Neonatal adiposity is associated with microRNAs in adipocyte-derived extracellular vesicles in maternal and cord blood, a discovery analysis.

Background: Maternal body size, nutrition, and hyperglycemia contribute to neonatal body size and composition. There is little information on maternal-fetal transmission of messages which influence fetal growth. We analyzed adipocyte-derived small extracellular vesicular (ADsEV) microRNAs in maternal and cord blood to explore their adipogenic potential.

Exploring the human microbiome - A step forward for precision medicine in breast cancer.

Background: The second most frequent cancer in the world and the most common malignancy in women is breast cancer. Breast cancer is a significant health concern in India with a high mortality-to-incidence ratio and presentation at a younger age.

Recent Findings: Recent studies have identified gut microbiota as a significant factor that can have an influence on the development, treatment, and prognosis of breast cancer.

Neonatal adiposity is associated with microRNAs in adipocyte-derived extracellular vesicles in maternal and cord blood.

Background: Maternal body size, nutrition, and hyperglycemia contribute to neonatal body size and composition. There is little information on maternal-fetal transmission of messages which influence fetal growth. We analyzed adipocyte-derived small extracellular vesicular (ADsEV) microRNAs in maternal and cord blood to explore their adipogenic potential.

Differential expression of genes influencing mitotic processes in cord blood mononuclear cells after a pre-conceptional micronutrient-based randomised controlled trial: Pune Rural Intervention in Young Adolescents (PRIYA).

In The Pune Maternal Nutrition Study, vitamin B12 deficiency was seen in 65% of pregnant women, folate deficiency was rare. Maternal total homocysteine concentrations were inversely associated with offspring birthweight, and low vitamin B12 and high folate concentrations predicted higher offspring adiposity and insulin resistance. These findings guided a nested pre-conceptional randomised controlled trial 'Pune Rural Intervention in Young Adolescents'.

Choline metabolic pathway gene polymorphisms and risk for Down syndrome: An association study in a population with folate-homocysteine metabolic impairment.

Background/objectives: Choline is an essential nutrient involved in one-carbon metabolism, but its role in mechanisms underlying meiotic non-disjunction is poorly known. The relationship between folate-homocysteine metabolic pathway gene polymorphism and Down syndrome (DS) risk has been widely analyzed, but there are limited reports on its correlation with choline metabolism. In the present case-control association study, we investigated the relationship of three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PEMT) rs12325817, choline dehydrogenase (CHDH) rs12676 and homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT) rs3733890) of choline metabolism with risk for DS.

Role of folate-homocysteine pathway gene polymorphisms and nutritional cofactors in Down syndrome: A triad study.

Study Question: Do gene-gene and gene-environment interactions in folate-homocysteine (Hcy) pathway have a predisposing role for Down syndrome (DS)?

Summary Answer: The study provides evidence that in addition to advanced age, maternal genotype, micronutrient deficiency and elevated Hcy levels, individually and in combination, are risk factors for Down syndrome.

What Is Known Already: Polymorphisms in certain folate-Hcy-pathway genes (especially the T allele of MTHFR C677T), elevated Hcy and poor folate levels in mothers during pregnancy have been shown to be risk factors for Down syndrome in certain Asian populations (including the eastern region of India), while the same SNPs are not a risk factor in European populations. This conflicting situation alludes to differential gene-environment (nutrition) interactions in different populations which needs to be explored.

Maternal risk for down syndrome and polymorphisms in the promoter region of the DNMT3B gene: a case-control study.

Background: Epigenetic changes leading to improper methylation of the pericentromeric region of chromosome 21 may contribute to the nondisjunction of this chromosome. Polymorphisms in the DNA Methyltransferase 3B (DNMT3B) gene, one of the crucial gene of the folate metabolism, affects the activity of the enzyme and increases the susceptibility of nondisjunction in mothers of Down syndrome children (MDS).

Methods: Considering this hypothesis we investigated the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the promoter region of the DNMT3B gene (rs1569686 -579G>T; rs2424913 -149C>T) with a predisposition of mothers to deliver a Down syndrome (DS) child.

Low birthweight (LBW) and neonatal hyperbilirubinemia (NNH) in an Indian cohort: association of homocysteine, its metabolic pathway genes and micronutrients as risk factors.

Background & Aims: Indian subcontinent has the highest child mortality rates along with a very high frequency of low birthweight (LBW). Folate and vitamin B12 (Vit-B12) are necessary during foetal development and their deficiency prevalence in Indians is very high. The objective of the present paper is to assess whether foetal homocysteine (Hcy)/folate metabolic pathway genes, their cofactors and homocysteine level independently (or collectively) predispose children to Low birth weight.

Lower incidence of nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate in females: is homocysteine a factor?

In India, as in other parts of the world, nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL +/- P) is a highly prevalent birth defect, its incidence in males being twice that in females. A case-control association study has been carried out with respect to homocysteine level and MTHFR C677T, A1298C and SLC19A1 (RFC1) G80A genotypes from an eastern Indian cohort to investigate whether Hcy and other Hcy-pathway genes also contribute to the risk level. While MTHFR 677T and SLC19A1 80G are individually and cumulatively risk factors, SLC19A1 80A appears to be protective against MTHFR 677T risk allele.

Association of MTHFR and RFC1 gene polymorphism with hyperhomocysteinemia and its modulation by vitamin B12 and folic acid in an Indian population.

Background/objectives: Unlike most Western populations, MTHFR 677T is a rare allele and a risk factor for a variety of disorders in India. What kind of nutritional (environmental) and/or genetic factors could contribute to the genetic risk is not known. To assess the incidence of hyperhomocysteinemia and its correlation with the polymorphism in homocysteine (Hcy)-pathway genes and associated cofactors in the native populations of eastern India.