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The Use of Gas Chromatography to Analyze Compositional Changes of Fatty Acids in Rat Liver Tissue during Pregnancy
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Neonatal fatty acid profiles are correlated with infant growth measures at 6 months

P F O'Tierney-Ginn1, D Davina2, M Gillingham3

  • 11Department of Reproductive Biology,Center for Reproductive Health,Case Western Reserve University,Cleveland,OH,USA.

Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease
|March 17, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Infant weight gain and fat deposition are linked to neonatal fatty acid profiles. Low levels of n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) at birth correlate with increased adiposity and altered infant growth trajectories.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal nutrition and infant development
  • Maternal-fetal lipid metabolism
  • Human growth and body composition

Background:

  • Rapid infant weight gain and low neonatal n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) are linked to later-life adiposity.
  • The role of placental LCPUFA transfer in infant growth is not well understood.
  • Maternal factors and placental function may influence offspring growth patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationships between maternal phenotype, placental fatty acid transporter expression, and infant growth over the first six months.
  • To determine how neonatal fatty acid profiles affect infant body composition, including fat and lean mass deposition.

Main Methods:

  • Collection of placental tissue and cord blood at term delivery from uncomplicated pregnancies.
  • Measurement of offspring body composition (BMI z-scores, skinfold thickness, arm muscle area) at birth and at 6 months.
  • Analysis of correlations between neonatal LCPUFA and saturated fatty acid levels, placental fatty acid transporter gene expression, and infant growth parameters.

Main Results:

  • High birth skinfold thickness and increased BMI z-scores in infancy were associated with lower neonatal n-3 LCPUFA and higher saturated fatty acid plasma levels.
  • Infant skinfold growth correlated with placental fatty acid transporter gene expression.
  • Changes in BMI z-score during the first six months were linked to arm muscle area growth (lean mass) but not skinfold thickness growth.

Conclusions:

  • Neonatal fatty acid profiles, particularly n-3 LCPUFA status, may significantly influence infant growth trajectories and the deposition of fat and lean mass.
  • Placental lipid handling appears to play a role in infant fat deposition.
  • Early life nutritional status and placental function are critical determinants of infant body composition.

Keywords:
adiposityfatty acidsinfant growthplacenta

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