title: Influence of FADS polymorphisms on tracking of serum glycerophospholipid fatty acid concentrations and percentage composition in children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tracking of fatty acid (FA) contribution to plasma or serum lipids over time was shown in children and adults. However, the potential role of FADS gene variants has not been investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum GP FA composition of 331 children aged 2 and 6 years, participating in an ongoing birth cohort study, was analyzed. Correlation coefficients were estimated to describe FA tracking over 4 years and to assess the influence of FADS variants on tracking. We found low to moderate tracking (r = 0.12-0.49) of FA compositions and concentration between 2 and 6 years. Concentration changes of total monounsaturated FA and total saturated FA over time correlated closely (r = 0.79) but percentage values were unrelated (r = -0.02). Tracking for n-6 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) concentrations was lower in subjects homozygous for the major allele of FADS variants and higher in carriers of at least one minor allele, whereas for total n-3 LC-PUFA concentrations and compositions this was vice versa. For individual n-3 PUFA inconsistent results were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum GP FA composition shows low to moderate tracking over 4 years with a higher tracking for LC-PUFA metabolites than for their precursor FA. Serum PUFA levels and their tracking seem to be more influenced by lipid and lipoprotein metabolism than by FA specific pathways.
authors.affiliation: Division of Metabolic and Nutritional Medicine, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, University of Munich Medical Center, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Glaser
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rzehak
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Demmelmair
authors.forename: Norman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Klopp
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heinrich
authors.forename: Berthold
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Koletzko
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000090943:Delta-5 Fatty Acid Desaturase; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases / Q000235:genetics*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D020404:Glycerophospholipids / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D000090943:Delta-5 Fatty Acid Desaturase; D005227:Fatty Acids; D020404:Glycerophospholipids; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases; C533241:FADS2 protein, human