Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Born from pre-eclamptic pregnancies predisposes infants to altered cortisol metabolism in the first postnatal year

Broughton Pipkin, Fiona; Mistry, Hiten D.; Roy, Chandrima; Dick, Bernhard; Waugh, Jason; Chikhi, Rebecca; Kurlak, L.O.; Mohaupt, Markus

Born from pre-eclamptic pregnancies predisposes infants to altered cortisol metabolism in the first postnatal year Thumbnail


Authors

Fiona Broughton Pipkin

Hiten D. Mistry

Chandrima Roy

Bernhard Dick

Jason Waugh

Rebecca Chikhi

L.O. Kurlak

Markus Mohaupt



Abstract

Pre-eclampsia leads to disturbed fetal organ development, including metabolic syndrome, attributed to altered pituitary-adrenal feedback loop. We measured cortisol metabolites in infants born from pre-eclamptic and normotensive women and hypothesised that glucocorticoid exposure would be exaggerated in the former. Twenty-four hour urine was collected from infants at months 3 and 12. Cortisol metabolites and apparent enzyme activities were analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. From 3 to 12 months, excretion of THS, THF and pregnandiol had risen in both groups; THF also rose in the pre-eclamptic group. No difference was observed with respect to timing of the visit or to hypertensive status for THE or total F metabolites (P>0.05). All apparent enzymes activities, except 17α-hydroxylase, were lower in infants at 12 compared to 3 months in the normotensive group. In the pre-eclamptic group, only 11β-HSD activities were lower at 12 months.17α-hydroxylase and 11β-HSD activities of tetrahydro metabolites were higher in the pre-eclamptic group at 3 months (P<0.05). 11β-hydroxylase activity increased in the pre-eclamptic group at 12 months. Cortisol excretion, determined by increased 11β-hydroxylase, compensates for high 11β-HSD-dependent cortisol degradation at 3 months and at 12 months counterbalances the reduced cortisol substrate availability in infants born from pre-eclamptic mothers.

Citation

Broughton Pipkin, F., Mistry, H. D., Roy, C., Dick, B., Waugh, J., Chikhi, R., Kurlak, L., & Mohaupt, M. (2015). Born from pre-eclamptic pregnancies predisposes infants to altered cortisol metabolism in the first postnatal year. Endocrine Connections, 4(4), https://doi.org/10.1530/EC-15-0084

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Sep 16, 2015
Publication Date Dec 4, 2015
Deposit Date Jul 21, 2017
Publicly Available Date Jul 21, 2017
Journal Endcrine Connections
Electronic ISSN 2049-3614
Publisher BioScientifica
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 4
Issue 4
DOI https://doi.org/10.1530/EC-15-0084
Keywords steroid hormones; pre-eclampsia; infants; urine
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/770245
Publisher URL http://www.endocrineconnections.com/content/4/4/233.short
Contract Date Jul 21, 2017

Files





You might also like



Downloadable Citations