Maternal nutrition and bone health in the offspring

Bone mass in newborns and its predictors

OBJECTIVE

Optimal bone mass (a function of foetal programming and adequate intrauterine bone mineral accrual) is essential for prevention of osteoporosis. The present study was planned with the objectives to describe newborn bone mass (NBBM) and study the associated factors.

DESIGN

Observational study Patients: Singleton pregnant women ≤16 weeks gestation.

MEASUREMENTS

Maternal factors and antenatal events: Dietary assessment (3 days-24-h diet recalls at ≤16 and 32-34 weeks), fetal femoral volume (FFV) assessment at 19 and 34 weeks, serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D (S.25OHD) and placental weight. Newborn anthropometric parameters, cord S.25OHD & IGF-1 level and NBBM by DXA (whole-body bone mineral content (BMC), bone mineral density (BMD) and bone area).

RESULTS

Total 224 subjects were studied: 198 full-term and 26 preterm. The mean BMC, BMD and bone area for term newborns was 46.5 g (95% confidence interval [CI]: 45.35-47.66), 0.209 g/cm² (95% CI: 0.206-0.212) and 221.6 cm² (95% CI: 218.52-224.62), respectively. The mean placental weight was 403.2 ± 75.01 g (n = 72) while FFV was 0.71 ± 0.28 ml (19 weeks; n = 59) and 4.4 ± 1.17 ml (34 weeks; n = 33). Factors significantly associated with NBBM -gestational age at delivery, gestational weight gain, FFV at 19 weeks, placental weight, third-trimester maternal serum albumin and newborn anthropometric parameters (univariable analysis) and newborn birth weight, placental weight and FFV at 19 weeks (multivariable analysis).

CONCLUSION

This study described NBBM among term newborns and birth weight, second-trimester FFV and placental weight were the associated factors.

The effect of maternal HMB supplementation on bone mechanical and geometrical properties, as well as histomorphometry and immunolocalization of VEGF, TIMP2, MMP13, BMP2 in the bone and cartilage tissue of the humerus of their newborn piglets

The presented experiment focuses on assessing the impact of HMB (hydroxy-β-methobutyrate) supplementation of mothers during pregnancy on the development of the skeletal system of their offspring. For this purpose, an experiment was carried out on 12 clinically healthy sows of the Great White Poland breed, which were divided randomly into two groups the control and the HMB group. All animals were kept under standard conditions and received the same feed for pregnant females. In contrast, females from the HMB group between 70 and 90 days were supplemented with 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyle in the amount of 0.2g/kg b.w/day. Immediately after birth, the piglets were also divided into groups based on: sex, and presence or lack HMB supplementation, and subsequently were euthanized and humerus bones from all piglets were collected. Mother's HMB supplementation during pregnancy affected the multiple index of their offspring. The higher humerus mass and length was observed with the greater effect in males. Maternal supplementation also influenced on the geometrical and mechanical properties of the humerus as in the case of mass, this effect was higher in males. Also, the collagen structure of the compacted and trabecular bone changed under the HMB addition. Maternal supplementation also affected the expression of selected proteins in growth cartilage and trabecular bone. The obtained results show that the administration to the mother during pregnancy by the HMB significantly affects the development of the humerus in many ways. The obtained results also confirm the utility of such experiments in understanding of the importance of the pregnancy diet as an develop and adaptable factor of offspring organisms and are the base for further research in that area as well as in the protein markers expression area.

Congenital Malformations in Sea Turtles: Puzzling Interplay between Genes and Environment

Simple Summary

Congenital malformations can lead to embryonic mortality in many species, and sea turtles are no exception. Genetic and/or environmental alterations occur during early development in the embryo, and may produce aberrant phenotypes, many of which are incompatible with life. Causes of malformations are multifactorial; genetic factors may include mutations, chromosomal aberrations, and inbreeding effects, whereas non-genetic factors may include nutrition, hyperthermia, low moisture, radiation, and contamination. It is possible to monitor and control some of these factors (such as temperature and humidity) in nesting beaches, and toxic compounds in feeding areas, which can be transferred to the embryo through their lipophilic properties. In this review, we describe possible causes of different types of malformations observed in sea turtle embryos, as well as some actions that may help reduce embryonic mortality.

Abstract

The completion of embryonic development depends, in part, on the interplay between genetic factors and environmental conditions, and any alteration during development may affect embryonic genetic and epigenetic regulatory pathways leading to congenital malformations, which are mostly incompatible with life. Oviparous reptiles, such as sea turtles, that produce numerous eggs in a clutch that is buried on the beach provide an opportunity to study embryonic mortality associated with malformations that occur at different times during development, or that prevent the hatchling from emerging from the nest. In sea turtles, the presence of congenital malformations frequently leads to mortality. A few years ago, a detailed study was performed on external congenital malformations in three species of sea turtles from the Mexican Pacific and Caribbean coasts, the hawksbill turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata (n = 23,559 eggs), the green turtle, Chelonia mydas (n = 17,690 eggs), and the olive ridley, Lepidochelys olivacea (n = 20,257 eggs), finding 63 types of congenital malformations, of which 38 were new reports. Of the three species, the olive ridley showed a higher incidence of severe anomalies in the craniofacial region (49%), indicating alterations of early developmental pathways; however, several malformations were also observed in the body, including defects in the carapace (45%) and limbs (33%), as well as pigmentation disorders (20%), indicating that deviations occurred during the middle and later stages of development. Although intrinsic factors (i.e., genetic mutations or epigenetic modifications) are difficult to monitor in the field, some environmental factors (such as the incubation temperature, humidity, and probably the status of feeding areas) are, to some extent, less difficult to monitor and/or control. In this review, we describe the aetiology of different malformations observed in sea turtle embryos, and provide some actions that can reduce embryonic mortality.

Osteoporosis: a lifecourse approach

It is becoming increasingly apparent that the risk of developing osteoporosis is accrued throughout the entire lifecourse, even from as early as conception. Thus early growth is associated with bone mass at peak and in older age, and risk of hip fracture. Novel findings from mother-offspring cohorts have yielded greater understanding of relationships between patterns of intrauterine and postnatal growth in the context of later bone development. Study of biological samples from these populations has helped characterize potential mechanistic underpinnings, such as epigenetic processes. Global policy has recognized the importance of early growth and nutrition to the risk of developing adult chronic noncommunicable diseases such as osteoporosis; testing of pregnancy interventions aimed at optimizing offspring bone health is now underway. It is hoped that through such programs, novel public health strategies may be established with the ultimate goal of reducing the burden of osteoporotic fracture in older age.