(omega-1)-Hydroxymonocarboxylic acids in urine of infants fed medium-chain triglycerides.

Organic acids in the urine of infants fed a formula containing medium-chain triglycerides (octanoic acid 49% and decanoic acid 26% of total fatty acids) were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. We found a considerable amount of 5-hydroxyhexanoic acid and 7-hydroxyoctanoic acid, but no detectable 9-hydroxydecanoic acid, as well as a large amount of C6-C10-dicarboxylic acid. We believe that such acids are derived, via (omega-1)-hydroxylation, from medium-chain monocarboxylic acid or medium-chain acyl-CoA in the liver cell. The degree of (omega-1)-hydroxylation of medium-chain fatty acids relative to omega-hydroxylation apparently increases as the chain length of the fatty acids decreases.