Birthweight predicts adult cardiovascular disorders: Population based cross sectional survey

The impact of poor fetal growth and chronic hyperpalatable diet exposure in adulthood on hippocampal function and feeding patterns in male rats

Poor fetal growth affects eating behavior and the mesocorticolimbic system; however, its influence on the hippocampus has been less explored. Brain insulin sensitivity has been linked to developmental plasticity in response to fetal adversity and to cognitive performance following high-fat diet intake. We investigated whether poor fetal growth and exposure to chronic hyperpalatable food in adulthood could influence the recognition of environmental and food cues, eating behavior patterns, and hippocampal insulin signaling. At 60 days of life, we assigned male offspring from a prenatal animal model of 50% food restriction (FR) to receive either a high-fat and -sugar (HFS) diet or standard chow (CON) diet. Behavioral tests were conducted at 140 days, then tissues were collected. HFS groups showed a diminished hippocampal pAkt/Akt ratio. FR-CON and FR-HFS groups had higher levels of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3, compared to control groups. FR groups showed increased exploration of a novel hyperpalatable food, independent of their diet, and HFS groups exhibited overall lower entropy (less random, more predictable eating behavior) when the environment changed. Poor fetal growth and chronic HFS diet in adulthood altered hippocampal insulin signaling and eating patterns, diminishing the flexibility associated with eating behavior in response to extrinsic changes in food availability in the environment.

Cerebral Small Vessel Disease: Early-Life Antecedents and Long-Term Implications for the Brain, Aging, Stroke, and Dementia

Cerebral small vessel disease is common in older adults and increases the risk of stroke, cognitive impairment, and dementia. While often attributed to midlife vascular risk factors such as hypertension, factors from earlier in life may contribute to later small vessel disease risk. In this review, we summarize current evidence for early-life effects on small vessel disease, stroke and dementia focusing on prenatal nutrition, and cognitive ability, education, and socioeconomic status in childhood. We discuss possible reasons for these associations, including differences in brain resilience and reserve, access to cognitive, social, and economic resources, and health behaviors, and we consider the extent to which these associations are independent of vascular risk factors. Although early-life factors, particularly education, are major risk factors for Alzheimer disease, they are less established in small vessel disease or vascular cognitive impairment. We discuss current knowledge, gaps in knowledge, targets for future research, clinical practice, and policy change.

Network exploration of gene signatures underlying low birth weight induced metabolic alterations

BACKGROUND

This study explored underlying gene signatures of low birth weight (LBW) by analyzing differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between LBW and normal birth weight (NBW) subjects.

METHODS

Subjects with different birth weight was collected from GEO database. P < .05 and | logFC | ≥ 1.0 were used for screening DEGs. David (2021 Update) was used to perform GO annotation and KEGG signaling pathway enrichment analysis. The protein-protein interaction network of DEGs was constructed using the STRING database, in which hub genes were mined through Cytoscape software.

RESULTS

A total of 326 DEGs were identified, including 287 up-regulated genes and 39 down-regulated genes. The GO biological processes enriched by DEGs mainly involved epidermal growth, keratinization and intermediate fibrous tissue. The DEGs were significantly enriched in intracellular insoluble membranes, desmosomes and extracellular space. Their molecular functions mainly focused on structural molecular activity, structural components of epidermis and structural components of cytoskeleton. PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and tight junction were highlighted as critical pathways enriched by DEGs. Ten hub genes which included KRT14, EGF, DSP, DSG1, KRT16, KRT6A, EPCAM, SPRR1B, PKP1, and PPL were identified from the constructed protein-protein interaction network.

CONCLUSION

A total of 326 DEGs and 10 hub genes were identified as candidates for metabolic disorders in LBW individuals. Our results indicated PI3K/AKT signaling pathway as an intrauterine adaptive mechanism for LBW individuals. We observed activated PI3K/AKT pathway in LBW individuals, which would promote growth and development at the early stage of life, but adversely introduce extra metabolic stress and thereby potentially induce metabolic disorders in adulthood.

Birthweight predicts glomerular filtration rate in adult-life: population based cross sectional study

INTRODUCTION

Worldwide, there is a global progressive rise of chronic kidney disease. In parallel, children born after intra-uterine growth retardation are surviving to adult-life and beyond. This study describes the association of birthweight with and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).

METHODS

Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle (AusDiab) study participants were asked to complete a birthweight questionnaire. The associations between birthweight and eGFR were determined.

RESULTS

A total of 4502 reported information related to their birthweight, with the other responders did not provide a value. The birthweight of the participants ranged from 0.4 to 7.0 kg with a mean-(SD) of 3.37 (0.7) kg. The mean (95%CI) birthweight was lower for females, 3.28 (0.6) kg, when compared to males, 3.5 (0.7) kg. Eight percent had a birthweight less than 2.5 kg. The eGFR was strongly and positively associated with birthweight, with people in the lowest sex-specific birthweight-quintiles having the lowest mean eGFR. This relationship persisted with adjustment for confounding factors. The OR(CI) for eGFR <10th-percentile (<61.4 ml/min for females and <73.4 for males) for people in the lowest vs. the higher birthweight-quintile was 2.19 (95%CI 1.14-4.2) for females and 2.37 (1.1-5.3) for males, after adjustment for other factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Birthweight had a positive relationship with eGFR. Possible explanations include an association of birthweight with nephron-endowment. From a global health perspective but more in developing countries and in populations in epidemiologic transition, where substantially lower birthweights coexist with recently improved infant and adult survivals, the overall impact of this phenomenon on the population health profile could be more substantial.

Does Prenatal Exposure to CNS Stimulants Increase the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Adult Offspring?

Prenatal exposure to an adverse uterine environment can have long lasting effects on adult offspring through DNA methylation, histone acetylation, and other epigenetic effects that alter gene expression and physiology. It is well-known that consumption of CNS stimulants such as caffeine, nicotine, amphetamines, and cocaine during pregnancy can adversely impact the offspring. However, most work in this area has focused on neurological and behavioral outcomes and has been limited to assessments in young offspring. The impact of prenatal exposure to these agents on the adult cardiovascular system has received relatively little attention. Evidence from both animal and human studies indicate that exposure to CNS stimulants during the gestational period can negatively impact the adult heart and vasculature, potentially leading to cardiovascular diseases later in life. This review discusses our current understanding of the impact of prenatal exposure to cocaine, methamphetamine, nicotine, and caffeine on the adult cardiovascular system.

Birthweight predicts adult cardiovascular disorders: Population based cross sectional survey

BACKGROUND

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the primary cause of death in the developed-countries and mostly in the poorer areas of the country, and in lower income-groups.

HYPOTHESIS

Birthweight predicts adult development of angina, coronary heart disease, stroke, and combination of all CVD.

METHODS

The AusDiab is a cross-sectional study of Australians aged 25 years or over. Data on age, sex, previous-CVD, smoking-status, alcohol-intake, time-spent on watching television and physical-activity, total house-income, dwelling-type and education-level were collected by interviewer- administered-questionnaires.

RESULTS

Four thousand five hundred and two had birthweights (mean (SD) of 3.4(0.7) kg). Females in the lowest birthweight-quintile were at least 1.23, 1.48, 1.65, and 1.23 times more likely to have angina, CAD, stroke, and CVS compared to the referent group ≥3.72 kg with P = .123, .09, .099, and 0.176, respectively. Similarly, males in the lowest-birthweight-quintile were 1.23, 1.30, 1.39, and 1.26 times more likely to have angina, CAD, stroke, and CVS compared to the referent-group ≥4.05 kg with P = .231, .087, .102, and .123, respectively. Females with low birth weight (LBW) were at least 1.39, 1.40, 2.30, and 1.47 times more likely to have angina, CAD, stroke and CVS compared to those ≥2.5 kg with P = .06, .19, .03, and .13, respectively. Similarly, males with LBW were 1.76, 1.48, 3.34, and 1.70 times more likely to have angina, CAD, stroke, and CVS compared to those ≥2.5 kg with P = .14, .13, .03, and .08, respectively.

CONCLUSION

there was a negative relationship between birth weight and angina, CAD, stroke, and the overall CVS. It would be prudent, to adopt policies of intensified whole of life surveillance of lower-birthweight people, anticipating this risk.