1. Impact of Gestational and Postmenstrual Age on Excretion of Fetal Zone Steroids in Preterm Infants Determined by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
- Author
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Johanna Ruhnau, Jan De Lafollie, Stephanie Hübner, Matthias Heckmann, Michaela F. Hartmann, Donna Elizabeth Sunny, Till Ittermann, and Stefan A. Wudy
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,0301 basic medicine ,Aging ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Amniotic fluid ,Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism ,Clinical Biochemistry ,Gestational Age ,Context (language use) ,17-alpha-Hydroxypregnenolone ,Biochemistry ,Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ,Cohort Studies ,Excretion ,03 medical and health sciences ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Fetus ,0302 clinical medicine ,Endocrinology ,Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate ,Pregnancy ,Internal medicine ,medicine ,Humans ,Sex Characteristics ,Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate ,business.industry ,Biochemistry (medical) ,Infant, Newborn ,Postmenstrual Age ,Gestational age ,Amniotic Fluid ,030104 developmental biology ,chemistry ,Infant, Extremely Premature ,Pregnenolone ,Gestation ,Female ,Steroids ,business ,Infant, Premature ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery - Abstract
Context Fetal zone steroids (FZSs) are excreted in high concentrations in preterm infants. Experimental data suggest protective effects of FZSs in models of neonatal disease. Objective We aimed to characterize the postnatal FZS metabolome of well preterm and term infants. Methods Twenty-four-hour urinary FZS excretion rates were determined in early preterm (37 weeks) infants. Pregnenolone and 17-OH-pregnenolone metabolites (n = 5), and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and metabolites (n = 12) were measured by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Postnatal concentrations of FZSs were compared with already published prenatal concentrations in amniotic fluid. Results Excretion rates of total FZSs and most of the single metabolites were highest in early preterm infants. In this group, excretion rates approach those of term infants at term equivalent postmenstrual age. Preterm infants of 30-36 weeks had more than half lower median excretion rates of FZSs than early preterm infants at the same time of postmenstrual age. Postnatal concentrations of FZSs were partly more than 100-fold higher in all gestational age groups than prenatal concentrations in amniotic fluid at midgestation. Conclusion The excretion rates of FZSs as a proxy of the involution of the fetal zone of the most immature preterm infants approached those of term infants at term equivalent. In contrast, the fetal zone in more mature preterm infants undergoes more rapid involution. These data in exclusively well neonates can serve as a basis to investigate the effects of illness on the FZS metabolome in future studies.
- Published
- 2021