Abstract
Many instances of intrauterine growth retardation may represent fetal intrauterine malnutrition (IUM) rather than “placental insufficiency”. Clinical, physiologic, and biochemical features simulate those of protein-calorie malnutrition (PCM) of infants. Cell size (protein/DNA) often is increased in IUM, but its relation to energy functions of the cell is uncertain. The present studies explored whether patterns of cell energy metabolism in IUM resembled those found in PCM, and if these patterns were similar in fetal and placental cells. Energy charge (EC) = (ATP + ADP/AMP + ADP + ATP), pyruvic (PK) and adenylic kinase (AK) and energy capacity (ECa) = AK (ATP + ½ ADP) of leukocytes isolated from cord blood and of placentas were related to cell size (protein/DNA). For 13 IUM infants, leukocytes cell size was increased. PK and AK activities were reduced, compared to 28 low weight but appropriately nourished premies (P) or 33 full term (FT) infants. Most, but not all, of the differences were statistically significant. EC of the IUM leukocytes was not decreased; ATP and ECa were. For placentas, while total DNA and RNA were reduced in 20 IUM's, cell size and ribosomal mass (RNA/DNA) were increased compared to 17 FT and 10 P. AMP was the only nucleotide significantly decreased in IUM's. Placental AK and PK were increased and correlated with cell size and birth weight in IUM babies. while EC was slightly decreased in IUM placentas, ECa was increased. Thus, energy metabolism of IUM leukocytes is like infants with PCM, and metabolic changes in placental cells differ from those found in the infant's leukocytes.
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Yoshida, T., Bernal, A., Metcoff, J. et al. Fetal malnutrition. Pediatr Res 5, 417 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197108000-00193
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197108000-00193