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Published on: July 12, 2013

Altered composition of polyunsaturated fatty acyl groups in phosphoglycerides of Down's syndrome fetal brain

B W Brooksbank, M Martinez, R Balazs

    Journal of Neurochemistry
    |March 1, 1985
    PubMed

    Insights

    Prenatal brain development in Down syndrome shows altered polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) composition in phospholipids. Specifically, the ratio of (n-3) to (n-6) PUFA is elevated, with increased docosahexaenoic acid and decreased arachidonic acid.

    Area of Science:

    • Neuroscience
    • Biochemistry
    • Developmental Biology

    Background:

    • Down syndrome is associated with altered brain development.
    • Lipid peroxidation is enhanced in prenatal Down syndrome brain homogenates.
    • Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are crucial components of brain phospholipids.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the composition of PUFA in ethanolamine phosphoglycerides (EPG) and serine phosphoglycerides (SPG) in the cerebral cortex of prenatal Down syndrome fetuses.
    • To compare PUFA profiles with age-matched controls to identify developmental alterations.

    Main Methods:

    • Analysis of polyunsaturated acyl groups (PUFA) in ethanolamine and serine phosphoglycerides (EPG and SPG) from cerebral cortex specimens.
    • Comparison of PUFA ratios, particularly (n-3) to (n-6) series, between Down syndrome and control fetuses.
    • Quantification of specific fatty acids like docosahexaenoic acid (22:6(n-3)) and arachidonic acid (20:4(n-6)).

    Main Results:

    • Total PUFA percentages in EPG and SPG were not significantly different between Down syndrome and control groups.
    • The ratio of (n-3) to (n-6) PUFA was significantly elevated in Down syndrome (0.55 in EPG, 0.97 in SPG) compared to controls (0.32 in EPG, 0.60 in SPG).
    • Docosahexaenoic acid (22:6(n-3)) was increased by 54% in EPG and 33% in SPG, while arachidonic acid (20:4(n-6)) was decreased by 16% in EPG and 30% in SPG in Down syndrome fetuses.

    Conclusions:

    • Prenatal Down syndrome brain exhibits a distorted essential fatty acid metabolism and incorporation into phosphoglycerides.
    • The altered balance of docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid in membrane phospholipids may disrupt membrane enzyme function and transport processes.
    • These findings suggest a potential biochemical basis for neurodevelopmental differences in Down syndrome.

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