
H
Ohmura
Takashi
T
Kiyanagi
Makoto
M
Hiki
Kosuke
K
Fukao
Katsuhiko
K
Sumiyoshi
Kuniaki
K
Hirose
Rie
R
Matsumori
Hirotaka
H
Takizawa
Kiyotaka
K
Fujii
Hiroshi
H
Mokuno
Nao
N
Inoue
Hiroyuki
H
Daida
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014505:Urban Population
D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid