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Glucocorticoid receptor expression in whole blood with preterm infants
Hayato Go1, Maki Sato, Koichi Hashimoto
1Department of Pediatrics, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan. go-h@fmu.ac.jp
Insights
Glucocorticoid receptor beta (GRβ) mRNA expression is higher in preterm infants and linked to birth weight. This finding is crucial for understanding glucocorticoid hormone roles in preterm infant development.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Neonatology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Glucocorticoid hormones are vital for fetal development.
- Glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression in preterm infants' blood is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify glucocorticoid receptor alpha (GRα) and beta (GRβ) levels in the whole blood of preterm and term infants.
- To explore the relationship between GR isoforms and infant characteristics.
Main Methods:
- Real-time PCR was used to analyze whole blood samples from 131 infants (54 preterm).
- GRα and GRβ mRNA levels were measured and compared between preterm and term infants.
Main Results:
- GRα and GRβ mRNA were detected in nearly all infants.
- Preterm infants showed significantly higher GRβ mRNA expression compared to term infants (p=0.002).
- GRβ expression and the GRα/GRβ ratio correlated with birth weight in preterm infants, and GRβ was higher in small-for-gestational-age infants.
Conclusions:
- GRβ expression and the GRα/GRβ ratio are associated with birth weight in preterm infants.
- Further research with larger cohorts is needed to clarify the clinical significance of GR expression in preterm infants.
Background:
Although glucocorticoid hormones play important roles in fetal development, the expression of their receptors in the whole blood of preterm infants remains unknown.
Objectives:
The aim of this study was to investigate the levels of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) α and β in the whole blood of preterm and term infants.
Study Design:
The study group consisted of 131 infants, of which 54 (41%) were preterm. Whole blood from preterm and term infants was analyzed by real-time PCR to monitor the levels of each receptor mRNA.
Results:
GRβ mRNA were detected in 96.6% and GRα mRNA in 100% of participants. The GRα and GRβ isoforms were detected at a ratio of 1:0.0002. GRβ mRNA/GAPDH expression in preterm infants was significantly higher than that in term infants (p=0.002). There was significant correlation between GRα/GRβ ratio and birth weight in preterm infants (rs=0.317, p=0.019), as well as between GRβ/GAPDH expression and birth weight (rs=-0.296, p=0.030). Furthermore, in preterm infants, GRβ/GAPDH expression was higher in those with SGA than in those without SGA (p=0.022).
Conclusion:
Importantly, in preterm infants, both the expression of GRβ and the GRα/GRβ ratio were associated with birth weight. Further studies with larger populations are necessary to determine the relation between the expression of GR and the clinical relevance of preterm infants.
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