title: Developmental pattern of 3-oxo-delta 4 bile acids in neonatal bile acid metabolism.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether a fetal pathway of bile acid synthesis persists in neonates and infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  3-oxo-delta 4 bile acids were determined qualitatively and quantitatively in the urine, meconium, and faeces of healthy neonates and infants, using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean percentage of 3-oxo-delta 4 bile acids in total bile acids in urine at birth was significantly higher than that at 3 or 7 days, and at 1 or 3 months of age. The concentration of this component in meconium was significantly higher than that in faeces at 7 days and at 1 or 3 months of age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of large amounts of urinary 3-oxo-delta 4 bile acids may indicate immaturity in the activity of hepatic 3-oxo-delta 4-steroid 5 beta-reductase in the first week of postnatal life. Large amounts of this component in meconium may be due to the ingestion of amniotic fluid by the fetus during pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Kurume University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tohma
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kato
mesh_terms: D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development*; D008297:Male; D008470:Meconium / Q000737:chemistry; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism*; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid; D003404:Creatinine; D010088:Oxidoreductases; C021936:3-oxo-5 beta-steroid delta 4-dehydrogenase