Fetal sex and maternal fasting glucose affect neonatal cord blood-derived endothelial progenitor cells.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Maternal cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) in pregnancy, i.e., obesity and hyperglycemia, transmit to the fetus and affect placental and fetal endothelial function. Moreover, a sex dimorphism in endothelial function and susceptibility towards CVRF exists already in utero. Endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFC) are circulating endothelial progenitors highly present in neonatal cord blood and sensitive to CVRF. This study investigated whether fetal sex or subtle maternal metabolic changes within healthy range alter fetal ECFC outgrowth.

Methods

Outgrowth of ECFC from cord blood of male (n = 31) and female (n = 26) neonates was analyzed after healthy pregnancies and related to fetal sex and maternal metabolic parameters.

Results

Male ECFC grew out earlier (-

SUBMITTER: Weiss E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9771817 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature