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Am J Perinatol 2016; 33(06): 552-559
DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1570318
Original Article
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Homocysteine Levels Are not Related to Telomere Length in Cord Blood Leukocytes of Newborns

Rachel G. Sinkey
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, Florida
,
Hamisu M. Salihu
2   Department of Family and Community Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
,
Lindsey M. King
3   Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
,
Arnut Paothong
3   Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
,
Adetola Louis-Jacques
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, Florida
,
Anupam Pradhan
4   Department of Global Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
,
Karen L. Bruder
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, Florida
,
Roger Zoorob
2   Department of Family and Community Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
,
Erin Siegel
5   Department of Cancer Epidemiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
,
Bridget Riggs
5   Department of Cancer Epidemiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
,
Valerie E. Whiteman
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, Florida
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

06 May 2015

16 November 2015

Publication Date:
21 December 2015 (online)

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Abstract

Objective Elevated homocysteine (HC) levels and/or shortened telomere length (TL) are associated with adverse medical conditions. Our objective is to investigate the relationship between HC and TL in cord blood leukocytes of newborns.

Study Design This is a nested study from a prospective cohort from 2011 to 2012 in pregnant women admitted for delivery at a university-affiliated hospital. Cord blood was collected at delivery and genomic DNA was analyzed using quantitative PCR. The telomere-to-single copy gene ratio method was employed to quantify TL. Newborn HC levels were measured. generalized linear regression modeling (GLM) and bootstrap statistical analyses were performed.

Results Seventy-seven maternal-fetal dyads with a mean gestational age of 39 weeks were included. The distribution of the coefficient of homocysteine showed most values greater than zero demonstrating that homocysteine had a positive relationship with TL. In 915 of 10,000 (9.15%) iterations, the p-value was < 0.05 demonstrating a positive effect.

Conclusion Increasing newborn concentrations of HC are not associated with decreasing TL. Larger, prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings and long-term implications.

Keywords

bootstrapping statistical methodology - fetal telomere length - homocysteine - umbilical cord blood

Presented in poster format at the 35th Annual SMFM Meeting in San Diego, California on February 7, 2015


 

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