Maternal and cord blood ghrelin in the pregnancies of smoking mothers: possible markers of nutrient availability for the fetus.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the role of ghrelin in maternal and fetal metabolism, we determined its value in maternal smoking, a specific cause of reduced placenta function and fetal growth.


METHODS
In 85 normal term pregnancies, 42 in smoking and 43 in non-smoking mothers, we measured ghrelin in the maternal blood at the onset of labor and in the cord blood of their 85 singletons immediately after birth. We determined the relationships between ghrelin and placental GH (PGH), pituitary GH (pitGH), and IGF-I.


RESULTS
The newborns of smoking mothers weighed 0.24 kg less (p < 0.05) than those of non-smoking mothers. Cord blood ghrelin was 71% higher and PGH and cord blood IGF-I were 34% and 32% lower, respectively, in the pregnancies of smoking compared with non-smoking mothers (p < 0.05). Cord blood ghrelin was unrelated to pitGH and cord blood IGF-I. Maternal ghrelin was unchanged in smoking mothers, increased with maternal fasting duration (r = 0.26, p < 0.05), showed no correlation with PGH and negative correlation with cord blood IGF-I (r = -0.42, p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The decrease in placental function and fetal growth in smoking mothers is associated with an increase in cord blood ghrelin, and no change in maternal ghrelin. Maternal ghrelin concentration increases with fasting, and is negatively correlated with cord blood IGF-I: it may signal a reduction in the level of nutrients available for placental transfer. No correlation supports a role for ghrelin in PGH or pitGH secretion.
Bouhours-Nouet
Natacha
N
Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital, Angers, France.
Boux de Casson
Florence
F
Rouleau
Stéphanie
S
Douay
Olivier
O
Mathieu
Elisabeth
E
Bouderlique
Claude
C
Gillard
Philippe
P
Limal
Jean Marie
JM
Descamps
Philippe
P
Coutant
Régis
R
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D001724:Birth Weight; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry*; D054439:Ghrelin; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000097:blood; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000097:blood; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood*
D015415:Biomarkers; D054439:Ghrelin; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; C000608036:PGF protein, human; D036361:Peptide Hormones; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I