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

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