title: Decreased placental expression of pre-adipocyte factor-1 in children born small-for-gestational-age: association to early postnatal weight gain.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Preadipocyte factor-1 (Pref-1) is a key regulator of adipocyte differentiation acting as an inhibitor of adipogenesis; Pref-1 is highly expressed in embryonic tissues and placenta supporting a role in embryonic and fetal growth. The potential impact of placental Pref-1 expression in human pre- and postnatal development is unclear. OBJECTIVE AND HYPOTHESES: To assess the contribution of placental Pref-1 to fetal and postnatal growth.
  
  
  METHODS
  Placentas (N = 99) were collected at term delivery from singleton infants, who were born either appropriate (AGA; n = 59) or small-for-gestational-age (SGA; n = 40). Auxological data of all subjects were obtained at birth. In a subset of subjects (n = 31) we also obtained weight data at 4 mo and at 1 yr, together with body composition assessment (by DXA) at the age of 1 yr. Placental expression of Pref-1 was quantified by real-time PCR; the housekeeping gene GAPDH was used for comparisons.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pref-1 was significantly downregulated in the placentas from SGA babies as compared to AGA controls (P = 0.005). In SGA infants placental Pref-1 expression associated positively to body weight at 4 and 12 mo (r = 0.44, P = 0.05; r = 0.66, P = 0.001 respectively); at age 12 mo, placental Pref-1 expression was inversely related to total fat mass and positively correlated with total lean mass (r = -0.59, P = 0.01; and r = -0.59, P = 0.01,respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Placental Pref-1 expression in SGA fetuses was decreased and associated with postnatal body weight, suggesting a role of Pref-1 in the regulation of postnatal development.
authors: Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, University of Barcelona, 08950 Esplugues, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Díaz
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Bassols
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Aragonés
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Mazarico
authors: A
authors: A
authors: López-Bermejo
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Ibáñez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D002657:Child Development; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000254:growth & development*; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; C512941:DLK1 protein, human; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins