Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Little Rock, Arkansas » Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #289504
Title: Maternal pre-gravid body mass index and adiposity influence umbilical cord gene expression at term in AGA infants

Author
item THAKALI, KESHARI - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC)
item SABEN, JESSICA - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC)
item ANDRES, ALINE - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC)
item SHANKAR, KARTIK - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC)

Submitted to: Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/13/2013
Publication Date: 4/15/2013
Citation: Thakali, K., Saben, J., Andres, A., Shankar, K. 2013. Maternal pre-gravid body mass index and adiposity influence umbilical cord gene expression at term in AGA infants [abstract]. FASEB Journal. 27(Meeting Abstracts):109.3.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: While maternal obesity is associated with unfavorable maternal and fetal outcomes, the influence of maternal obesity on fetal gene expression is less clear. Umbilical cords (UC) from 12 lean (pre-gravid BMI < 25) and 10 overweight/obese (OB, pre-gravid BMI =25) women without gestational diabetes were collected at term and utilized for gene expression analysis using Human Primeview microarrays (Affymetrix). Although offspring birth weight and infant adiposity (at 2-wk) did not differ between groups, expression of 232 transcripts was affected in UC from OB compared to lean mothers. GSEA analysis revealed an up-regulation of genes related to metabolism, stimulus, and defense response, and inhibitory to insulin signaling in the OB group. We confirmed that Egr-1, periostin, FosB, and NEDD9 mRNA expression was induced in UCs from OB moms, while endothelin receptor B, Klf10, Peg3, and Egln3 expression was decreased. mRNA expression of Egr-1, FosB, MEST, and SOCS1 was positively associated (p<0.05) with mother's 1st trimester body fat mass (%). Metabolic and hormonal assessments were also assayed in mother's serum at 30 weeks of gestation and in UC plasma. Our data indicate that maternal obesity per se causes changes in UC gene expression favoring inflammation and insulin resistance, possibly predisposing infants of overweight moms to become overweight later on in life.