The effect of intrauterine growth on leukocyte telomere length at birth. (2nd December 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Stefa, Alketa; Lamprokostopoulou, Agaristi; Briana, Despina D.; Kontogeorgou, Anna; Papageorgiou, Ifigeneia; Malamitsi-Puchner, Ariadne; Tsitsilonis, Ourania; Gagos, Sarantis; Charmandari, Evangelia
• Is Part Of: Journal of maternal-fetal & neonatal medicine. Volume 32:Number 23(2019)
• Page Start: 3948
• Page End: 3953
• Publication Date: 2019-12-02
• Subjects: Appropriate-for-gestational-age neonates -- developmental origins of health and disease -- intrauterine growth restriction -- large-for-gestational-age neonates; Obstetrics -- Periodicals; Perinatology -- Periodicals; Infants (Newborn) -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Neonatology -- Periodicals; 618.2
• DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2018.1479392
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1476-7058

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: Telomeres are specialized nucleoprotein structures located at the ends of chromosomes, which play a crucial role in genomic stability. Telomere shortening has been proposed as a biomarker for the onset of age-related diseases. This study aimed to determine whether restricted or increased intrauterine growth affects leukocyte telomere length (LTL) at birth. Materials and methods: One hundred sixty-five ( n = 165) full-term neonates participated in the study. Fetuses were classified as intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR, n = 21), large-for-gestational-age (LGA, n = 15), or appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA, n = 129), based on customized birth-weight standards. Mixed arteriovenous cord blood samples were collected for isolation of leukocyte DNA. The LTL was measured using multiplex monochrome quantitative real-time PCR and telomeric restriction fragments through Southern blot analysis (terminal restriction fragment [TRF]). Results: Despite differences among groups in birth weight, length and head circumference, LTL did not differ among AGA (6.78 ± 0.58), IUGR (10.54 ± 1.80), and LGA (11.95 ± 2.42) neonates ( p = .098). Cord blood IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 concentrations were higher in the LGA group. LTL positively correlated with birth length ( r = 0.176, p = .032). Conclusions: Intrauterine growth does not seem to affect LTL at birth. Further studies, comprising a larger sample size of IUGR, LGA, and AGA neonates, are required to determine whether growth at birth influences LTL.