Abstract
Purpose:
We previously found an association between increased risk for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and low levels of IGF-I at postmenstrual age (PMA) 30-33 weeks. We hypnotize that this is a critical period in which critical metabolic changes occur to prepare for ex-utero life, and that suboptimal protein expression of critical factors might be of importance for ROP development after very preterm birth. The aim of this study was to identify differences in serum protein expression at postmenstrual age (PMA) 28-32 weeks in preterm infants.
Methods:
Blood samples from 47 infants (gestational age (GA) 32-33 weeks, n=30 and GA 27-28 weeks, n=17) were collected at birth and, in the GA28 group, also at PMA 32 weeks. Protein profiles were analyzed by SELDI-TOF, apolipoprotein levels by multiplex, and leptin, adiponectin and resistin levels were analyzed by ELISA.
Results:
At birth, 26/218 detected proteomic peaks differed between the birth at GA 28- and GA 32-week groups of which several were suggested to represent different apolipoproteins. Multiplex analyses verified lower serum levels of apolipoprotein A-1, C-2, C-3, and E in infants born at GA 28 weeks compared to 32 weeks. GA 28-week infants had low levels of adiponectin and leptin at birth. In the GA 28-week group, leptin levels were still low at PMA 32 weeks, whereas adiponectin levels had increased to levels to those at birth in the GA 32-week group.
Conclusions:
There is a change in the apolipoprotein and adipocytokine expression pattern at PMA 28-32 weeks; preterm birth affects this pattern by introducing major changes in the availability of fatty acid proteins. An intervention study is ongoing to further investigate the impact of these changes on ROP development.
Keywords: 706 retinopathy of prematurity •
497 development •
583 lipids