title: Impact of parental obesity on neonatal markers of inflammation and immune response.
abstract: Maternal obesity may influence neonatal and childhood morbidities through increased inflammation and/or altered immune response. Less is known about paternal obesity. We hypothesized that excessive parental weight contributes to elevated inflammation and altered immunoglobulin (Ig) profiles in neonates.
  
  
  
  In the Upstate KIDS Study maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) was obtained from vital records and paternal BMI from maternal report. Biomarkers were measured from newborn dried blood spots (DBS) among neonates whose parents provided consent. Inflammatory scores were calculated by assigning one point for each of five pro-inflammatory biomarkers above the median and one point for an anti-inflammatory cytokine below the median. Linear regression models and generalized estimating equations were used to estimate mean differences (β) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) in the inflammatory score and Ig levels by parental overweight/obesity status compared with normal weight.
  
  
  
  Among 2974 pregnancies, 51% were complicated by excessive maternal weight (BMI>25), 73% by excessive paternal weight and 28% by excessive gestational weight gain. Maternal BMI categories of overweight (BMI 25.0-29.9) and obese class II/III (BMI≥35) were associated with increased neonatal inflammation scores (β=0.12, 95% CI: 0.02, 0.21; P=0.02 and β=0.13, CI: -0.002, 0.26; P=0.05, respectively) but no increase was observed in the obese class I group (BMI 30-34.9). Mothers with class I and class II/III obesity had newborns with increased IgM levels (β=0.11, CI: 0.04, 0.17; P=0.001 and β=0.12, CI: 0.05, 0.19); P<0.001, respectively). Paternal groups of overweight, obese class I and obese class II/III had decreased neonatal IgM levels (β=-0.08, CI: -0.13,-0.03, P=0.001; β=-0.07, CI: -0.13, -0.01, P=0.029 and β=-0.11, CI:-0.19,-0.04, P=0.003, respectively).
  
  
  
  Excessive maternal weight was generally associated with increased inflammation and IgM supporting previous observations of maternal obesity and immune dysregulation in offspring. The role of paternal obesity requires further study.
authors: Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, USA.|Section on Endocrinology and Genetics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors: M M
authors: MM
authors: Broadney
authors: Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Chahal
authors: Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors: K A
authors: KA
authors: Michels
authors: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.
authors: A C
authors: AC
authors: McLain
authors: Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Ghassabian
authors: Laboratory of Immunology, Wadsworth Center/New York State Department of Health, Center for Medical Science, Albany, NY, USA.|Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany School of Public Health, Albany, NY, USA.
authors: D A
authors: DA
authors: Lawrence
authors: Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors: E H
authors: EH
authors: Yeung
mesh_terms: D056704:Adaptive Immunity / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D009035:Mothers; D009765:Obesity / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D015850:Interleukin-6; D002097:C-Reactive Protein