Pre-pregnancy obesity is associated with an altered maternal metabolome and reduced Flt3L expression in preterm birth.

ABSTRACT: Mechanisms linking pre-pregnancy obesity to increased preterm birth risk are unclear. Here, we examined the impact of pre-pregnancy obesity on metabolites, Fms-related tyrosine kinase 3 ligand (Flt3L), and proinflammatory cytokine profiles in preterm birth. We used cytokine bead array, ELISA and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) to determine cytokine and metabolite profiles in maternal and cord blood samples from 124 pregnant women in Australia, who gave birth at term (n = 86) or preterm (n = 38). Besides the expected variations in birth weight and gestational age, all demographic characteristics, including pre-pregnancy body mass index, were similar between the term and preterm birth groups. Mothers in the preterm birth group had reduced Flt3L (P = 0.002) and elevated IL-6 (P =

SUBMITTER: Sebina I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11615298 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature