Prenatal choline supplementation improves biomarkers of maternal docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) status among pregnant participants consuming supplemental DHA: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Dietary methyl donors (e.g., choline) support the activity of the phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PEMT) pathway, which generates phosphatidylcholine (PC) molecules enriched in DHA that are exported from the liver and made available to extrahepatic tissues.

Choline metabolome response to prenatal choline supplementation across pregnancy: A randomized controlled trial.

Pregnancy places a unique stress upon choline metabolism, requiring adaptations to support both maternal and fetal requirements. The impact of pregnancy and prenatal choline supplementation on choline and its metabolome in free-living, healthy adults is relatively uncharacterized. This study investigated the effect of prenatal choline supplementation on maternal and fetal biomarkers of choline metabolism among free-living pregnant persons consuming self-selected diets.

Trends in hospitalizations of newborns with hyperbilirubinemia and kernicterus in United States: an epidemiological study.

Background: Hyperbilirubinemia is one of the most common diagnosis in newborn nurseries in United States. Universal pre-discharge bilirubin screening decreased the incidence of extreme hyperbilirubinemia and risk of kernicterus.

Objectives: We sought to assess temporal population trends of hyperbilirubinemia, kernicterus and usage of phototherapy, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), and exchange transfusion.

A Unique Genomic Variant of HDR Syndrome in Newborn.

Background: HDR syndrome (also known as Barakat syndrome) is a rare genetic disorder due to deletions/mutations on specific regions of zinc-finger transcription factor (GATA3) gene.

Case Characteristics: A male preterm infant presented with multiple dysmorphic features characterized by small for gestational age, hypognathia and facial abnormalities.

Observation: Investigations revealed hypocalcemia and low parathyroid hormone levels and bilateral sensorineural deafness.

A higher maternal choline intake among third-trimester pregnant women lowers placental and circulating concentrations of the antiangiogenic factor fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFLT1).

This study investigated the influence of maternal choline intake on the human placental transcriptome, with a special interest in its role in modulating placental vascular function. Healthy pregnant women (n=26, wk 26-29 gestation) were randomized to 480 mg choline/d, an intake level approximating the adequate intake of 450 mg/d, or 930 mg/d for 12 wk. Maternal blood and placental samples were retrieved at delivery.

Pregnancy induces transcriptional activation of the peripheral innate immune system and increases oxidative DNA damage among healthy third trimester pregnant women.

Background: Pregnancy induces physiological adaptations that may involve, or contribute to, alterations in the genomic landscape. Pregnancy also increases the nutritional demand for choline, an essential nutrient that can modulate epigenomic and transcriptomic readouts secondary to its role as a methyl donor. Nevertheless, the interplay between human pregnancy, choline and the human genome is largely unexplored.

Maternal choline intake alters the epigenetic state of fetal cortisol-regulating genes in humans.

The in utero availability of methyl donors, such as choline, may modify fetal epigenetic marks and lead to sustainable functional alterations throughout the life course. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis regulates cortisol production and is sensitive to perinatal epigenetic programming. As an extension of a 12-wk dose-response choline feeding study conducted in third-trimester pregnant women, we investigated the effect of maternal choline intake (930 vs.

Maternal choline intake modulates maternal and fetal biomarkers of choline metabolism in humans.

Background: In 1998 choline Adequate Intakes of 425 and 450 mg/d were established for nonpregnant and pregnant women, respectively. However, to our knowledge, no dose-response studies have been conducted to evaluate the effects of pregnancy or maternal choline intake on biomarkers of choline metabolism.

Objective: We sought to quantify the effects of pregnancy and maternal choline intake on maternal and fetal indicators of choline metabolism.

Branched chain fatty acids are constituents of the normal healthy newborn gastrointestinal tract.

Vernix suspended in amniotic fluid is normally swallowed by the late term fetus. We hypothesized that branched chain fatty acids (BCFA), long known to be major vernix components, would be found in meconium and that the profiles would differ systematically. Vernix and meconium were collected from term newborns and analyzed.

Effect of enteral glutamine or glycine on whole-body nitrogen kinetics in very-low-birth-weight infants.

Background: Glutamine is a critical amino acid for the metabolism of enterocytes, lymphocytes, and other proliferating cells. Although supplementation with glutamine has been suggested for growing infants, its effect on protein metabolism has not been examined.

Objective: The objective was to examine the effect of enteral glutamine or glycine on whole-body kinetics of glutamine, phenylalanine, leucine, and urea in preterm infants.

Glutamine and leucine nitrogen kinetics and their relation to urea nitrogen in newborn infants.

Glutamine kinetics and its relation to transamination of leucine and urea synthesis were quantified in 16 appropriate-for-gestational-age infants, four small-for-gestational-age infants, and seven infants of diabetic mothers. Kinetics were measured between 4 and 5 h after the last feed (fasting) and in response to formula feeding using [5-(15)N]glutamine, [1-(13)C,(15)N]leucine, [(2)H(5)]phenylalanine, and [(15)N(2)]urea tracers. Leucine nitrogen and glutamine kinetics during fasting were significantly higher than those reported in adults.