Human Fetal Adiponectin and Retinol-binding Protein (RBP)-4 Levels in Relation to Birth Weight and Maternal Obesity

Abstract

Recent studies suggest that the perinatal period is a sensitive part in human development with respect to the pathogenesis of metabolic diseases in adulthood. Neonates, who are either small or large for gestational age (SGA or LGA) have a greater risk of developing obesity and insulin resistance in later life. The term “perinatal priming” is used to describe this phenomenon. Therefore, in the present study we first aimed to investigate if birth weight influences fetal adiponectin and RBP-4 metabolism. Umbilical cord blood was obtained form 40 neonates born on term±4 weeks and the adipokine concentrations in the serum were measured. In this analysis adiponectin but not RBP-4 levels showed a positve significant correlation to birth weight. Since maternal preconceptional obesity is associated with an increased birth weight and the risk for LGA neonates, we further aimed to investigate, if the maternal nutritional state influcences fetal adiponectin and RBP-4. Therefore umbilical cord blood levels of the adipokines were correlated to maternal preconceptional BMI. In this analysis, neither adiponectin nor RBP-4 levels showed a significant correlation. Taken together, in the present study for the first time we directly compare fetal adiponectin and RBP-4 levels in respect to birth weight and maternal preconceptional BMI. Our data suggest that (1) adiponectin is more likely to have a role in perinatal priming of obesity and insulin resistance than RBP-4 and (2) that birth weight has a greater impact on fetal adipokine serum levels than maternal preconceptional obesity.

Key words

adiponectin - RBP-4 - perinatal-priming

References

• 1 Berg AH, Combs TP, Du X. et al . The adipocyte-secreted protein Acrp30 enhances hepatic insulin action.  Nat Med. 2001;  7 947-953
• 2 Bispham J, Gardner DS, Gnanalingham MG. et al . Maternal nutritional programming of fetal adipose tissue development: differential effects on messenger ribonucleic acid abundance for uncoupling proteins and peroxisome proliferator-activated and prolactin receptors.  Endocrinology. 2005;  146 3943-3949
• 3 Chan TF, Chen HS, Chen YC. et al . Increased serum retinol-binding protein 4 concentrations in women with gestational diabetes mellitus.  Reprod Sci. 2007;  14 169-174
• 4 Chan TF, Yuan SS, Chen HS. et al . Correlations between umbilical and maternal serum adiponectin levels and neonatal birthweights.  Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2004;  83 165-169
• 5 Fruebis J, Tsao TS, Javorschi S. et al . Proteolytic cleavage product of 30-kDa adipocyte complement-related protein increases fatty acid oxidation in muscle causes weight loss in mice.  Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2001;  98 2005-2010
• 6 Graham TE, Yang Q, Blüher M. et al . Retinol-binding protein 4 and insulin resistance in lean, obese, and diabetic subjects.  N Engl J Med. 2006;  354 2552-2563
• 7 Gray IP, Cooper PA, Cory BJ. et al . The intrauterine environment is a strong determinant of glucose tolerance during the neonatal period, even in prematurity.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2002;  87 4252-4256
• 8 Kadowaki K, Waguri M, Nakanishi I. et al . Adiponectin concentration in umbilical cord serum is positively associated with the weight ratio of fetus to placenta.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006;  91 5090-5094
• 9 Laml T, Hartmann BW, Ruecklinger E. et al . Maternal serum leptin concentrations do not correlate with cord blood leptin concentrations in normal pregnancy.  J Soc Gynecol Investig. 2001;  8 43-47
• 10 Lu JY, Huang KC, Chang LC. et al . Adiponectin: a biomarker of obesity-induced insulin resistance in adipose tissue and beyond.  J Biomed Sci. 2008;  , Jun 6 [Epub ahead of print]
• 11 Muhlhausler BS, Adam CL, Findlay PA. et al . Increased maternal nutrition alters development of the appetite-regulating network in the brain.  FASEB J. 2006;  20 1257-1259
• 12 Pardo IM, Geloneze B, Tambascia MA. et al . Hyperadiponectinemia in newborns: relationship with leptin levels and birth weight.  Obes Res. 2004;  12 521-524
• 13 Plagemann A, Harder T, Rake A. et al . Observations on the orexigenic hypothalamic neuropeptide Y-system in neonatally overfed weanling rats.  J Neuroendocrinol. 1999;  11 541-546
• 14 Taylor PD, Posten L. Developmental programming of obesity in mammals.  Exp Physiol. 2007;  92 287-298
• 15 Weyer C, Funahashi T, Tanaka S. et al . Hypoadiponectinemia in obesity and type 2 diabetes: close association with insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2001;  86 1930-1935
• 16 Wölfing B, Neumeier M, Buechler C. et al . Interfering effects of insulin, growth hormone and glucose on adipokine secretion.  Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes. 2008;  116 47-52
• 17 Yamauchi T, Kamon J, Waki H. et al . The fat-derived hormone adiponectin reverses insulin resistance associated with both lipoatrophy and obesity.  Nat Med. 2001;  7 941-946
• 18 Yang MJ, Liu RS, Hung JH. Leptin concentrations in the umbilical vein and artery. Relationship to maternal and neonatal anthropometry.  J Reprod Med. 2002;  47 645-650
• 19 Yao-Borengasser A, Varma V, Bodles AM. et al . Retinol binding protein 4 expression in humans: relationship to insulin resistance, inflammation, and response to pioglitazone.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2007;  92 2590-2597

Correspondence