Plasma Sphingomyelins and Carnitine Esters of Infants Consuming Whole Goat or Cow Milk-Based Infant Formulas or Human Milk.

Background: Infant formulas are typically manufactured using skimmed milk, whey proteins, and vegetable oils, which excludes milk fat globule membranes (MFGM). MFGM contains polar lipids, including sphingomyelin (SM).

Objective: The objective of this study was comparison of infant plasma SM and acylcarnitine species between infants who are breastfed or receiving infant formulas with different fat sources.

Sarcopenia: investigation of metabolic changes and its associated mechanisms.

Background: Sarcopenia is one of the most predominant musculoskeletal diseases of the elderly, defined as age-related progressive and generalized loss of muscle mass with a simultaneous reduction in muscle strength and/or function. Using metabolomics, we aimed to examine the association between sarcopenia and the plasma metabolic profile of sarcopenic patients, measured using a targeted HPLC-MS/MS platform.

Methods: Plasma samples from 22 (17 men) hip fracture patients undergoing surgery (8 sarcopenic, age 81.

Association of Maternal Diet during Pregnancy and Metabolite Profile in Cord Blood.

Cord blood metabolites can be predictive of long-term disease risk, but how levels of different metabolites might vary with respect to maternal diet is not well understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations of different dietary patterns during pregnancy with cord blood metabolites (including glycerophospholipid fatty acids, polar lipids, non-esterified fatty acids, amino acids, and the sum of hexoses). Participants from the German LISA birth cohort study, with available data on targeted cord blood metabolomics and maternal diet, were included (n = 739).

Total Fatty Acid and Polar Lipid Species Composition of Human Milk.

Human milk lipids are essential for infant health. However, little is known about the relationship between total milk fatty acid (FA) composition and polar lipid species composition. Therefore, we aimed to characterize the relationship between the FA and polar lipid species composition in human milk, with a focus on differences between milk with higher or lower milk fat content.

Maternal Body Mass Index, Early-Pregnancy Metabolite Profile, and Birthweight.

Context: Maternal prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) has a strong influence on gestational metabolism, but detailed metabolic alterations are unknown.

Objective: First, to examine the associations of maternal prepregnancy BMI with maternal early-pregnancy metabolite alterations. Second, to identify an early-pregnancy metabolite profile associated with birthweight in women with a higher prepregnancy BMI that improved prediction of birthweight compared to glucose and lipid concentrations.

Placental polar lipid composition is associated with placental gene expression and neonatal body composition.

The polar-lipid composition of the placenta reflects its cellular heterogeneity and metabolism. This study explored relationships between placental polar-lipid composition, gene expression and neonatal body composition. Placental tissue and maternal and offspring data were collected in the Southampton Women's Survey.

Impact of Treatment with RUTF on Plasma Lipid Profiles of Severely Malnourished Pakistani Children.

(1) Background: Little is known on impacts of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) treatment on lipid metabolism in children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM). (2) Methods: We analyzed glycerophospholipid fatty acids (FA) and polar lipids in plasma of 41 Pakistani children with SAM before and after 3 months of RUTF treatment using gas chromatography and flow-injection analysis tandem mass spectrometry, respectively. Statistical analysis was performed using univariate, multivariate tests and evaluated for the impact of age, sex, breastfeeding status, hemoglobin, and anthropometry.

A population-based resource for intergenerational metabolomics analyses in pregnant women and their children: the Generation R Study.

Introduction: Adverse exposures in early life may predispose children to cardio-metabolic disease in later life. Metabolomics may serve as a valuable tool to disentangle the metabolic adaptations and mechanisms that potentially underlie these associations.

Objectives: To describe the acquisition, processing and structure of the metabolomics data available in a population-based prospective cohort from early pregnancy onwards and to examine the relationships between metabolite profiles of pregnant women and their children at birth and in childhood.

Caesarean section, but not induction of labour, is associated with major changes in cord blood metabolome.

The physiology of how prelabour caesarean section (PCS) and induction of labour (IOL) in comparison to spontaneous vaginal delivery (SVD) has not been fully clarified yet. We measured 201 cord blood (CB) phospholipids and energy metabolites via LC/MS-MS in 109 newborns from the ROLO Kids study; metabolites were compared across the three parturition groups via linear mixed models with correction for multiple testing. In comparison to SVD, PCS babies had lower non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), including sum of NEFA (p < 0.

Associations of maternal and fetal SCD-1 markers with infant anthropometry and maternal diet: Findings from the ROLO study.

Background: Elevated stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD-1) activity showed associations with obesity in cross-sectional studies. In non-pregnant populations, nutrition regulates SCD-1 transcription and activity.

Objective: To investigate the longitudinal associations of maternal and fetal SCD-1 activity markers with infant anthropometry up to 2 years of age, and to explore how selected dietary intakes modulate SCD-1 activity in pregnancy.

Metabolic labelling of choline phospholipids probes ABCA3 transport in lamellar bodies.

In the metabolism of pulmonary surfactant, the ATP-binding cassette sub-family A member 3 (ABCA3) is a crucial protein in the formation of the storage compartment for surfactant, the lamellar body (LB), and the transport of phospholipids in it. Mutations in ABCA3 not only disturb surfactant metabolism but also cause chronic interstitial lung diseases. Assays for ABCA3 transport function are needed to investigate pathophysiology of the mutations and treatment options for the patients.

Effect of a low glycaemic index diet during pregnancy on maternal and cord blood metabolomic profiles: results from the ROLO randomized controlled trial.

Background: Elevated post-prandial blood glucose during pregnancy has been associated with adverse pregnancy and offspring outcomes, such as maternal gestational diabetes and excessive foetal growth. The ROLO Study is a randomized controlled trial (RCT) investigating the effect of a low glycaemic index (GI) diet in pregnancy to prevent foetal macrosomia (birth weight > 4000 g). We described the impact of a low-GI diet on the maternal and feto-placental unit metabolism by studying how the ROLO intervention affected maternal and cord blood metabolomes.

Impact of infant protein supply and other early life factors on plasma metabolome at 5.5 and 8 years of age: a randomized trial.

Objectives: A high dairy protein intake in infancy, maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, and delivery mode are documented early programming factors that modulate the later risk of obesity and other health outcomes, but the mechanisms of action are not understood.

Methods: The Childhood Obesity Project is a European multicenter, double-blind, randomized clinical trial that enrolled healthy infants. Participating infants were either breastfed (BF) or randomized to receive higher (HP) or lower protein (LP) content formula in the first year of life.

Investigation of the impact of birth by cesarean section on fetal and maternal metabolism.

Purpose: Elective cesarean section (CS) was related to long-term adverse health effects in the offspring, but little is known about underlying mechanisms. Our study investigates the metabolic changes in both maternal and cord blood associated with CS in comparison to vaginal delivery (VD) to explore potential causal pathways.

Methods: Samples obtained from PREOBE study participants were subjected to LC-MS/MS-targeted metabolomics comprising > 200 metabolites.

Transgenerational cycle of obesity and diabetes: investigating possible metabolic precursors in cord blood from the PREOBE study.

Aims: Offspring of mothers suffering from obesity and/or gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) were reported to be at risk of higher birth weight (BW), later obesity and diabetes. We hypothesize that infant anthropometry changes related to maternal pathological status are due to dysregulated infant metabolism.

Methods: First, we inspected differences in BMI z-scores (z-BMI) between three infant groups: born to normal weight (NW; n = 49), overweight/obese (OV/OB; n = 40) and GDM mothers (n = 27) at birth and 1 year.

Plasma metabolomic profiling of amino acids and polar lipids in Iranian obese adults.

Background: Obesity, widely recognized as a serious health concern, is characterized by profoundly altered metabolism. However, the intermediate metabolites involved in this change remain largely unknown.

Objective: We conducted targeted metabolomics profiling to identify moieties associated with adult obesity.

An individual participant data meta-analysis on metabolomics profiles for obesity and insulin resistance in European children.

Childhood obesity prevalence is rising in countries worldwide. A variety of etiologic factors contribute to childhood obesity but little is known about underlying biochemical mechanisms. We performed an individual participant meta-analysis including 1,020 pre-pubertal children from three European studies and investigated the associations of 285 metabolites measured by LC/MS-MS with BMI z-score, height, weight, HOMA, and lipoprotein concentrations.

Prolonged monitoring of postprandial lipid metabolism after a western meal rich in linoleic acid and carbohydrates.

Today, awareness has been raised regarding high consumption of -6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in western diets. A comprehensive analysis of total and individual postprandial fatty acids profiles would provide insights into metabolic turnover and related health effects. After an overnight fast, 9 healthy adults consumed a mixed meal comprising 97 g carbohydrate and 45 g fat, of which 26.

Impact of maternal BMI and gestational diabetes mellitus on maternal and cord blood metabolome: results from the PREOBE cohort study.

Aims: Maternal obesity and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) were frequently reported to be risk factors for obesity and diabetes in offspring. Our goal was to study the impact of maternal prepregnancy BMI (pBMI) and GDM on both maternal and cord blood metabolic profiles.

Methods: We used LC-MS/MS to measure 201 metabolites comprising phospholipids (PL), amino acids, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), organic acids, acyl carnitines (AC), and Krebs cycle metabolites in maternal plasma at delivery and cord plasma obtained from 325 PREOBE study participants.

Phospholipids in lipoproteins: compositional differences across VLDL, LDL, and HDL in pregnant women.

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyse the differences in the phospholipid composition of very low density (VLDL), low density (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) monolayers in pregnant lean and obese women.

Methods: LDL, HDL, and VLDL were isolated from plasma samples of 10 lean and 10 obese pregnant women, and their species composition of phosphatidylcholines (PC) and sphingomyelins (SM) was analysed by liquid-chromatography tandem mass-spectrometry. Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney U test and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to investigate if metabolite profiles differed between the lean/obese group and between lipoprotein species.

Metabolic Regulation of Pre- and Postnatal Growth.

Growth characteristics during periods of early developmental plasticity are linked with later health outcomes and with disease risks. Infant growth is modulated by genetic and exogenous factors including nutrition. We try to explore their underlying mechanisms using targeted metabolomic profiling of small molecules in biological samples using high-performance liquid chromatography (LC) coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) to quantify hundreds of molecules in small biosamples, e.

Effectiveness of vitamin D therapy in improving metabolomic biomarkers in obesity phenotypes: Two randomized clinical trials.

Background: Uncertainty remains about the effect of vitamin D therapy on biomarkers of health status in obesity. The molecular basis underlying this controversy is largely unknown.

Objective: To address the existing gap, our study sought to compare changes in metabolomic profiles of obesity phenotypes (metabolically healthy obese (MHO) and metabolically unhealthy obese (MUHO)) patients with sub-optimal levels of vitamin D following vitamin D supplementation.