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The rise in prevalence of obesity in women of reproductive age in developed and developing countries might propagate intergenerational cycles of detrimental effects on metabolic health. Placental lipid metabolism is disrupted by maternal obesity, which possibly affects the life-long health of the offspring. Here, we investigated placental lipid metabolism in women with pre-gestational obesity as a sole pregnancy complication and compared it to placental responses of lean women. Open profile and targeted lipidomics were used to assess placental lipids and oxidised products of docosahexaenoic (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA), respectively, neuroprostanes and isoprostanes. Despite no overall signs of lipid accumulation, DHA and AA levels in placentas from obese women were, respectively, 2.2 and 2.5 times higher than those from lean women. Additionally, a 2-fold increase in DHA-derived neuroprostanes and a 1.7-fold increase in AA-derived isoprostanes were seen in the obese group. These changes correlated with a 70% decrease in placental FABP1 protein. Multivariate analyses suggested that neuroprostanes and isoprostanes are associated with maternal and placental inflammation and with birth weight. These results might shed light on the molecular mechanisms associated with altered placental fatty acid metabolism in maternal pre-gestational obesity, placing these oxidised fatty acids as novel mediators of placental function.

There is mounting evidence that the consumption of fermented dairy products such as cheese and yoghurt is associated with a reduced risk of type II diabetes. This effect is greater than in fresh milk and differs between cheese and yoghurt. However, the molecular components responsible for the effect are not known. We tested the hypothesis that the lipid and/or glyceride profiles of yoghurts and cheeses are distinct from one another and fresh milk. We developed a novel sample preparation technique for high-fat samples that can be used with Direct Infusion−Mass Spectrometry. We found that the lipid and glyceride profiles of cheddars from the UK, Ireland and France, and hard cheeses from Sweden and Italy were similar to one another but distinct from unfermented dairy products. The lipid and glyceride profile of yoghurts was varied and included types that may be similar to fresh milk. Several odd-chain-containing triglycerides were more abundant, while a variety of others were less abundant, in fermented milk samples. Phosphatidylcholines and phosphatidylethanolamines were more abundant in cheeses, with evidence that the phosphatidylethanomine profile is re-modelled in a way that reflects the bacterial cell envelope. We concluded that a combination of microorganismal metabolism, concentration of the lipid/glyceride fraction and oxidation during fermentation contribute to the observed lipid profile if fermented dairy foods. These differences in the lipid and glyceride profile provide a new avenue for understanding why different fermented dairy foods show a different association with reduced disease risk compared to unfermented dairy.

Our aims were to investigate vitamin A and E status during lactation and the determinants of breast milk content for the appropriate nutrition of the infant in a study with nursing Brazilian women. We hypothesized that both inadequate intake and the lipoprotein distribution of vitamin A and E during lactation could have an impact on their breast milk levels from early- to mid-lactation. Nineteen adult lactating women participated in this longitudinal observational study, in which dietary records, blood and mature breast milk samples were collected for the analysis of vitamin A and E, and carotenoids in early- (2nd to 4th week) and mid-lactation (12th to 14th week). Nutrient intake was balanced by the Multiple Source Method (MSM), and the intake of vitamin A and E was inadequate in 74 and 100% of the women, respectively. However, these results were not reflected in low serum concentrations of retinol and only 37% of the volunteers were vitamin E deficient according to the blood biomarker. As lactation progressed, vitamin A and E status worsened, and this was clearly observed by the decrease in their content in breast milk. The reduced content of vitamin A and E in the breast milk was not related to their distribution in lipoproteins. Taken together, the contents of vitamin A and E in breast milk seemed to be more sensitive markers of maternal nutrition status than respective blood concentrations, and dietary assessment by the MSM in early lactation was sensitive to indicate later risks of deficiency and should support maternal dietary guidance to improve the infant’s nutrition.