Inverse Association between trans Isomeric and Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Pregnant Women and Their Newborns Data from Three European Countries

• Published in: Annals of nutrition and metabolism Vol. 59; no. 2/4; pp. 107 - 116
• Main Authors: Decsi, T., Campoy, C., Demmelmair, H., Szabó, É., Marosvölgyi, T., Escolano, M., Marchal, G., Krauss-Etschmann, S., Cruz, M., Koletzko, B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel, Switzerland S. Karger AG 01.01.2011
• Subjects: Arachidonic Acid - administration & dosage; Arachidonic Acid - blood; Dietary Supplements; Docosahexaenoic Acids - administration & dosage; Docosahexaenoic Acids - blood; Double-Blind Method; Erythrocytes - chemistry; Fatty acids; Fatty Acids, Essential - administration & dosage; Fatty Acids, Essential - blood; Female; Germany; Gestational Age; Humans; Hungary; Infant, Newborn; Isomerism; Lipids; Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Newborn babies; Original Paper; Phosphatidylcholines - analysis; Phosphatidylethanolamines - analysis; Polyunsaturated fatty acids; Pregnancy; Spain; Trans Fatty Acids - administration & dosage; Trans Fatty Acids - blood; Hungary; Germany; Spain; Europe; Pregnancy; Neonate; Arachidonic acid; Docosahexaenoic acid; trans isomeric fatty acid
• ISSN: 0250-6807; 1421-9697
• DOI: 10.1159/000332912

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). Conclusion: 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.