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Cord Blood Spexin Level in Mothers with Obesity-Forecast of Future Obesity?
Malgorzata Wojciechowska1, Pawel A Kolodziejski2, Ewa Pruszynska-Oszmalek2
1Department of Mother and Child Health, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-806 Poznan, Poland.
Insights
Lower spexin (SPX) levels in maternal and cord blood of obese mothers may indicate fetal metabolic modulation. SPX at birth may predict a child's future body weight, suggesting a role in obesity predisposition.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Metabolic Research
- Perinatal Medicine
Background:
- Spexin (SPX) regulates food intake and body weight (BW) via carbohydrate-lipid metabolism.
- The role of SPX in fetal, child, and adolescent metabolism is not well-defined.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of maternal obesity on SPX concentrations in maternal blood (MB) and umbilical cord blood (UCB).
- To explore the relationship between SPX levels and metabolic/anthropometric markers in mothers and children up to 36 months of age.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of MB and UCB sera from 48 women (24 non-obese, 24 obese) on the day of delivery.
- Utilized Elisa kits and colorimetric assays to determine SPX concentrations.
- Correlated SPX levels with maternal BMI, birth weight, and child's weight at 36 months.
Main Results:
- Significantly lower SPX concentrations were observed in MB and UCB of obese women (BMI > 30).
- A moderate linear correlation was found between SPX concentrations in MB and UCB (r = 0.4429, p < 0.01).
- SPX levels at birth did not correlate with infant birth weight but showed a relationship with body weight at 3 years (r = -0.3219, p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
- SPX may play a role in modulating fetal metabolism, with lower levels associated with maternal obesity.
- SPX concentration at birth could serve as a potential marker for future obesity predisposition in children.
- Further research is needed to confirm spexin's role in early-life metabolic programming and obesity risk.
Abstract:
Spexin (SPX) is a peptide that plays an important role in the regulation of food intake and body weight (BW) by the effect on carbohydrate-lipid metabolism. However, the role of SPX in fetal life, in children, and in adolescent metabolism is limited. Therefore, we decided to check whether obesity affects the concentration of SPX in the mother's peripheral blood (MB) and umbilical cord blood (UCB). Using MB and UCB sera on the day of delivery obtained from 48 women (24 non-obese and 24 obese) and commercially available Elisa kits and colorimetric assays, we determined changes in SPX and the relationship between SPX concentration and other metabolic and anthropometric markers (body weight and BMI) on the day of delivery and in children at the age of 36 months. We found lower concentrations of SPX in MB (p < 0.05) and UCB (p < 0.01) derived from obese women (BMI > 30) and a moderate linear correlation (r = 0.4429; p < 0.01) between SPX concentrations in MB and UCB. We also noted that the concentration of SPX is not correlated with the child's body weight on the day of birth (r = -0.0128). However, there is a relationship between SPX at birth and body weight at 3 years of age (r = -0.3219; p < 0.05). Based on the obtained results, it can be assumed that spexin is one of the factors modulating the child's metabolism already in the fetal period and can be considered a potential marker of future predisposition to obesity. However, confirmation of this thesis requires additional research.
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