Project description:Bacterial sepsis is associated with high morbidity and mortality in preterm infants. However, diagnosis of sepsis and identification of the causative agent remains challenging. Our aim was to determine genome-wide expression profiles of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants with and without bacterial sepsis and assess differences.
Project description:Impaired growth and nutrition after preterm birth is associated with morbidities and poor neurodevelopmental outcome, but it is not clear whether this reflects causal relationships. To improve growth, human milk is often fortified with protein, energy and minerals, providing small, but significant, fortification-induced gains in body weight, length and/or head circumference. the effect of Bovine Colostrum fortification on AAs and proteins in plasma, and how fortification-induced AA changes during the first two weeks of fortification associated with changes in anthropometric measures, gestational age (GA) at birth, birth weight, key morbidities (BPD, ROP, LOS) and IGF-1 levels. Collectively, the analyses shed light on the complex interplay between fortification-induced changes to plasma AA/protein levels and the growth and morbidities in very preterm infants fed fortified human milk.
Project description:Very low birth weight infant fecal samples. Samples were extracted with ethanol and processed on a Thermo Q-exactive mass spectrometer coupled to C18 RP-UPLC for untargeted metabolomic analysis. Positive polarity acquisition of LC-MS/MS.
Project description:After HCMV infection, most individuals have no obvious symptoms. However, HCMV infection in very low birth weight infants can cause liver function damage, thrombocytopenia, hearing damage, cholestasis and so on. Cytomegalovirus is generally thought to lurk and activate in monocytes. In this study, we performed transcriptomic analysis of RNA-seq on peripheral blood mononuclear cells of very low birth weight infants infected with HCMV, bringing new insights into a comprehensive understanding of the immune mechanisms involved during their infection.
Project description:Preterm birth, defined as birth <37 weeks of gestation, is a leading cause of infant morbidity and mortality. In the United States, approximately 12% of all births are preterm.1 Despite decades of research, there has been little progress in developing effective interventions to prevent preterm birth. In fact, the rate of preterm birth has increased slightly over the last several decades.2 The ultimate goal of the Genomic and Proteomic Network for Preterm Birth Research (GPN-PBR) is to identify possible biomarkers that could predict the susceptibility to spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB) as well as to shed light on the molecular mechanisms involved in its etiologies. Understanding those mechanisms will help us predict SPTB and may facilitate the introduction of more effective prevention and treatment strategies.
Project description:Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a major complication of preterm birth, with lasting effects on respiratory outcomes in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) and very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. This pilot study aimed to identify non-invasive salivary microRNA biomarkers for early BPD risk stratification in preterm neonates. Saliva samples were collected from 20 preterm infants (BPD+: n=10; BPD-: n=10) at days 10-14 of life. Total RNA including the miRNA fraction was isolated from saliva using the MagMAX mirVana Total RNA Isolation Kit. RNA was profiled using the Affymetrix GeneChip miRNA 4.1 Array (GeneTitan MC instrument, 96-well plate format). RMA normalization and limma differential expression identified three candidate salivary miRNA biomarkers (hsa-let-7b-5p, hsa-miR-4454, hsa-let-7c-5p), all significantly upregulated in BPD infants.
Project description:Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a lung disease in premature infants characterized by impaired pulmonary development which persists into later life. While advances in neonatal care have improved survival rates of premature infants, cases of BPD haves been increased. Therapeutic options are limited for prevention and treatment. This study was designed to explore the relationship between gestational age (GA), birth weight and estímate blood cell-type composition in premature infants and to elucidate early epigenetic biomarkers associated with BPD. Cord blood DNA from preterm neonates that went on to develop BPD (n = 14) or not (nonBPD, n = 93) was applied to Illumina 450K methylation arrays. Using DNA methylation analysis of cord blood DNA, we investigated association of GA and birth weight with the estimated distribution of cord blood cell types, particularly the nucleated red blood cell (NRBC) in a pilot-size cohort of preterm infants with or without BPD. We describe changes in methylation-based estimates of blood cell-type composition in relation to GA and birth weight. After adjusting for covariates (GA, birth weight, cell type proportions, etc.) we identify differentially methylated CpGs and genes associated with BPD.