Changes in the Fatty Acids Pattern of Red Blood Cell Phospholipids Induced by Type of Milk, Dietary Nucleotide Supplementation, and Postnatal Age in Preterm Infants

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Abstract
Summary: The fatty acid profile of red blood cell phospholipids and the total phospholipid and cholesterol contents of erythrocyte membrane in preterm infants in the first month of life were studied. Influences of human milk and adapted formula and dietary nucleotides supplementation at a level similar to that found in human milk were evaluated. Nineteen preterm newborn infants with adequate weight for gestational age were fed their own mother's preterm human milk, 18 with a standard milk formula and 18 with the same formula supplemented with nucleotides. Blood samples were obtained at birth from cord blood, and at 30 days of age. At 1 month of life, linoleic acid rose in formula fed infants compared to those fed human milk (p < 0.05) and relative amounts of 20:3w6, 20:4w6, 22:4w6, 22:5w6, and total polyunsaturates of the w6 series greater than 18 carbon atoms were significantly decreased in standard milk formula fed infants (p < 0.05–0.01). No significant differences for these fatty acids were found between human milk and nucleotide milk formula infants. Docosahexaenoic acid (22:6w3) decreased from birth to 1 month of age in formula fed infants (p < 0.01) but not in human milk fed infants. Infants fed nucleotide milk formula showed intermediate values for 20:3w6 and 20:4w6 (p < 0.1) between infants fed human milk and those fed standard milk formula. The unsaturation index of erythrocyte phospholipids was significantly decreased in the standard milk formula fed infants as compared to those fed human milk (p < 0.01) and it showed a trend to be decreased as compared to those fed nucleotide milk formula (p < 0.1). Membrane cholesterol was increased in infants fed standard milk formula compared to those fed nucleotide milk formula (p < 0.05) and those fed human milk (p < 0.1) and the cholesterol/phosphorous molar ratio showed a trend to be increased in standard milk formula fed infants (p < 0.1). We suggest that dietary nucleotides may improve the “in vivo” conversion of parent essential fatty acids to their polyunsaturated long chain derivatives during early life.