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Polyunsaturated fatty acids in plasma lipids of obese children with and without metabolic cardiovascular syndrome

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Lipids

Abstract

Previously we reported significantly higher values of γ-linolenic acid (GLA, 18∶3n−6), dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DHGLA, 20∶3n−6), and arachidonic acid (20∶4n−6) in plasma lipid classes in obese children than in nonobese controls. In the present study, fatty acid composition of plasma phospholipids (PL) and sterol esters (STE) was determined by high-resolution capillary gas-liquid chromatography in obese children with an without metabolic cardiovascular syndrome [MCS: defined as simultaneous presence of (i) dyslipidemia, (ii) hyperinsulinemia, (iii) hypertension, and (iv) impaired glucose tolerance] and in nonobese controls. Fatty acid composition of PL and STE lipids did not differ between obese children without MCS and controls. Obese children with MCS exhibited significantly lower linoleic acid (LA, 18∶2n−6) values in PL (17.43 [2.36], %wt/wt, median [range from the first to the third quartile]) than obese children without MCS (19.14 [3.49]) and controls (20.28 [3.80]). In contrast, PL GLA values were significantly higher in obese children with (0.13 [0.08]) than in those without MCS (0.08 [0.04]), whereas STE GLA values were higher in obese children with MCS (1.04 [0.72]) than in controls (0.62 [0.48]). DHGLA values in PL were significantly higher in obese children with MCS (4.06 [0.74]) than in controls (2.69 [1.60]). The GLA/LA ratio was significantly higher, whereas the AA/DHGLA ratio was significantly lower in obese children with MCS than in obese children without MCS and in controls. In this study, LA metabolism was affected only in obese children with but not in those without MCS. In obese children with MCS, δ6-desaturase activity appeared to be stimulated, whereas δ5-desaturase activity appeared to be inhibited. Disturbances in LA metabolism may represent an additional health hazard within the multifaceted clinical picture of MCS.

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Abbreviations

AA:

arachidonic acid

DHGLA:

dihomo-γ-linolenic acid

EFA:

essential fatty acid

GLA:

γ-linolenic acid

LA:

lmoleic acid

LCPUFA:

long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid

MCS:

metabolic cardiovascular syndrome

PL:

phospholipid

PUFA:

polyunsaturated fatty acid

STE:

sterol ester

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Paediatrics, University of Pécs, József A. u. 7, H-7623, Pécs, Hungary

    Tamás Decsi, Györgyi Csabi, Katalin Török, Éva Erhardt, Hajnalka Minda, István Burus, Szilárd Molnár & Dénes Molnár

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  1. Tamás Decsi
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  2. Györgyi Csabi
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Correspondence to Tamás Decsi.

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Decsi, T., Csabi, G., Török, K. et al. Polyunsaturated fatty acids in plasma lipids of obese children with and without metabolic cardiovascular syndrome. Lipids 35, 1179–1184 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-000-0634-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-000-0634-7

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