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Transforming growth factor-beta1 in fetal serum correlates with insulin-like growth factor-I and fetal growth
Eva Ostlund1, Michael Tally, Gabriel Fried
1Department of Woman and Child Health, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Insights
Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1) levels in fetal serum correlate with fetal growth, with lower levels observed in intrauterine growth restriction. This study also confirms the roles of insulin-like growth factor-I and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 in fetal development.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Biology
- Endocrinology
- Perinatology
Background:
- Fetal growth is a critical indicator of pregnancy health.
- Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1) and insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are implicated in fetal development.
- Understanding the relationship between these factors and fetal growth is essential for identifying potential growth abnormalities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the correlation between fetal serum transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1) levels and fetal growth.
- To investigate the relationship between TGF-β1 and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) in the context of fetal growth.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of active transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1) in cord blood serum from 68 fetuses using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
- Comparison of TGF-β1 levels across groups: intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), preeclampsia with IUGR, preeclampsia without IUGR, large for gestational age (LGA), and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) fetuses.
- Correlation analysis between TGF-β1, IGF-I, IGFBP-1, and birth weight.
Main Results:
- Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1) concentrations were significantly correlated with birth weight.
- Lower TGF-β1 levels were observed in fetuses with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) compared to appropriate for gestational age (AGA) fetuses.
- Positive correlations were found between birth weight and both TGF-β1 (r = 0.48) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) (r = 0.36), while a negative correlation was observed with insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) (r = -0.32).
- Significant correlations were also found between TGF-β1 and IGF-I (r = 0.29) and between TGF-β1 and IGFBP-1 (r = -0.25).
Conclusions:
- Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1) may play a role in regulating fetal growth during pregnancy.
- The findings support existing evidence linking insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) to fetal growth.
- TGF-β1 could serve as a potential biomarker for assessing fetal growth and identifying growth disturbances.
Objective:
To estimate whether transforming growth factor-beta1 in fetal serum obtained by umbilical cord sampling at delivery is correlated with fetal growth. We also estimated whether transforming growth factor-beta1 is correlated with insulin-like growth factor-I and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1, which have been shown to correlate with fetal growth.
Methods:
The active form of transforming growth factor-beta1 was analyzed in serum from cord blood from 68 fetuses by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. Of the 68 pregnant women, 12 had preeclampsia, 14 had preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction, 15 had intrauterine growth restriction alone, and seven had fetuses that were large for gestational age (LGA). Twenty pregnancies with fetuses appropriate for gestational age (AGA) served as controls.
Results:
Transforming growth factor-beta1 concentrations were significantly correlated with birth weight. The average transforming growth factor-beta1 concentration in the following groups were: intrauterine growth restriction, 22.4 +/- 2.7 microg/L; intrauterine growth restriction plus preeclampsia, 22.9 +/- 2.0 microg/L; preeclampsia without intrauterine growth restriction, 28.8 +/- 2.1 microg/L; LGA, 30.3 +/- 4.3 microg/L; and AGA, 36.8 +/- 2.0 microg/L. Transforming growth factor-beta1 levels were significantly lower in pregnancies complicated by intrauterine growth restriction and showed a positive correlation with birth weight (r = 0.48, P <.001). Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between insulin-like growth factor-I levels and birth weight (r = 0.36, P <.01) and a negative correlation between insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 and birth weight (r = -0.32, P <.01). There was also a correlation between transforming growth factor-beta1 and insulin-like growth factor-I (r = 0.29, P <.05) and between transforming growth factor-beta1 and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (r = -0.25, P <.05).
Conclusion:
Transforming growth factor-beta1 might be related to fetal growth in pregnancy. The results also support previous data showing that insulin-like growth factor-I and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 are related to fetal growth.