Segmental hair metabolomics analysis in pregnant women with pregnancy complications

Pregnancy complications, as preeclampsia (PE) and HELLP syndrome, occurring with similar pathophysiological mechanisms, have adverse effects on the health of both mother and fetus during pregnancy and thereafter, they are leading causes of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. The hair metabolome has been recognized as a valuable source of information in pregnancy research, as it provides stable metabolite information to be able to assist with studying biomarkers or metabolic mechanisms of pregnancy and its complications.

The aim of this study was to investigate the hair metabolome profile of pregnant women with PE, HELLP syndrome and healthy women.

Hair samples of new-borns' mothers (patients and controls) were investigated segmentally relevant to each trimester using a proper sample preparation and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to identify robust biomarkers that can be useful for screening, early detection, follow-up and treatment of PE and HELLP syndrome, the etiology of which are still unknown.

The results showed a significant change in the metabolome profiles of the patient and control groups regarding the trimesters. A striking decrease was observed in all 100 metabolites investigated in the patient group (p < 0.000). The metabolic pathways associated with significant metabolites have also been investigated, and the most affected pathways were observed to be the urea cycle, glycine, serine, aspartate, methionine and purine metabolism, ammonia cycle, and phosphatidylethanolamine biosynthesis.

The found metabolites provide us with extensive data on the ability to establish biomarkers for predicting, early detection and monitoring of PE.