Background: Preterm infants experience a multitude of prenatal and postnatal stressors, resulting in cumulative stress exposure, which may jeopardize the timely attainment of developmental milestones, such as achieving oral feeding. Up to 70% of preterm infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit experience challenges while initiating oral feeding. Oral feeding skills require intact neurobehavioral development. Evolving evidence demonstrates that cumulative stress exposure results in epigenetic modification of glucocorticoid-related genes. Epigenetics is a field of study that focuses on phenotypic changes that do not involve alterations in the DNA sequence. Epigenetic modification of glucocorticoid-related genes alters cortisol reactivity to environmental stimuli, which may influence neurobehavioral development, and is the essence of the evolving field of Preterm Behavioral Epigenetics. It is plausible that early-life cumulative stress exposure and the ensuing epigenetic modification of glucocorticoid-related genes impair neurobehavioral development required for achievement of oral feeding skills in preterm infants.
Purpose: The purpose of this article is to build upon the evolving science of Preterm Behavioral Epigenetics and present a conceptual model that explicates how cumulative stress exposure affects neurobehavioral development and achievement of oral feeding skills through epigenetic modification of glucocorticoid-related genes.
Methods/results: Using the Preterm Behavioral Epigenetics framework and supporting literature, we present a conceptual model in which early-life cumulative stress exposure, reflected by DNA methylation of glucocorticoid-related genes and altered cortisol reactivity, disrupts neurobehavioral development critical for achievement of oral feeding skills.
Implications For Practice And Research: Future investigations guided by the proposed conceptual model will benefit preterm infant outcomes by introducing epigenetic-based approaches to assess and monitor preterm infant oral feeding skills. Furthermore, the proposed model can guide future investigations that develop and test epigenetic protective interventions to improve clinical outcomes, representing an innovation in neonatal care.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/ANC.0000000000000720 | DOI Listing |
Metab Brain Dis
January 2025
Section of Osteimmunology and Oral Immunology, Laboratory of Dental Reseach. FES Iztacala, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), México, Mexico State, México.
Unlabelled: LCN2 has an osteokine important for appetite regulation; in type 2 diabetes (T2D) it is not known whether appetite regulation mediated by LCN2 in the brain is altered. In this work, we focus on exploring the role of blocking LCN2 in metabolic health and appetite regulation within the central nervous system of mice with T2D.
Material And Methods: 4-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were used, divided into four experimental groups: intact, T2D, TD2/anti-LCN2, and T2D/IgG as isotype control.
J Endocrinol
January 2025
N Inagaki, Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are widely used as antidiabetic and anti-obesity agents. Although conventional GLP-1 RAs such as liraglutide and semaglutide are acylated with fatty acids to delay their degradation by dipeptidylpeptidase-4 (DPP-4), the manufacturing process is challenging. We previously developed selectively lipidated GLP-1 peptides at their only tryptophan residue (peptide A having one 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid (miniPEG) linker and peptide B having three miniPEG linkers).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAn Pediatr (Engl Ed)
January 2025
Departamento de Enfermería, Unidad de Neonatología, Hospital Universitario de Burgos, Burgos, Spain.
Introduction: The achievement of oral feeding competence (OFC) is a challenge in preterm infants and can be affected by several factors.
Objective: The aim of our study was to determine the time elapsed to development of OFC in very low birth weight (VLBW, weight <1500g) preterm infants and to identify factors associated with greater difficulty in achieving this skill.
Population And Methods: Observational, longitudinal and prospective study in VLBW infants over a period of 7 years (2016-2022).
J Clin Med
December 2024
Department of Oral Pathobiological Science and Surgery, Tokyo Dental College, 2-9-18 Kandamisaki-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0061, Japan.
Mandibular gingival squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common oral cancer after tongue cancer. As these carcinomas often invade the mandible early, accurately defining the resection extent is important. This report highlights the use of preoperative virtual surgery data, computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology, surgical guidance, and extended reality (XR) support in achieving highly accurate marginal mandibulectomy without recurrence or metastasis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMalar J
January 2025
Malaria Research Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, PO Box 983, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Background: Mosquitoes are important drivers of infectious diseases transmission, with Anopheles mosquitoes being responsible of malaria transmission. In Cambodia, where malaria is prevalent in forested regions, understanding the ecology of these vectors is crucial. This study aimed to investigate the abundance, distribution, seasonal patterns, biting behaviour of Anopheles mosquitoes, and prevalence of Plasmodium, in Mondulkiri province, Northeastern Cambodia.
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