Sudden infant death syndrome and lipoproteins

Lipoprotein secretion and vitamin E transport depend on an adequate supply of inositol which functions synergistically with choline. Feeding rats a choline deficient diet was associated with decreased linoleic and arachidonic acids and increased docosapentenoic and docosahexenoic acids in liver phosphatidylethanolamine. Lipoprotein secretion by the liver is impaired by long chain omega 3 fatty acids and by the high carbohydrate diet of Kwashiorkor. Pulmonary surfactant is a lipoprotein which functions in preventing alveolar collapse in the lung. Inositol supplements to premature infants altered the composition of surfactant phospholipids and reduced the need for oxygen therapy. Oxygen free radicals, generated in oxygen therapy, convert low density lipoproteins (LDL) into potent toxins, without adequate antioxidants and free radical scavengers to block free radical generation. Vitamin E deficiency predisposes humans to increased susceptability to oxygen toxicity leading to Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), a form of chronic pulmonary insufficiency.