Plasma oxylipins and unesterified precursor fatty acids are altered by DHA supplementation in pregnancy: Can they help predict risk of preterm birth?

Publication date: Available online 13 December 2019Source: Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty AcidsAuthor(s): Christopher E. Ramsden, Maria Makrides, Zhi-Xin Yuan, Mark S. Horowitz, Daisy Zamora, Lisa N Yelland, Karen Best, Jennifer Jensen, Ameer Y. Taha, Robert A. GibsonAbstractOxidized lipids derived from omega-6 (n-6) and omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids, collectively known as oxylipins, are bioactive signaling molecules that play diverse roles in human health and disease. Supplementation with n-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) during pregnancy has been reported to decrease the risk of preterm birth in singleton pregnancies, which may be due to effects of DHA supplementation on oxylipins or their precursor n-6 and n-3 fatty acids. There is only limited understanding of the levels and trajectory of changes in plasma oxylipins during pregnancy, effects of DHA supplementation on oxylipins and unesterified fatty acids, and whether and how oxylipins and their unesterified precursor fatty acids influence preterm birth. In the present study we used liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to profile oxylipins and their precursor fatty acids in the unesterified pool using plasma samples collected from a subset of pregnant Australian women who participated in the ORIP (Omega-3 fats to Reduce the Incidence of Prematurity) study. ORIP is a large randomized controlled trial testing whether daily supplementation with n-3 DHA can reduce the incidence of early pr...
Source: Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids (PLEFA) - Category: Lipidology Source Type: research