Medizin - Open Access LMU - Teil 15/22 Archiv

Considerable evidence exists for marked beneficial effects of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) during pregnancy. The omega-3 LCPUFA docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is incorporated in large amounts in fetal brain and other tissues during the second half of pregnancy, and several studies have provided evidence for a link between early DHA status of the mother and visual and cognitive development of her child after birth. Moreover, the supplementation of omega-3 LC-PUFA during pregnancy increases slightly infant size at birth, and significantly reduces early preterm birth before 34 weeks of gestation by 31%. In our studies using stable isotope methodology in vivo, we demonstrated active and preferential materno-fetal transfer of DHA across the human placenta and found the expression of human placental fatty acid binding and transport proteins. From the correlation of DHA values with placental fatty acid transport protein 4 (FATP 4), we conclude that this protein is of key importance in mediating DHA transport across the human placenta. Given the great importance of placental DHA transport for infant outcome, further studies are needed to fully appreciate the effects and optimal strategies of omega-3 fatty acid interventions in pregnancy, dose response relationships, and the potential differences between subgroups of subjects such as women with gestational diabetes or other gestational pathology. Such studies should contribute to optimize substrate intake during pregnancy and lactation that may improve pregnancy outcome as well as fetal growth and development.

Aims: An association between paternal age and type 1 diabetes (IDDM) among their offspring was recent reported as well as transgenerational responses in humans. This paper aims to assess the association of markers for prenatal exposures with IDDM. Methods: We analysed data from two birth cohorts in Great Britain on 5214 cohort members from the National Child Development Study (NCDS) and 6068 members of the 1970 British Birth Cohort Study (BCS70) with full information on IDDM and explanatory variables using multivariate logistic regression. Results: IDDM prevalence was 0.7% (95% CI 0.5-1.0%; n = 38) in the NCDS and 0.4% (95% CI 0.3-0.6%; n = 27) in the BCS70 cohort. Paternal age was not associated with IDDM possibly due to lack of sample power. Unexpectedly, a lowered prevalence of IDDM was observed among offspring of smoking fathers in both cohorts, with a combined odds ratio of 0.44 (95% CI 0.25-0.75). This association could not be explained by maternal smoking prior to, during or after pregnancy, number of siblings, parental social class, maternal and paternal age, or cohort. Maternal smoking in pregnancy did not alter the IDDM prevalence among offspring. Conclusions: This unexpected finding may be explained by germ-line mutations or other mechanisms associated with paternal smoking. This phenomenon should be investigated and these results should not be used as a justification for smoking. Paternal exposures may be important in determining IDDM risk.