Placental transfer of essential fatty acids in humans: venous-arterial difference for docosahexaenoic acid in fetal umbilical erythrocytes.

Ruyle, Melissa; Connor, William E.; Anderson, Gregory J.; Lowensohn, Richard I.

doi:10.1073/pnas.87.20.7902

Cited by 107 publications

(68 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…When the maternal face of the human placenta is perfused with a mixture designed to mimic the relative concentrations of individual fatty acids observed in vivo in the NEFA fraction of maternal blood in the last trimester of pregnancy the highest selectivity for transfer to the fetal circulation is for DHA with the order of preference being; DHA4AA4aLN4LA (Haggarty et al, 1999). This in vitro derived selectivity is similar to that determined in vivo on the basis of maternal and cord blood NEFA arterio-venous difference at birth; DHA4AA4olei-c4LA4aLN (Ruyle et al, 1990). This means that for this particular physiological mixture of fatty acids the placenta will preferentially transfer more DHA to the fetal circulation at the expense of other less important fatty acids.…”

Section: Maternalmentioning

confidence: 60%

Effect of placental function on fatty acid requirements during pregnancy

Haggarty¹

2004

Eur J Clin Nutr

187

156

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The fetus has an absolute requirement for the n-3/n-6 fatty acids and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6 n-3; DHA) in particular is essential for the development of the brain and retina. Most of the fat deposition in the fetus occurs in the last 10 weeks of pregnancy. The likely rate of DHA utilisation during late pregnancy cannot be met from dietary sources alone in a significant proportion of mothers. De novo synthesis makes up some of the shortfall but the available evidence suggests that the maternal adipose tissue makes a significant contribution to placental transport to the fetus. The placenta plays a crucial role in mobilising the maternal adipose tissue and actively concentrating and channelling the important n-3/n-6 fatty acids to the fetus via multiple mechanisms including selective uptake by the syncytiotrophoblast, intracellular metabolic channelling, and selective export to the fetal circulation. These mechanisms protect the fetus against low long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) intakes in the last trimester of pregnancy and have the effect of reducing the maternal dietary requirement for preformed DHA at this time. As a result of these adaptations, small changes in the composition of the habitual maternal diet before pregnancy are likely to be more effective in improving LCPUFA delivery to the fetus than large dietary changes in late pregnancy. There is little evidence that DHA intake/status in the second half of pregnancy affects visual and cognitive function in the offspring, but more studies are needed, particularly in children born to vegetarian and vegan and mothers who may have very low intakes of DHA.

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Section: Maternalmentioning

confidence: 60%

Effect of placental function on fatty acid requirements during pregnancy

Haggarty¹

2004

Eur J Clin Nutr

187

156

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“…Data obtained at birth from healthy term and preterm babies provided an indication of the relative proportions of AA and DHA which are delivered by the placenta to the foetus at two different time points of gestation. Ruyle et al (1990) have presented evidence which indicates that erythrocytes play a major role in providing AA and DHA for the placenta to transport to the foetus. The fact that the correlations strengthened from maternal plasma to red cells and were even stronger in the term and more so with the preterm infant is consistent with this view of a red cell participation in transfer.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acids are strongly associated in maternal and neonatal blood

et al. 2000

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Background: The red cell membrane fatty acid composition has frequently been used as an index of essential fatty acid (EFA) nutrition. After birth there is a decline in plasma arachidonic acid (AA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids in babies fed on conventional formula which contains only the parent linoleic and a-linolenic acids. In human studies, the red cell phosphoglyceride composition appears to be more constant than that of plasma. In infants fed ®sh oil without AA, the AA proportions fall in the plasma but much less so in the red cells. This result might be considered to mean that there is no need for preformed AA. On the other hand, in a study where the levels of AA fell there was reduction of infant growth. Indeed, where cell membrane composition does change there is often an associated alteration in physiological functions of membranes. We therefore felt it worth investigating the balance between AA and DHA in a physiological situation where plasma levels are known to change, namely in pregnancy. Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate a relationship between blood phosphoglyceride AA and DHA in pregnant women and neonates. Subjects: Health pregnant women from London, England (n 193) and their term babies n 45 ; healthy pregnant women from Seoul, South Korea n 40 and their term babies n 40); and preterm neonates n 72 from London. Method: Blood samples were taken from British and Korean pregnant women during the third trimester, and from term and preterm babies at birth. These samples were taken for routine monitoring purposes in Korea and were a part of a study on pregnancy outcome for which ethical permission was granted from the East London and The City Health Authority and Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham Health Authority. Approval was also obtained from the Ethical Committee of the Asan Medical Centre, Seoul, South Korea. Results: AA and DHA correlated in plasma choline phosphoglycerides (CPG) of the British mothers (r 0.52 P`0.0001). The correlation coef®cients and signi®cance were much stronger in the red cell CPG and even more so in the term and preterm infant red cell CPGs (r 0.75, 0.80 and 0.88, respectively). Similarly, AA and DHA correlated in red cell CPGs of the Korean women and their term babies. There was also a signi®cant relationship between the two fatty acids in red cell ethanolamine phosphoglycerides in the mothers and their babies. Both linoleic (LA) and -linolenic acids (ALA) were inversely associated with AA and DHA in some of the phosphoglyceride fractions of the mothers and babies. Conclusions: Although AA and DHA have different primary dietary origins, there were signi®cant relationships between AA and DHA in the phosphoglycerides of the red cell membrane. This ®nding seems surprising if the red cell composition is determined by diet. These results suggest a physiological mechanism which attempts to maintain an appropriate balance between AA and DHA. It is plausible that there is an optimum balance between AA and DHA for membrane stability, deformability, enzyme and recep...

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“…These differences loetween foetal and maternal plasma lipids are also known from humans (Hull 7979', Ruyle et al 1990) and other mammals (lnnis et al 19Bg). In humans the total lipid concentration is lower in cord blood than in maternal blood at delivery (Ruyle et al 1990), and the absolute amount of AA in umbilical plasma is therefore lower compared with maternal values (Ruyle et al .1990;Al et al 1995). In the horse the content of total blood lipids in foetal venous blood is almost as high as in maternal venous blood (Stammers et al 1991).…”

Section: Pferdeheilkunde '12mentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Not only different fractions of plasma lipids, but also the phospholipids of erythrocytes may play a role in the necessary transport of polyunsaturated fatty acids into the fetus. Ruyle et al (1990) found a venous-arterial difference in umbilical erythrocytes for docosahexaenoic acid DHA). Between the first and the second day of life a dramatic decrease in the foal's plasma lipid concentration of DGLA and AA occurred.…”

Section: Pferdeheilkunde '12mentioning

confidence: 99%

The composition of polyunsaturated fatty acids in mare's blood and foal's blood plasma at birth and the first days after parturition

Taugbøl¹,

Koene²

1996

PHK

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SummaryEight rnares and their foals were included in this study. Samples of blood plasma and rnare milk were obtained before the fkst m lk intake (day 0) and on day 1, 2 and 10 after parturition. The fatty acid composition of the total lipid fraction of plasma and milk was analyzed by gas chro, matography. lmmediatly after birth the concentration of linolec acid (18r2n-6; LA) of foal blood plasma was very low compared to mare blood plasma. There was an increase in LA of foa/ blood plasma during the sampling period. This was probably due to the high content of LA in mare milk (2y25o/o of total fatty acids). In contrast to LA, dihomogammalinolenic acid (20r3n-6; DGLA) and arach donic acid (20r4n-6; AA) were markedly higher in plasma from newborn foals than in mare plasma. The content of DGLA and AA in foal plasma decreased durng the sam pl ng period.

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Placental transfer of essential fatty acids in humans: venous-arterial difference for docosahexaenoic acid in fetal umbilical erythrocytes.

Cited by 107 publications

References 27 publications

Effect of placental function on fatty acid requirements during pregnancy

Effect of placental function on fatty acid requirements during pregnancy

Arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acids are strongly associated in maternal and neonatal blood

The composition of polyunsaturated fatty acids in mare's blood and foal's blood plasma at birth and the first days after parturition

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