Top

Published in:

01-02-2009 | Original Paper

Fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membrane lipids in healthy subjects from birth to young adulthood

Authors: Viktória Jakobik, István Burus, Tamás Decsi

Published in: European Journal of Pediatrics | Issue 2/2009

Abstract

The fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membrane lipids may better reflect the fatty acid status of the organism than the fatty acid composition of plasma lipids. The present study aimed to provide normal values for erythrocyte fatty acid composition in a sizeable group of healthy subjects throughout the paediatric age group. The fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membrane phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) lipids was determined by high-resolution capillary gas chromatography in 188 apparently healthy subjects from birth to young adulthood (newborns: n = 17, infants: n = 97, children: n = 38, young adults: n = 36). The values of linoleic acid (C18:2n-6) increased steadily between birth and young adulthood (newborns: 6.49 [2.45], infants: 14.51 [4.32], children: 18.10 [3.25], young adults: 19.87 [2.03], PC lipids, shown as median [interquartile range, IQR], p < 0.001]. In contrast, the values of arachidonic acid (C20:4n-6) were significantly higher in children than in young adults (PC: 9.48 [6.64] versus 8.00 [1.85], PE: 26.38 [3.98] versus 24.46 [2.44], p < 0.05). The values of alpha-linolenic acid (C18:3n-3) decreased significantly between children and young adults (0.14 [0.11] versus 0.08 [0.07], PE lipids, p < 0.05). The values of docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6n-3) increased significantly from infancy through childhood up to young adulthood (PE: 4.20 [2.41] and 4.55 [0.97] and 6.66 [1.81], p < 0.05 and 0.001, respectively). We found significantly higher total trans isomeric fatty acid values in newborns than in infants (PC: 0.60 [0.27] versus 0.43 [0.19], p < 0.05; PE: 0.66 [0.76] versus 0.30 [0.26], p < 0.001). From the results, we conclude that: (1) the data obtained in the present study may serve as reference values in the evaluation of the fatty acid status from birth to young adulthood; (2) the significantly higher values of trans fatty acids at birth than at later stages of life may be of concern, because previous studies suggested that trans fatty acids may interfere with essential fatty acid metabolism during the perinatal period.

Agostoni C, Heird W (2004) Long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in chronic childhood disorders: panacea, promising, or placebo. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 38:2–3PubMedCrossRef

Bagga D, Capone S, Wang HJ, Heber D, Lill M, Chap L, Glaspy JA (1997) Dietary modulation of omega-3/omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratios in patients with breast cancer. J Natl Canc Inst 89:1123–1131CrossRef

Caggiula AW, Mustad VA (1997) Effects of dietary fat and fatty acids on coronary artery disease risk and total and lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations: epidemiologic studies. Am J Clin Nutr 65(5 Suppl):1597S–1610SPubMed

Calder PC (2001) Polyunsaturated fatty acids, inflammation, and immunity. Lipids 36:1007–1024PubMedCrossRef

Cooper RA (1970) Lipids of human red cell membrane: normal composition and variability in disease. Semin Hematol 7:296–322PubMed

Decsi T, Koletzko B (1994) Fatty acid composition of plasma lipid classes in healthy subjects from birth to young adulthood. Eur J Pediatr 153:520–525PubMedCrossRef

Decsi T, Zaknun D, Zaknun J, Sperl W, Koletzko B (1995) Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in children with severe protein-energy malnutrition with and without human immunodeficiency virus-1 infection. Am J Clin Nutr 62:1283–1288PubMed

Decsi T, Molnár D, Koletzko B (1996) Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in plasma lipids of obese children. Lipids 31:305–311PubMedCrossRef

Decsi T, Molnár D, Koletzko B (1998) The effect of under- and overnutrition on essential fatty acid metabolism in childhood. Eur J Clin Nutr 52:541–548PubMedCrossRef

10.

Decsi T, Koletzko B (2000) Role of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in early human neurodevelopment. Nutr Neurosc 3:293–306

11.

Decsi T, Burus I, Molnár S, Minda H, Veitl V (2001) Inverse association between trans isomeric and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in cord blood lipids of full-term infants. Am J Clin Nutr 74:364–368PubMed

12.

Decsi T, Boehm G, Tjoonk HMR, Molnár S, Dijck-Brouwer DA, Hadders-Algra M, Martini IA, Muskiet FA, Boersma ER (2002) Trans isomeric octadecenoic acids are related inversely to arachidonic acid and DHA and positively related to mead acid in umbilical vessel wall lipids. Lipids 37:959–965PubMedCrossRef

13.

Decsi T, Koletzko B (2005) Omega-3 fatty acids and pregnancy outcomes. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care 8:161–166PubMedCrossRef

14.

Elias SL, Innis SM (2001) Infant plasma trans, n-6, and n-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acids are related to maternal plasma fatty acids, length of gestation, and birth weight and length. Am J Clin Nutr 73:807–814PubMed

15.

Farquharson J, Cockburn F, Patrick WA, Jamieson EC, Logan RW (1992) Infant cerebral cortex phospholipid fatty-acid composition and diet. Lancet 340:810–813PubMedCrossRef

16.

Górska A, Nawrocki A, Urban M, Florys B (2000) Composition of phospholipid fatty acids in erythrocyte membranes of children with chronic juvenile arthritis: clinical and biochemical correlations. Med Sci Monit 6:30–39PubMed

17.

Koletzko B, Decsi T (1997) Metabolic aspects of trans fatty acids. Clin Nutr 16:229–237PubMedCrossRef

18.

Laryea M, Cieslicki P, Diekmann E, Wendel U (1990) Age-dependent fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membrane phospholipids in healthy children. Z Ernährungswiss 29:284–294PubMedCrossRef

19.

Leichsenring M, Hardenack M, Laryea MD (1992) Relationship among the fatty acid composition of various lipid fractions in normally nourished German adults. Int J Vitam Nutr Res 62:181–185PubMed

20.

Manku MS, Horrobin DF, Huang YS, Morse N (1983) Fatty acids in plasma and red cell membranes in normal humans. Lipids 18:906–908PubMedCrossRef

21.

Nagao K, Yanagita T (2005) Conjugated fatty acids in food and their health benefits. J Biosci Bioeng 100:152–157PubMedCrossRef

22.

Pöge AP, Bäumann K, Müller E, Leichsenring M, Schmidt H, Bremer HJ (1998) Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in plasma and erythrocyte membrane lipids of children with phenylketonuria after controlled linoleic acid intake. J Inherit Metab Dis 21:373–381PubMedCrossRef

23.

Stevens LJ, Zentall SS, Deck JL, Abate ML, Watkins BA, Lipp SR, Burgess JR (1995) Essential fatty acid metabolism in boys with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Am J Clin Nutr 62:761–768PubMed

24.

Uauy R, Hoffman DR, Mena P, Llanos A, Birch EE (2003) Term infant studies of DHA and ARA supplementation on neurodevelopment: results of randomized controlled trials. J Pediatr 143:17–25CrossRef

Title: Fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membrane lipids in healthy subjects from birth to young adulthood
Authors: Viktória Jakobik
István Burus
Tamás Decsi
Publication date: 01-02-2009
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: European Journal of Pediatrics / Issue 2/2009
Print ISSN: 0340-6199
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1076
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-008-0719-9

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membrane lipids in healthy subjects from birth to young adulthood

Abstract

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 2/2009

Drug utilisation profile in the Italian paediatric population

Acute paraplegia due to spinal arteriovenous fistula in two patients with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia

First febrile convulsions: inquiry about the knowledge, attitudes and concerns of the patients’ mothers

Neonatal transient respiratory depression after maternal urapidil infusion for hypertension

Continuation of metformin in the first trimester of women with polycystic ovarian syndrome is not associated with increased perinatal morbidity

Muscle weakness in a girl with autoimmune hepatitis and Graves’ disease