title: Improving amino acid nutrition to prevent intrauterine growth  restriction in mammals.
abstract: Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is one of the most common concerns in human obstetrics and domestic animal production. It is usually caused by placental insufficiency, which decreases fetal uptake of nutrients (especially amino acids) from the placenta. Amino acids are not only building blocks for protein but also key regulators of metabolic pathways in fetoplacental development. The enhanced demands of amino acids by the developing conceptus must be met via active transport systems across the placenta as normal pregnancy advances. Growing evidence indicates that IUGR is associated with a reduction in placental amino acid transport capacity and metabolic pathways within the embryonic/fetal development. The positive relationships between amino acid concentrations in circulating maternal blood and placental amino acid transport into fetus encourage designing new therapies to prevent or treat IUGR by enhancing amino acid availability in maternal diets or maternal circulation. Despite the positive effects of available dietary interventions, nutritional therapy for IUGR is still in its infancy. Based on understanding of the underlying mechanisms whereby amino acids promote fetal growth and of their dietary requirements by IUGR, supplementation with functional amino acids (e.g., arginine and glutamine) hold great promise for preventing fetal growth restriction and improving health and growth of IUGR offspring.
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Xiaoqiu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Guoyao
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Cuiping
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Huaijun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Defa
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Junjun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000662:veterinary; D008322:Mammals; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D021041:Placental Circulation; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D001120:Arginine