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Changes of Molecular Glycerophospholipid Species in Plasma and Red Blood Cells During Docosahexaenoic Acid Supplementation

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Lipids

Abstract

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) status is related to health and disease risk. DHA status is mainly determined by dietary DHA intake, since endogenous synthesis of DHA is limited. We aimed to investigate the changes of different molecular glycerophospholipid species containing DHA in plasma and red blood cells (RBC) in response to increased DHA intake. Thirteen healthy adults had their diet supplemented with 510 mg DHA/day for 29 days. Fasted blood samples were taken at 11 time points and glycerophospholipid species were analyzed by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. In plasma, percentages of glycerophospholipid species containing DHA increased significantly by 64–104 % relative to baseline values during supplementation, but the relative distribution between species was not markedly altered. In RBC, phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) species containing DHA increased to a similar extent as in plasma, while phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine species with DHA increased by only 12–25 %, respectively, which was significantly different compared to PtdCho species (p < 0.01). Despite the high increase, the contribution of DHA PtdCho species to total DHA remained minor (14 % after supplementation). In conclusion, DHA supplementation does not alter the relative distribution of DHA among glycerophospholipid species in plasma. A majority of PtdCho species are rapidly exchanged between plasma lipoproteins and RBC membrane lipids, while there is a minor exchange of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine species.

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Abbreviations

CDP:

Cytidine diphosphate

DHA:

Docosahexaenoic acid

FA:

Fatty acid(s)

GPL:

Glycerophospholipid

LC:

Long chain

PtdCho:

Phosphatidylcholine

PtdEtn:

Phosphatidylethanolamine

PEMT:

Phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase

PtdSer:

Phosphatidylserine

RBC:

Red blood cell

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported in part by the German Ministry of Education and Research, Competence Network on Obesity, 01GI0826 and the PINGU project 0315680B. Additional financial support by the Commission of the European Communities, Project Early Nutrition (FP7-KBBE-2011-05) is grateful acknowledged. This manuscript does not necessarily reflect the views of the commission and in no way anticipates future policy in this area. The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest. The present data are part of a Ph.D. thesis completed by Olaf Uhl at the Medical Faculty of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Metabolic and Nutritional Medicine, Dr. von Hauner Children’s Hospital, University of Munich Medical Center, Lindwurmstr. 4, 80337, Munich, Germany

    Olaf Uhl, Hans Demmelmair, Mario Klingler & Berthold Koletzko

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  1. Olaf Uhl
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  2. Hans Demmelmair
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  3. Mario Klingler
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  4. Berthold Koletzko
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Correspondence to Berthold Koletzko.

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Uhl, O., Demmelmair, H., Klingler, M. et al. Changes of Molecular Glycerophospholipid Species in Plasma and Red Blood Cells During Docosahexaenoic Acid Supplementation. Lipids 48, 1103–1113 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-013-3837-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-013-3837-8

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