title: Maternal pregravid obesity changes gene expression profiles toward greater inflammation and reduced insulin sensitivity in umbilical cord.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Maternal obesity is associated with unfavorable outcomes, which may be reflected in the as yet undiscovered gene expression profiles of the umbilical cord (UC).
  
  
  METHODS
  UCs from 12 lean (pregravid BMI < 24.9) and 10 overweight/obese (pregravid BMI ≥ 25) women without gestational diabetes were collected for gene expression analysis using Human Primeview microarrays. Metabolic parameters were assayed in mother's plasma and cord blood.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although offspring birth weight and adiposity (at 2 wk) did not differ between groups, expression of 232 transcripts was affected in UC from overweight/obese compared with those of lean mothers. Gene-set enrichment analysis revealed an upregulation of genes related to metabolism, stimulus and defense response, and inhibitory to insulin signaling in the overweight/obese group. We confirmed that EGR1, periostin, and FOSB mRNA expression was induced in UCs from overweight/obese mothers, while endothelin receptor B, KLF10, PEG3, and EGLN3 expression was decreased. Messenger RNA expression of EGR1, FOSB, MEST, and SOCS1 were positively correlated (P < 0.05) with mother's first-trimester body fat mass (%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest a positive association between maternal obesity and changes in UC gene expression profiles favoring inflammation and insulin resistance, potentially predisposing infants to develop metabolic dysfunction later on in life.
authors.affiliation: 1] Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center, Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock, Arkansas [2] Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas.
authors.forename: Keshari M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Thakali
authors.affiliation: 1] Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center, Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock, Arkansas [2] Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Saben
authors.affiliation: Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center, Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock, Arkansas.
authors.forename: Jennifer B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Faske
authors.affiliation: Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center, Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock, Arkansas.
authors.forename: Forrest
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lindsey
authors.affiliation: 1] Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center, Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock, Arkansas [2] Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas.
authors.forename: Horacio
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gomez-Acevedo
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas.
authors.forename: Curtis L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lowery
authors.affiliation: 1] Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center, Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock, Arkansas [2] Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas.
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Badger
authors.affiliation: 1] Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center, Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock, Arkansas [2] Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas.
authors.forename: Aline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Andres
authors.affiliation: 1] Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center, Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock, Arkansas [2] Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas.
authors.forename: Kartik
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shankar
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000886:Anthropometry; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D051766:Early Growth Response Protein 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D061307:Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D046228:Microarray Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000378:metabolism; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014470:Umbilical Cord / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D017931:DNA Primers; C497325:EGR1 protein, human; D051766:Early Growth Response Protein 1; C064269:FOSB protein, human; D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin; C512835:POSTN protein, human; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos