Transport of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in preterm infant plasma is dominated by phosphatidylcholine

Background Docosahexaenoic (C22:6) and arachidonic (C20:4) acids are long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) essential to neonatal development, being present in the glycerophospholipids of all organs, particularly the brain. In plasma, LC-PUFAs are mainly present in lipoprotein lipids, which are neutral lipids (triglycerides and cholesterol esters) and glycerophospholipids, like choline containing phosphatidylcholine (PC).