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Lipid Metabolism in Pregnancy and Its Consequences in the Fetus...
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Lipid Metabolism in Pregnancy and Its Consequences in the Fetus and Newborn

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Lipids".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 September 2024) | Viewed by 5496

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Shiao-Yng Chan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Human Potential Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, Singapore 119228, Singapore
2. Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore 117609, Singapore
Interests: placenta; fetal growth and development; inositol; gestational diabetes; preterm birth; thyroid disorders; DOHaD; lipidome; breastmilk

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Lipids constitute a range of species and understanding the biological functions of each one is still in its infancy. It is widely accepted that lipids play a significant role in fetal growth and development during pregnancy, not only as a source of energy but also as essential building blocks for tissue growth and as critical signaling agents in maternal-placental-fetal cross talk. Complex changes occur in maternal lipid metabolism during pregnancy to fulfill both maternal requirements for regulating lipid stores and energy reserves and fetoplacental requirements for lipid substrates.

The regulation of lipid transfer across the placenta is complex and highly influenced by placental lipid metabolism.  Correlations between maternal plasma triacylglycerols (TAG) and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) with fetal cord lipids, growth and fat masses are altered under different clinical conditions such as gestational diabetes, the mechanisms of which remain poorly understood. Furthermore, in pregnancies complicated by small gestational age fetuses, there is evidence of defects in both placental lipid metabolism and transfer, as well as impairments in fetal utilization occurring at the tissue level, which contributes to the condition’s pathophysiology.

The supply of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) from the mother to the fetus is particularly significant since the fetoplacental unit lacks the ability to synthesize them. The placenta employs mechanisms that work to preferentially transfer these LC-PUFAs, which again are impaired in certain pregnancy complications, including gestational diabetes. LC-PUFAs play a crucial role in promoting healthy pregnancy and offspring outcomes. For example, DHA is vital to fetal development, particularly for the brain and nervous system. Arachidonic acid is required to synthesize eicosanoids and other signaling compounds which regulate angiogenesis and parturition. Meanwhile, some studies have suggested the possible benefits of Omega-3 supplementation when lowering the risks of perinatal depression and preterm labor.

While much evidence suggests the major involvement of maternal lipid intake and metabolism when influencing offspring health both in the short and long term, its precise mechanisms remain to be elucidated. With greater understanding, the potential for the innovative utilization of lipid interventions needs to be expanded. This Special Issue provides a platform for researchers to discuss this topic with the aim of promoting development in this field. We welcome original articles, narratives and systematic reviews.

Dr. Shiao-Yng Chan
Guest Editor

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • lipids
  • fatty acids
  • pregnancy
  • maternal
  • fetus
  • newborn

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 2216 KiB  
Article
Untargeted Lipidomic Profiling of Amniotic Fluid Reveals Dysregulated Lipid Metabolism in Healthy Normal-Weight Mothers with Fetal Macrosomia
by Isra’a Haj-Husein, Stan Kubow and Kristine G. Koski
Nutrients 2024, 16(22), 3804; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16223804 - 6 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1279
Abstract
Background: Alterations in maternal lipid metabolism have been elucidated by several studies in relation to macrosomia. However, the lipidome of the intrauterine compartment associated with macrosomia, particularly in early pregnancy, remains largely unknown. Objectives: (1) To compare the lipidomic profile of early 2nd [...] Read more.
Background: Alterations in maternal lipid metabolism have been elucidated by several studies in relation to macrosomia. However, the lipidome of the intrauterine compartment associated with macrosomia, particularly in early pregnancy, remains largely unknown. Objectives: (1) To compare the lipidomic profile of early 2nd trimester amniotic fluid (AF) of healthy mothers with normal body mass index who gave birth to large-for-gestational age (LGA) versus appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA) infants; and (2) to examine if insulin and glucose concentrations in AF were associated with the AF lipidomic profile. Methods: In this nested case–control study, bio-banked AF samples were collected from pregnant women undergoing routine amniocentesis at 12–22 weeks of gestation. A subsample of 15 LGA infants (cases) were contrasted with 15 AGA infants (controls). An untargeted lipidomics analysis using liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry was conducted. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses (principal component analysis and partial least-squares discriminant analysis) were used to extract differentially abundant (DA) features with high variable importance in projection (VIP) scores. Results: LGA AF was characterized by elevations of 30 phosphatidic acid species. Among other DA features, sphingomyelin (SM 14:0;O2/20:1) had the highest VIP score and was markedly elevated in LGA AF. Neither insulin nor glucose was associated with 2nd trimester AF lipidomic profiles in these healthy, normal-weight mothers. Conclusion: These findings provide evidence of early dysregulated lipid metabolism in healthy, normal-weight mothers with LGA infants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lipid Metabolism in Pregnancy and Its Consequences in the Fetus and Newborn)
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12 pages, 3518 KiB  
Article
Maternal Acylcarnitine Disruption as a Potential Predictor of Preterm Birth in Primigravida: A Preliminary Investigation
by Ying-Chieh Han, Katarina Laketic, Kylie K. Hornaday, Donna M. Slater, Chunlong Mu, Suzanne C. Tough and Jane Shearer
Nutrients 2024, 16(5), 595; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16050595 - 22 Feb 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1680
Abstract
Preterm birth, defined as any birth before 37 weeks of completed gestation, poses adverse health risks to both mothers and infants. Despite preterm birth being associated with several risk factors, its relationship to maternal metabolism remains unclear, especially in first-time mothers. Aims of [...] Read more.
Preterm birth, defined as any birth before 37 weeks of completed gestation, poses adverse health risks to both mothers and infants. Despite preterm birth being associated with several risk factors, its relationship to maternal metabolism remains unclear, especially in first-time mothers. Aims of the present study were to identify maternal metabolic disruptions associated with preterm birth and to evaluate their predictive potentials. Blood was collected, and the serum harvested from the mothers of 24 preterm and 42 term births at 28–32 weeks gestation (onset of the 3rd trimester). Serum samples were assayed by untargeted metabolomic analyses via liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (QTOF-LC/MS). Metabolites were annotated by inputting the observed mass-to-charge ratio into the Human Metabolome Database (HMDB). Analysis of 181 identified metabolites by PLS-DA modeling using SIMCA (v17) showed reasonable separation between the two groups (CV-ANOVA, p = 0.02). Further statistical analysis revealed lower serum levels of various acyl carnitines and amino acid metabolites in preterm mothers. Butenylcarnitine (C4:1), a short-chain acylcarnitine, was found to be the most predictive of preterm birth (AUROC = 0.73, [CI] 0.60–0.86). These observations, in conjuncture with past literature, reveal disruptions in fatty acid oxidation and energy metabolism in preterm primigravida. While these findings require validation, they reflect altered metabolic pathways that may be predictive of preterm delivery in primigravida. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lipid Metabolism in Pregnancy and Its Consequences in the Fetus and Newborn)
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15 pages, 893 KiB  
Article
Umbilical Cord Plasma Lysophospholipids and Triacylglycerols Associated with Birthweight Percentiles
by Gerard Wong, Kothandaraman Narasimhan, Wei Fun Cheong, Sharon Ng, Izzuddin M. Aris, See Ling Loy, Anne K. Bendt, Kok Hian Tan, Fabian K. P. Yap, Lynette P. Shek, Yap Seng Chong, Peter D. Gluckman, Keith M. Godfrey, Yung Seng Lee, Markus R. Wenk, Neerja Karnani and Shiao-Yng Chan
Nutrients 2024, 16(2), 274; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16020274 - 17 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1933
Abstract
Dysregulated transplacental lipid transfer and fetal–placental lipid metabolism affect birthweight, as does maternal hyperglycemia. As the mechanisms are unclear, we aimed to identify the lipids in umbilical cord plasma that were most associated with birthweight. Seventy-five Chinese women with singleton pregnancies recruited into [...] Read more.
Dysregulated transplacental lipid transfer and fetal–placental lipid metabolism affect birthweight, as does maternal hyperglycemia. As the mechanisms are unclear, we aimed to identify the lipids in umbilical cord plasma that were most associated with birthweight. Seventy-five Chinese women with singleton pregnancies recruited into the GUSTO mother–offspring cohort were selected from across the glycemic range based on a mid-gestation 75 g oral glucose tolerance test, excluding pre-existing diabetes. Cord plasma samples collected at term delivery were analyzed using targeted liquid-chromatography tandem mass-spectrometry to determine the concentrations of 404 lipid species across 17 lipid classes. The birthweights were standardized for sex and gestational age by local references, and regression analyses were adjusted for the maternal age, BMI, parity, mode of delivery, insulin treatment, and fasting/2 h glucose, with a false discovery-corrected p < 0.05 considered significant. Ten lysophosphatidylcholines (LPCs) and two lysophosphatidylethanolamines were positively associated with the birthweight percentiles, while twenty-four triacylglycerols were negatively associated with the birthweight percentiles. The topmost associated lipid was LPC 20:2 [21.28 (95%CI 12.70, 29.87) percentile increase in the standardized birthweight with each SD-unit increase in log10-transformed concentration]. Within these same regression models, maternal glycemia did not significantly associate with the birthweight percentiles. Specific fetal circulating lysophospholipids and triacylglycerols associate with birthweight independently of maternal glycemia, but a causal relationship remains to be established. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lipid Metabolism in Pregnancy and Its Consequences in the Fetus and Newborn)
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