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Infant growth and aorta total lipid fatty acids
J Farquharson1, E C Jamieson, R W Logan
1Department of Biochemistry, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Yorkhill NHS Trust, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
Insights
Infant growth restriction may alter vascular fatty acid profiles, potentially impacting long-term cardiovascular health. This study analyzed aorta lipid fatty acids in infants, revealing differences linked to growth status.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Science
- Infant Health
- Nutritional Biochemistry
Background:
- Abnormal fetal and infant growth are linked to adult cardiovascular disease.
- Limited knowledge exists regarding lipid fatty acid profiles in infant cardiovascular tissues.
- Understanding these profiles is crucial for early detection and prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze total lipid fatty acid profiles in the thoracic and abdominal aorta of infants.
- To investigate potential correlations between fatty acid profiles and infant growth status.
- To explore dietary influences on these fatty acid profiles.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of total lipid fatty acids from thoracic and abdominal aorta intima and media.
- Inclusion of samples from normally grown sudden infant death syndrome cases.
- Examination of aorta from infants with small for gestational age, failure to thrive, and premature birth.
Main Results:
- Lower concentrations of dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (C20:3n-6) and oleic acid (C18:1n-9) in the thoracic compared to the abdominal aorta.
- Dietary differences observed in infants fed formula milk.
- Elevated arachidonic acid (C20:4n-6) to dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid ratios in the aorta of infants with retarded growth.
Conclusions:
- Infant growth restriction may disrupt the normal accumulation of vascular endothelial polyunsaturated fatty acids.
- Findings suggest a potential link between early growth patterns and cardiovascular health.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the long-term implications of these fatty acid alterations.
Abstract:
Abnormal fetal and infant growth have increasingly been correlated with adult onset cardiovascular disease. To date, there is little known about the lipid fatty acid profiles in infant cardiovascular tissue. Therefore, we analysed total lipid fatty acids from thoracic and abdominal aorta intima and media from 24 normally grown sudden infant death syndrome cases. Aorta from small for gestational age (n = 2), failure to thrive from birth (n = 3), and premature (n = 1) infants were also examined. Dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (C20:3n-6) and oleic acid (C18:1n-9) concentrations were significantly lower in the thoracic than in the abdominal aorta. Similar dietary related differences were found in the subgroup (n = 15) of infants fed on formula milks. Both abdominal and thoracic intimal arachidonic (C20:4n-6) to dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid ratios were greater in the infants with retarded growth after birth than in their normally grown counterparts. Growth restriction in infancy might disrupt the normal accretion of vascular endothelial polyunsaturated fatty acids.
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