Title:Linoleic and Arachidonic Fatty Acids and their Potential Relationship
with Inflammation, Pregnancy, and Fetal Development
Volume: 31
Issue: 31
Author(s): Macarena Ortiz, Daniela Álvarez, Yasna Muñoz, Nicolás Crisosto, Rodrigo Valenzuela and Manuel Maliqueo*
Affiliation:
- Laboratory of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine West Division, Universidad de
Chile, Santiago, Chile
Keywords:
Fatty acids, linoleic acid, arachidonic acid, obesity, pregnancy, fetal development, inflammation.
Abstract:
A healthy maternal diet must consider an appropriate supply of long-chain polyunsaturated
fatty acids (LCPUFAs) precursors to ensure adequate growth and development
of the fetus. In this regard, n-6 PUFAs, predominantly linoleic (C18:2 n-6, LA) and
arachidonic acid (C20:4 n-6), have a central role in the development of the central nervous
system because they are part of the membrane structure and participate in the
metabolism and signal transduction of cells. Nevertheless, they can also be transformed
into inflammatory metabolites promoting the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases,
cancer, and autoimmune or inflammatory conditions. In modern westernized societies,
there is a high dietary consumption of foods rich in n-6 PUFAs which could have detrimental
consequences for the fetus and neonate due to excessive exposure to these fatty
acids (FAs).
Objective: To summarize the evidence of maternal, placental, and fetal alterations that an
excessive intake of n-6 polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs), LA, and AA, could produce during
pregnancy.
Methods: A thorough review of the literature regarding the effects of n-6 PUFAs during
pregnancy and lactation including in vivo and in vitro models, was carried out using the
PubMed database from the National Library of Medicine-National Institutes of Health.
Results: An elevated intake of n-6 PUFA, specifically LA, during pregnancy influences
children's motor, cognitive, and verbal development during infancy and early childhood.
Similarly, they could harm the placenta and the development of other fetal organs such
as the fat tissue, liver, and cardiovascular system.
Conclusion: Maternal diet, specifically LA intake, could have significant repercussions
on fetal development and long-term consequences in the offspring, including the possibility
of future metabolic and mental diseases. It would be necessary to focus on the prevention
of these alterations through timely dietary interventions in the target population.
