Circulating lipid levels are typically low during fetal development but rise sharply at birth. Premature infants are exposed to these elevated lipid levels earlier than expected, but how does the heart respond to this shift in metabolic conditions?
In fetal life, the heart primarily relies on carbohydrates, such as glucose and lactate, for energy. By contrast, the adult heart mainly uses lipids for fuel. It has long been assumed that lipid exposure at birth plays a key role in maturing the cardiomyocyte systems to efficiently use lipids for energy.
Our findings suggest that lipid exposure does stimulate some degree of metabolic maturation in the fetal heart. However, we also found that exposure to lipids—both in utero and in isolated cardiomyocytes—impairs their maximum metabolic rate. This raises important questions about the potential consequences of early lipid exposure, especially in preterm infants, and whether this could have lasting effects on heart function and energy metabolism.
Find this paper on Pubmed and in Physiological Reports.