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Developmental changes in polyunsaturated fetal plasma phospholipids and feto-maternal plasma phospholipid ratios and

Wolfgang Bernhard1, Marco Raith2, Vera Koch2

  • 1Department of Neonatology, Faculty of Medicine, Eberhard-Karls-University, Calwer Straße 7, 72076, Tübingen, Germany. wolfgang.bernhard@med.uni-tuebingen.de.

European Journal of Nutrition
|September 14, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Fetal plasma docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA) phospholipid profiles change during gestation and correlate with maternal levels. A low ARA/DHA ratio in preterm infants may predict bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) severity.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal nutrition
  • Neonatal development
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA), specifically docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6) and arachidonic acid (C20:4), are crucial for fetal development.
  • These essential fatty acids are preferentially transported via plasma phospholipids.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize changes in fetal and maternal plasma phospholipid composition throughout gestation.
  • To investigate the association between LC-PUFA phospholipid profiles and the severity of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) in cord and maternal plasma from 108 pregnancies (24-42 weeks postmenstrual age).
  • Utilized tandem mass spectrometry for phospholipid analysis.
  • Employed breakpoint analyses to identify nonlinear changes during gestation.

Main Results:

  • Cord plasma PC and PE levels were lower than maternal levels.
  • Maternal PC levels decreased until 33 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA) before increasing, while fetal PC levels showed a linear decrease.
  • Fetal arachidonic acid (C20:4)-PC was consistently twofold higher than maternal levels, while docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6)-PC exceeded maternal levels only after 33 weeks PMA.
  • An elevated C20:4-PC to C22:6-PC ratio was observed in early preterm infants compared to term infants.
  • A low C20:4-PC/C22:6-PC ratio in infants born before 28 weeks PMA was associated with increased BPD severity.

Conclusions:

  • Fetal plasma LC-PUFA-PC composition is correlated with maternal values.
  • The ratio of C20:4-PC to C22:6-PC in fetal plasma shifts towards the end of gestation.
  • A low C20:4-PC/C22:6-PC ratio in early preterm infants (<28 weeks PMA) is linked to BPD severity, suggesting potential for PMA-adjusted supplementation and cord plasma analysis for BPD prediction.
Abstract

Keywords:
Arachidonic acidDocosahexaenoic acidFetal developmentLC-PUFALinoleic acidPhosphatidylcholinePhosphatidylethanolaminePlasma phospholipidsTandem mass spectrometry

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