title: Abundance of circulating preadipocyte factor 1 in early life.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Soluble preadipocyte factor 1 (Pref-1) inhibits adipocyte differentiation. We tested whether circulating levels of soluble Pref-1 are higher in smaller fetuses.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed longitudinal assessments of circulating Pref-1 in infants born appropriate for gestational age (AGA) or small for gestational age (SGA) and also in late-gestational women and in newborns on days 2 and 3.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At birth, Pref-1 levels were ~100-fold higher than in adults, being in SGA fetuses ~50% higher than in AGA fetuses. By age 4 months, Pref-1 had reached near-adult levels and the original AGA versus SGA difference had disappeared. Pref-1 levels were low in late-gestational women and were still elevated in newborns.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pref-1 is abundantly present in the fetus, is higher in SGA than in AGA fetuses, and is likely to be of fetal origin. We speculate that Pref-1 in early life contributes to variation in postnatal adipocyte numbers, in the subsequent expandability of adipose tissue, and thus in the susceptibility to diabetes in later life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Woman and Child, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: de Zegher
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Díaz
authors.forename: Giorgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sebastiani
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martín-Ancel
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Infantes
authors.forename: Abel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: López-Bermejo
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ibáñez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000097:blood*; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000097:blood; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; C512941:DLK1 protein, human; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins