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Published on: April 9, 2019
Distinct protein patterns related to postnatal development in small for gestational age preterm infants
Eva R Smit1, Michelle Romijn2,3,4, Pieter Langerhorst1
1Department of Molecular Hematology, Sanquin Research, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Insights
This study tracked protein changes in preterm infants, finding 314 proteins altered postnatally. Small for gestational age (SGA) infants showed distinct immune response protein patterns over time.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Research
- Proteomics
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Preterm infants, particularly those small for gestational age (SGA), face significant health risks.
- Understanding postnatal protein changes is crucial for preterm infant health.
- Mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics offers a method to study these changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize postnatal developmental patterns of circulating proteins in preterm infants.
- To identify protein signatures that differ between SGA and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal serum samples from 67 preterm infants were collected on postnatal days 0, 3, 7, 14, and 28.
- Unbiased, mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics was employed for serum analysis.
Main Results:
- 314 out of 833 quantified serum proteins exhibited postnatal changes.
- New developmental patterns were observed, including apolipoproteins (APOA4) and complement proteins (C9).
- Longitudinal analysis identified 69 proteins differing between SGA and AGA infants, including adiponectin and immune response proteins.
Conclusions:
- MS-based serum profiling can define protein trajectories in preterm infants.
- This approach can identify longitudinal protein alterations associated with SGA.
- Considering postnatal changes is vital for translational studies in preterm infants.
Background:
Preterm infants, especially those born small for gestational age (SGA), are at risk of short-term and long-term health complications. Characterization of changes in circulating proteins postnatally in preterm infants may provide valuable fundamental insights into this population. Here, we investigated postnatal developmental patterns in preterm infants and explored protein signatures that deviate between SGA infants and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants using a mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics workflow.
Methods:
Longitudinal serum samples obtained at postnatal days 0, 3, 7, 14, and 28 from 67 preterm infants were analyzed using unbiased MS-based proteomics.
Results:
314 out of 833 quantified serum proteins change postnatally, including previously described age-related changes in immunoglobulins, hemoglobin subunits, and new developmental patterns, e.g. apolipoproteins (APOA4) and terminal complement cascade (C9) proteins. Limited differences between SGA and AGA infants were found at birth while longitudinal monitoring revealed 69 deviating proteins, including insulin-sensitizing hormone adiponectin, platelet proteins, and 24 proteins with an annotated function in the immune response.
Conclusions:
This study shows the potential of MS-based serum profiling in defining circulating protein trajectories in the preterm infant population and its ability to identify longitudinal alterations in protein levels associated with SGA.
Impact:
Postnatal changes of circulating proteins in preterm infants have not fully been elucidated but may contribute to development of health complications. Mass spectrometry-based analysis is an attractive approach to study circulating proteins in preterm infants with limited material. Longitudinal plasma profiling reveals postnatal developmental-related patterns in preterm infants (314/833 proteins) including previously described changes, but also previously unreported proteins. Longitudinal monitoring revealed an immune response signature between SGA and AGA infants. This study highlights the importance of taking postnatal changes into account for translational studies in preterm infants.
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