Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Background
One-carbon metabolism, responsible for purine and thymidylate synthesis and transmethylation reactions, plays a critical role in embryonic and fetal development. Formate is a key player in one-carbon metabolism. In contrast to other one-carbon metabolites, it is not linked to tetrahydrofolate, is present in plasma at appreciable concentrations, and may therefore be distributed to different tissues.Objective
The study was designed to determine the concentration of formate in cord blood in comparison with maternal blood taken earlier in pregnancy and at delivery and to relate formate concentrations to potential precursors and key fetal genotypes.Methods
Formate and amino acids were measured in plasma during early pregnancy (12-16 wk), at delivery (37-42 wk), and in cord blood samples from 215 mothers, of a prospective cohort study. Three fetal genetic variants in one-carbon metabolism were assessed for their association with cord plasma concentrations of formate.Results
The formate concentration was ∼60% higher in the cord blood samples than in mothers' plasma. The maternal formate concentrations did not differ between the early pregnancy samples and those taken at delivery. Plasma concentrations of 4 formate precursors (serine, glycine, tryptophan, and methionine) were increased in cord blood compared with the maternal samples. Cord blood formate was influenced by fetal genotype, being ∼12% higher in infants harboring the MTHFR A1298C (rs1801131) AC or CC genotypes and 10% lower in infants harboring the MTHFD1 G1958A (rs2236225) GA or AA genotypes.Conclusions
The increased formate concentrations in cord blood may support the increased activity of one-carbon metabolism in infants. As such, it would support increased rates of purine and thymidylate synthesis and the provision of methionine for methylation reactions.
SUBMITTER: Brosnan JT
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6821548 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Brosnan John T JT Plumptre Lesley L Brosnan Margaret E ME Pongnopparat Theerawat T Masih Shannon P SP Visentin Carly E CE Berger Howard H Lamers Yvonne Y Caudill Marie A MA Malysheva Olga V OV O'Connor Deborah L DL Kim Young-In YI
The American journal of clinical nutrition 20191101 5
<h4>Background</h4>One-carbon metabolism, responsible for purine and thymidylate synthesis and transmethylation reactions, plays a critical role in embryonic and fetal development. Formate is a key player in one-carbon metabolism. In contrast to other one-carbon metabolites, it is not linked to tetrahydrofolate, is present in plasma at appreciable concentrations, and may therefore be distributed to different tissues.<h4>Objective</h4>The study was designed to determine the concentration of forma ...[more]