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Published on: July 13, 2014
Clinical approach to intestinal maturation in neonates prenatally exposed to alcohol
Carmen Través1, Oriol Coll, Vicens Cararach
1Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av/ Diagonal 645, Barcelona, Spain.
Insights
Prenatal alcohol exposure significantly lowers apolipoprotein A-IV (apoA-IV) levels in newborns, indicating potential intestinal damage. This finding suggests apoA-IV as a novel serum marker for diagnosing fetal alcohol effects on the gut.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Neonatalogy
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Prenatal exposure to ethanol can impact fetal development, particularly the gastrointestinal tract.
- A non-invasive diagnostic marker is needed to assess the effects of in utero ethanol exposure on intestinal structural integrity.
- Apolipoprotein A-IV (apoA-IV), synthesized by intestinal mucosa and present in fetal circulation, is a potential candidate marker.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate apolipoprotein A-IV (apoA-IV) as a serum marker for prenatal ethanol exposure effects on intestinal development.
- To compare apoA-IV levels in neonates exposed to alcohol in utero versus controls.
Main Methods:
- Umbilical cord serum samples were collected from neonates exposed to alcohol during pregnancy and a control group.
- Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot analysis were employed to quantify apoA-IV levels.
- Gestational age ranged from 36 to 42 weeks for all neonates studied.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in mean birth body weight was observed between the groups.
- Neonates exposed to ethanol in utero exhibited approximately 30% lower serum apoA-IV levels at birth compared to controls.
- This reduction in apoA-IV was independent of neonatal body weight.
Conclusions:
- Circulating apolipoprotein A-IV (apoA-IV) levels show promise as a clinical biomarker for prenatal ethanol's impact on intestinal structural integrity.
- Early neonatal diagnosis of alcohol-induced intestinal effects could lead to improved postnatal outcomes.
- Further research into apoA-IV as a diagnostic tool for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders affecting the gut is warranted.
Aim:
The need for a non-invasive diagnosis of the effects of ethanol in utero on the development of the intestine in humans led us to look for a serum marker of the structural integrity of the intestine. We propose apolipoprotein A-IV (apoA-IV) as a possible candidate. In humans this protein is synthesized only by intestinal mucosa, it is expressed in the enterocyte of the foetus from 20 weeks of gestation, and it is released to the blood stream after synthesis.
Methods:
We measured the levels of apoA-IV in the umbilical cord serum of neonates whose mothers had consumed alcohol during pregnancy and neonates born to women who had not (controls). The gestational age at delivery of the cases studied ranged from 36 to 42 weeks. ELISA and Western blot analysis were used.
Results:
There was no difference in the mean body weight of neonates from either group. Nevertheless, exposure to ethanol in utero significantly reduced (by about 30%) the apoA-IV levels in serum at birth, regardless of body weight.
Conclusion:
Our findings suggest that circulating apoA-IV levels could be used as a clinical marker of the prenatal effects of ethanol on the structural integrity of the intestine. Neonatal diagnosis of these intestinal effects could improve post-natal outcome.
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