TY - JOUR
T1 - Low serum v-3 and v-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and other metabolites are associated with poor linear growth in young children from rural Malawi
AU - Semba, Richard D.
AU - Trehan, Indi
AU - Li, Ximin
AU - Salem, Norman
AU - Moaddel, Ruin
AU - Ordiz, M. Isabel
AU - Maleta, Kenneth M.
AU - Kraemer, Klaus
AU - Manary, Mark J.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 American Society for Nutrition.
PY - 2017/12/1
Y1 - 2017/12/1
N2 - Background: Stunting affects w25% of children,5 y of age and is associated with impaired cognitive and motor development and increased morbidity and mortality. The pathogenesis of stunting is poorly understood. Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify altered metabolic pathways associated with child stunting. Design: We measured 677 serum metabolites using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry in a cross-sectional study of 400 Malawian children aged 12–59 mo, of whom 62% were stunted. Results: A low height-for-age z score (HAZ) was associated with lower serum concentrations of 1) v-3 (n–3) and v-6 (n–6) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), 2) sulfated neurosteroids, which play a role in brain development, 3) carnitine, a conditionally essential nutrient with an important role in the carnitine shuttle for the metabolism of fatty acids and energy production, and 4) g-glutamyl amino acids, which represent an altered g-glutamyl cycle of glutathione metabolism. A low HAZ was associated with significantly higher serum concentrations of 5 biomarkers related to cigarette smoke exposure. Conclusions: This metabolomics study shows a cross-sectional association between stunting and low serum v-3 and v-6 long-chain PUFAs, which are essential for growth and development; low sulfated neurosteroids, which play a role in brain development; low carnitine, which is essential for b-oxidation of fatty acids; alterations in glutathione metabolism; and increased serum metabolites that are associated with secondhand tobacco smoke exposure. This trial was registered at www.controlled-trials.com as ISRCTN14597012.
AB - Background: Stunting affects w25% of children,5 y of age and is associated with impaired cognitive and motor development and increased morbidity and mortality. The pathogenesis of stunting is poorly understood. Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify altered metabolic pathways associated with child stunting. Design: We measured 677 serum metabolites using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry in a cross-sectional study of 400 Malawian children aged 12–59 mo, of whom 62% were stunted. Results: A low height-for-age z score (HAZ) was associated with lower serum concentrations of 1) v-3 (n–3) and v-6 (n–6) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), 2) sulfated neurosteroids, which play a role in brain development, 3) carnitine, a conditionally essential nutrient with an important role in the carnitine shuttle for the metabolism of fatty acids and energy production, and 4) g-glutamyl amino acids, which represent an altered g-glutamyl cycle of glutathione metabolism. A low HAZ was associated with significantly higher serum concentrations of 5 biomarkers related to cigarette smoke exposure. Conclusions: This metabolomics study shows a cross-sectional association between stunting and low serum v-3 and v-6 long-chain PUFAs, which are essential for growth and development; low sulfated neurosteroids, which play a role in brain development; low carnitine, which is essential for b-oxidation of fatty acids; alterations in glutathione metabolism; and increased serum metabolites that are associated with secondhand tobacco smoke exposure. This trial was registered at www.controlled-trials.com as ISRCTN14597012.
KW - Arachidonic acid
KW - Carnitine
KW - Dehydroepiandrosterone
KW - Docosahexaenoic acid
KW - Malnutrition
KW - Pregnenolone sulfate
KW - Stunting
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85038130250&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3945/ajcn.117.164384
DO - 10.3945/ajcn.117.164384
M3 - Article
C2 - 29070563
AN - SCOPUS:85038130250
SN - 0002-9165
VL - 106
SP - 1490
EP - 1499
JO - American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
JF - American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
IS - 6
ER -