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Published on: October 12, 2017
Oxidized low-density lipoproteins in cord blood from neonates with intra-uterine growth restriction
Line Leduc1, Edgard Delvin, Annie Ouellet
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Université de Montréal and Research Centre, CHU Sainte-Justine, Quebec, Canada. l.leduc@umontreal.ca
Insights
Intra-uterine growth restriction in twins is linked to higher oxidized low-density lipoproteins. Inflammation biomarkers did not show significant changes in these growth-restricted neonates.
Area of Science:
- Perinatal Medicine
- Biochemistry
- Neonatology
Background:
- Intra-uterine growth restriction (IUGR) is a significant concern in twin pregnancies.
- Oxidative stress and inflammation are implicated in placental insufficiency and IUGR.
- Understanding these pathways is crucial for identifying at-risk neonates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers in umbilical cord blood of neonates with IUGR.
- To compare these biomarkers between growth-restricted neonates and their normal-growth co-twins.
Main Methods:
- A prospective cohort study of 200 twin pregnancies was conducted across 3 tertiary care centers.
- Twin pairs with one neonate exhibiting IUGR (fetal growth <10th percentile with abnormal umbilical artery Doppler) were analyzed (N=38).
- Umbilical vein blood samples were collected at birth for biomarker analysis, with intra-pair comparisons using the Student paired t-test.
Main Results:
- Neonates with IUGR showed significantly increased levels of oxidized low-density lipoproteins (oxLDL) in cord blood compared to their normal co-twins (p=.003).
- Malondialdehyde levels were not significantly different between the groups.
- While inflammatory biomarkers tended to be elevated in growth-restricted neonates, these differences did not reach statistical significance.
Conclusions:
- Intra-uterine growth restriction in the twin model is associated with increased low-density lipoprotein oxidation.
- The study suggests that inflammation biomarkers may not be significantly dysregulated in IUGR neonates within this specific model.
- Oxidized low-density lipoproteins represent a potential marker for IUGR in twin pregnancies.
Objective:
We verified whether oxidative stress indices (oxidized low-density lipoproteins and malondialdehyde) and inflammatory biomarkers (circulating C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, tumour necrosis factor-α, serum amyloid A and soluble intercellular vascular cell adhesion molecule) are increased in the umbilical vein of placental insufficiency induced intra-uterine growth restricted neonates.
Study Design:
The prospective cohort study, involving 3 tertiary care centers, consists of 200 consecutively recruited pregnant women carrying twins. We chose the twin pregnancy model because both fetuses share the same maternal environment, thereby avoiding potential confounding factors when comparing oxidative stress and inflammation biomarkers. We analysed only twin pairs with one with intra-uterine growth restriction (N=38) defined as fetal growth<10th percentile with abnormal Doppler of the umbilical artery. Blood samples were taken at birth from the umbilical vein. Intra-pair comparisons on the biomarkers were performed using the Student paired t-test.
Results:
We observed increased cord blood levels of oxidized low-density lipoproteins, (2.394 ± .412 vs 1.296 ± .204, p=.003) but not of malondialdehyde in growth restricted neonates when compared to their normal counterparts. Although indices of inflammation tended to be increased in cord blood from growth restricted newborns, the difference did not reach statistical significance.
Conclusion:
In the twin model, intra-uterine growth restriction is associated with low-density lipoprotein oxidation without apparent dysregulation of inflammation biomarkers.
Condensation:
Increased oxidized low-density lipoproteins are observed in growth restricted twins compared to their co-twins with normal growth at birth.
