title: High Ratios of C20:4n-6/C20:5n-3 and Thromboxane B2/6-Keto-Prostaglandin F1αin Placenta Are Potential Risk Contributors for Neural Tube Defects: A Case-Control Study in Shanxi Province, China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neural tube defects (NTDs) are severe congenital malformations. Folate supplementation can reduce the risk, but cannot prevent all NTDs, suggesting other reasons for folate-resistant NTDs. The present study assesses placental fatty acid composition, eicosanoids, and cytokines as risk factors for NTDs in a Chinese population with highly incident NTDs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-seven aborted fetuses with NTDs during the third trimester were cases and 142 healthy newborns were controls. Placental fatty acid composition, eicosanoids, and cytokines were determined by standard methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The placental C20:4n-6/C20:5n-3 and thromboxane B2(TXB2)/6-keto-prostaglandin F1α(6-keto-PGF1α) ratios were significantly higher for cases than controls (p < 0.001 and 0.05, respectively). For the top versus the lowest tertiles of placental C20:4n-6/C20:5n-3 and TXB2/6-keto-PGF1α, odds ratios for NTD occurrence were 3.79 (95% confidence interval, 1.60-8.96) (p for trend < 0.01) and 5.52 (95% confidence interval, 2.07-14.74) (p for trend < 0.001), respectively, adjusted for fetal sex as well as maternal age, occupation, parity, smoking, passive smoking, periconceptional folate supplementation, conception season, and tea drinking. The C20:4n-6/C20:5n-3 and TXB2/6-keto-PGF1αratios were positively correlated (r = 0.14; p < 0.05). The proportions of C18:2n-6, C18:3n-6, C20:3n-6, C18:3n-3, C20:3n-3, C20:5n-3, and C22:5n-3 were significantly lower in cases than controls, and all negatively associated with NTD occurrence (tertile-specific odds ratios); after adjustment for the potential confounders, these associations remained significant (p for trend < 0.05) except for C20:3n-3.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High placental ratios of C20:4n-6/C20:5n-3 and TXB2/6-keto-PGF1αare risk factors for neural tube defects.Birth Defects Research 109:550-563, 2017.© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Kelei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Regulation Biology of Ministry of Education, Institute of Cell Biology, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.|Institute of Population Research/WHO Collaborating Center on Reproductive Health and Population Science, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xiaotian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Population Research/WHO Collaborating Center on Reproductive Health and Population Science, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Lijun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pei
authors.affiliation: Institute of Population Research/WHO Collaborating Center on Reproductive Health and Population Science, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Gong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Reproductive and Child Health/Ministry of Health Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jianmeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Fuli Research Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.|Monash Asia Institute and Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Mark L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Wahlqvist
authors.affiliation: Institute of Population Research/WHO Collaborating Center on Reproductive Health and Population Science, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoying
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.|Monash Asia Institute and Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Duo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D015121:6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D010920:Placenta / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors; D013929:Thromboxane B2 / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D005227:Fatty Acids; D013929:Thromboxane B2; D015121:6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha
keywords: cytokines; eicosanoids; fatty acids; human; placenta