title: Inverse association between trans isomeric and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in pregnant women and their newborns: data from three European countries.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  trans unsaturated fatty acids are thought to interfere with essential fatty acid metabolism. To extend our knowledge of this phenomenon, we investigated the relationship between trans isomeric and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) in mothers during pregnancy and in their infants at birth.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fatty acid composition of erythrocyte phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) was determined in Spanish (n = 120), German (n = 78) and Hungarian (n = 43) women at the 20th and 30th week of gestation, at delivery and in their newborns.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the 20th week of gestation, the sum of trans fatty acids in PE was significantly (p < 0.01) lower in Hungarian [0.73 (0.51), % wt/wt, median (IQR)] than in Spanish [1.42 (1.36)] and German [1.30 (1.21)] women. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) values in PE were significantly (p < 0.01) higher in Hungarian [5.65 (2.09)] than in Spanish [4.37 (2.60)] or German [4.39 (3.3.2)] women. The sum of trans fatty acids significantly inversely correlated to DHA in PCs in Spanish (r = -0.37, p < 0.001), German (n = -0.77, p < 0.001) and Hungarian (r = -0.35, p < 0.05) women, and in PEs in Spanish (r = -0.67, p < 0.001) and German (r = -0.71, p < 0.001), but not in Hungarian (r = -0.02) women. Significant inverse correlations were seen between trans fatty acids and DHA in PEs at the 30th week of gestation (n = 241, r = -0.52, p < 0.001), at delivery (n = 241, r = -0.40, p < 0.001) and in cord lipids (n = 218, r = -0.28, p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because humans cannot synthesize trans isomeric fatty acids, the data obtained in the present study support the concept that high maternal trans isomeric fatty acid intake may interfere with the availability of LCPUFA both for the mother and the fetus.
authors.affiliation: University of Pécs, Department of Paediatrics, Pécs, Hungary. tamas.decsi@aok.pte.hu
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Decsi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Campoy
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Demmelmair
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Szabó
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Marosvölgyi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Escolano
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marchal
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krauss-Etschmann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Koletzko
mesh_terms: D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007536:Isomerism; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000032:analysis; D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines / Q000032:analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D013030:Spain; D044242:Trans Fatty Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines; D044242:Trans Fatty Acids; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; C483858:phosphatidylethanolamine