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[Insulin receptors in intrauterine growth retardation]

J Jordán1, M C Blasco, M G Juste

  • 1Departamento de Pediatría y Puericultura, Facultad de Medicina, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Zaragoza.

Anales Espanoles De Pediatria
|May 1, 1988
PubMed

Insights

Neonatal small for gestational age infants show increased insulin sensitivity due to altered erythrocyte insulin receptors. This suggests a compensatory mechanism in response to chronic undernutrition.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Neonatal Physiology
  • Metabolic Research

Context:

  • Neonatal period is critical for metabolic development.
  • Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) impacts infant physiology.
  • Erythrocyte insulin receptors play a role in glucose homeostasis.

Purpose:

  • To analyze erythrocyte insulin binding and receptors in newborns.
  • To compare insulin sensitivity in term infants versus small for gestational age (SGA) infants.
  • To investigate the relationship between birth weight and insulin receptor characteristics in SGA infants.

Summary:

  • Studied 30 normal and 15 SGA newborns, measuring cord blood insulin binding, receptors, glucose, insulin, C-peptide, and C-peptide/insulin ratio.
  • SGA infants exhibited significantly lower affinity and higher dissociation constants for erythrocyte insulin receptors (p=0.05).
  • A negative correlation was found between the number of insulin receptor sites per cell and birth weight in SGA infants (r=-0.57, p<0.05).

Impact:

  • Findings suggest increased insulin sensitivity in SGA infants, potentially due to receptor upregulation as a response to chronic undernutrition.
  • Provides insights into the mechanisms of insulin resistance and adaptation in growth-restricted neonates.
  • Highlights the importance of erythrocyte insulin receptor analysis for understanding neonatal metabolic adaptation.

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