title: Relationship between asymmetric dimethylarginine in umbilical cord plasma and birth weight follows a U-shaped curve.
abstract: Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is a nonselective nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor associated with cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. NO regulates placental blood flow, which plays an important role in fetal growth. Many epidemiological studies have disclosed that restricted fetal growth is associated with an increased risk of insulin resistance in adult life. We studied the relationship between ADMA in cord blood and birth size. Nine small for gestational age (SGA) and 32 appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants were studied. Their cord plasma ADMA, insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and adipocytokine levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The relationship between birth weight and ADMA levels followed a U-shaped curve rather than inverse linear associations expected over a full range of birth weight distribution. ADMA positively correlated with birth weight in the AGA group (p<0.001, R=0.590), and inversely correlated with birth weight in the SGA group (p<0.05, R=-0.741). ADMA inversely correlated with adiponectin (p<0.05, R=-0.289) and quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) (p<0.05, R=-0.294) in all subjects, and did not correlate with nitrogen oxides (NOX). Insulin, IGF-1, leptin, adiponectin and QUICKI were lower in the SGA than the AGA group. Plasma ADMA levels in cord blood may be a marker of fetal growth and insulin resistance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Kawachi General Hospital, Higashi-Osaka 578-0954, Japan.
authors.forename: Junji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Takaya
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata 573-1010, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata 573-1010, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kuroyanagi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata 573-1010, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazunari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaneko
mesh_terms: D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology; D003196:Computer Graphics; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D005865:Gestational Age; D057238:Growth Charts; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000097:blood; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin; C487735:dimethylarginine; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D001120:Arginine
keywords: Appropriate for gestational age; Asymmetric dimethylarginine; Nitric oxide; Quantitative insulin sensitivity check index; Small for gestational age