title: Human Placental Arterial Distensibility, Birth Weight, and Body Size Are Positively Related to Fetal Homocysteine Concentration.
abstract: Methionine demethylation during metabolism generates homocysteine (Hcy) and its remethylation requires folate and cobalamin. Elevated Hcy concentrations are associated with vascular-related complications of pregnancy, including increased vascular stiffness, predictive of clinical vascular disease. Maternal and fetal total Hcy (tHcy) concentrations are positively related, yet the influence of Hcy on fetoplacental vascular function in normal pregnancy has not been examined. We hypothesized that Hcy alters fetoplacental vascular characteristics with influences on fetal growth outcomes. We investigated (1) placental chorionic plate artery distensibility and neonatal blood pressure in relation to umbilical plasma tHcy; (2) relationships between cord venous (CV) and cord arterial (CA) plasma tHcy, folate, and cobalamin concentrations; and (3) tHcy associations with birth weight and anthropometric measurements of body size as indices of fetal growth in normal pregnancies with appropriate weight-for-gestational age newborns. Maternal plasma tHcy, folate, and cobalamin concentrations were consistent with published data. Placental chorionic plate artery distensibility index (β; measure of vessel stiffness) was inversely related to CA tHcy, yet neonatal blood pressure was not significantly affected. CV and CA tHcy concentrations were positively related and CV tHcy negatively related to CV cobalamin but not folate. CV tHcy concentration positively related to birth weight, corrected birth weight percentile, length, head circumference, and mid-arm circumference of newborns. CV cobalamin was inversely related to fetal growth indices but not to folate concentration. Our study demonstrates a potential relationship between fetal tHcy and placental artery distensibility, placing clinical relevance to cobalamin in influencing Hcy concentration and maintaining low vascular resistance to facilitate nutrient exchange favorable to fetal growth.
authors.affiliation: 1 Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Stephen W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: D'Souza
authors.affiliation: 1 Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Nita
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Solanky
authors.affiliation: 1 Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guarino
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Medical Biochemistry and Immunology, University Hospital of Wales and Cardiff School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moat
authors.affiliation: 1 Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Colin P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Sibley
authors.affiliation: 3 Institute of Genetic Medicine, International Centre for Life, Newcastle University, Newcastle, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taggart
authors.affiliation: 1 Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Jocelyn D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Glazier
mesh_terms: D001158:Arteries / Q000502:physiology*; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D049628:Body Size / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000502:physiology; D005865:Gestational Age; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010920:Placenta / Q000098:blood supply*; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine
keywords: chorionic plate arteries; folate; neonatal blood pressure; vascular function; vitamin B12