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Salivary FOXP2 expression and oral feeding success in premature infants
Emily Zimmerman1, Monika Maki1, Jill Maron2
1Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA;
Insights
Salivary FOXP2 gene expression predicts feeding success in premature infants. Higher FOXP2 levels indicate faster achievement of full oral feeds, suggesting its potential as a biomarker for infant feeding skills.
Area of Science:
- Neonatology
- Genetics
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Premature infants often struggle with oral feeding, leading to prolonged hospital stays.
- Identifying reliable biomarkers for feeding success is crucial for optimizing infant care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if salivary FOXP2 gene expression at the start of feeding trials can predict oral feeding success in premature newborns.
- To explore FOXP2 as a potential non-invasive biomarker for assessing infant feeding abilities.
Main Methods:
- Prospective collection of saliva samples from 21 premature infants (gestational age 30-34 weeks) initiating oral feeding.
- RNA extraction followed by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) to measure FOXP2 expression.
- Linear regression analysis controlling for sex, gestational age, and weight to assess the association between FOXP2 levels and time to full oral feeds.
Main Results:
- Salivary FOXP2 expression was significantly associated with oral feeding success (P = 0.002).
- Higher levels of FOXP2 expression correlated with a shorter duration to achieve full oral feeds.
- The findings remained significant after controlling for relevant covariates.
Conclusions:
- Salivary FOXP2 gene expression is a significant predictor of oral feeding success in preterm infants.
- FOXP2 may serve as a novel, non-invasive biomarker to assess infant feeding skills.
- Utilizing FOXP2 as a biomarker could potentially reduce morbidities and hospital length of stay for premature infants.
Abstract:
The objective of the study is to determine whether salivary FOXP2 gene expression levels at the initiation of oral feeding attempts are predictive of oral feeding success in the premature newborn. In this prospective study, saliva samples from 21 premature infants (13 males; birth gestational age [GA]: 30-34 wk) were collected around the initiation of oral feeding trials. Total RNA was extracted and underwent reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction amplification for FOXP2. Oral feeding success was denoted by the days required to attain full oral feeds. A linear regression model, controlling for sex, birth GA, and weight at salivary collection, revealed that FOXP2 expression was significantly associated with oral feeding success (P = 0.002). The higher the expression level of FOXP2, the shorter the duration to feed. Salivary FOXP2 expression levels are significantly associated with oral feeding success in the preterm infant. FOXP2 may serve as a novel and informative biomarker to noninvasively assess infant feeding skills to reduce morbidities and length of stay.
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