Inverse association between trans isomeric and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in cord blood lipids of full-term infants

Background: Previous studies showed significant inverse correlations betwee n values of trans isomeric and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in pl asma lipids of preterm infants and healthy children aged 1-15 y. Objective: We sought to evaluate the same correlations in fullterm infants at birth. Design: We studied healthy full-term infants (n=42) born after normal pregn ancies and deliveries. All infants had a family history of atopy (both pare nts or one of the parents and a sibling had atopic symptoms). The fatty aci d composition of venous cord blood lipids was determined by high-resolution capillary gas-liquid chromatography. Results: The mean ( SEM) sum of trans fatty acids was 0.49 +/-0.02% by wt i n phospholipids, 2.47 +/-0.20% by wt in cholesterol esters, 1.73 +/-0.09% b y wt in triacylglycerols, and 1.59 +/-0.07% by wt in nonesterified fatty ac ids. Linear correlation analysis showed significant inverse correlations be tween the sum of trans fatty acids and both arachidonic acid and docosahexa enoic acid in phospholipids (r = -0.56, P<0.001, and r = -0.48, P=0.01, res pectively), cholesterol esters (r= -0.52, P<0.001, and r = -0.39, P=0.018, respectively), and nonesterified fatty acids (r = -0.41, P=0.007, and r = - 0.41, P=0.006, respectively). Conclusion: Because trans fatty acids in the fetal circulation must origina te from the maternal diet, our results indicate that maternal exposure to t rans fatty acids may represent a previously neglected variable that inverse ly influences long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid status in full-term inf ants at birth.