Low contribution of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids to plasma and erythrocyte membrane lipids in diabetic young adults

• Published in: Prostaglandins, leukotrienes and essential fatty acids Vol. 76; no. 3; pp. 159 - 164
• Main Authors: Decsi, T., Szabó, É., Burus, I., Marosvölgyi, T., Kozári, A., Erhardt, É., Soltész, Gy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Advanced Basic Science; alpha-Linolenic Acid - analysis; Arachidonic Acid - analysis; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - blood; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - metabolism; Diabetes. Impaired glucose tolerance; Docosahexaenoic Acids - analysis; Endocrine pancreas. Apud cells (diseases); Endocrinology & Metabolism; Endocrinopathies; Erythrocyte Membrane - chemistry; Etiopathogenesis. Screening. Investigations. Target tissue resistance; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated - analysis; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glycerylphosphorylcholine - analysis; Hemoglobin A - metabolism; Humans; Linoleic Acid - analysis; Male; Medical sciences; Membrane Lipids - chemistry; Phosphatidylethanolamines - analysis; Phospholipids - analysis; Sterols - analysis; Sterols - blood; Vertebrates: endocrinology; Endocrinopathy; Blood cell; Diabetes mellitus; Plasma membrane; Polyunsaturated fatty acid; Red blood cell; Lipids
• ISSN: 0952-3278; 1532-2823
• DOI: 10.1016/j.plefa.2006.12.003

Hypoinsulinemia characteristic to type 1 diabetes may theoretically inhibit the conversion of essential fatty acids to their longer-chain metabolites. Fatty acids were determined in plasma and erythrocyte membrane lipids in young diabetic adults ( n=34) and in age-matched healthy controls ( n=36). Values of linoleic acid (56.01 [5.02] versus 51.05 [7.32], % by wt, median [range from the first to the third quartile], P<0.00l) and arachidonic acid (AA) (11.17 [2.98] versus 9.69 [1.95] P<0.001) were significantly higher in diabetic subjects than in controls. However, α-linolenic acid values did not differ, and docosahexaenoic acid (0.43 [0.12] versus 0.57 [0.29], P<0.01) values were significantly lower in diabetic than in control subjects. Significant inverse correlations were found between AA and hemoglobin A 1c values in the phospholipid ( r=−0.40, P<0.05) and sterol ester ( r=−0.40, P<0.05) fractions. The data obtained in the present study suggest that the availability of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid may be reduced in young diabetic adults.