title: Potential protective role of endogenous glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase against glutamate excitotoxicity in fetal hypoxic-ischaemic asphyxia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Fetal blood contains higher concentrations of glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT; a blood enzyme able to metabolize glutamate) than maternal blood. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between GOT and glutamate levels in arterial blood samples from umbilical cord in control newborn infants and newborn infants with hypoxic-ischaemic insult and/or symptoms of hypoxia-ischemia after delivery.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 46 newborn infants (28 females, 18 males) were prospectively included in the study. Twenty-three infants (18 females, five males) were included as control participants and 23 (10 females, 13 males) were included as newborn infants at risk of adverse neurological outcome (defined as umbilical blood with pH <7.1).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis of glutamate concentration and GOT activity in umbilical blood samples showed that newborn infants with pH <7.1 had higher levels of glutamate (142.4 μmol/L [SD 61.4] vs 62.8 μmol/L [SD 25.5]; p<0.001) and GOT (83.1 U/L [SD 60.9] vs 34.9 U/L [SD 18.2]; p<0.001) compared to newborn infants without fetal distress. Analysis of Apgar scores and blood pH values (markers of perinatal distress) showed that conditions of severe distress were associated with higher glutamate and GOT levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  During fetal development, the ability of GOT to metabolize glutamate suggests that this enzyme can act as an endogenous protective mechanism in the control of glutamate homeostasis.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neurosciences Research Laboratory, Clinical University Hospital, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pérez-Mato
authors.affiliation: Neonatology Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Clinico Universitario de Santiago, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iglesias-Deus
authors.affiliation: Neonatology Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Clinico Universitario de Santiago, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rujido
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neurosciences Research Laboratory, Clinical University Hospital, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: da Silva-Candal
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neurosciences Research Laboratory, Clinical University Hospital, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: Tomás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sobrino
authors.affiliation: Neonatology Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Clinico Universitario de Santiago, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: María-Luz
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Couce
authors.affiliation: Neonatology Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Clinico Universitario de Santiago, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: José María
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Fraga
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neurosciences Research Laboratory, Clinical University Hospital, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Castillo
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neurosciences Research Laboratory, Clinical University Hospital, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Campos
mesh_terms: D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood*; D001238:Asphyxia Neonatorum / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D020925:Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D000066829:Neuroprotection / Q000502:physiology; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D009498:Neurotoxins; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases