Caterino Marianna, Ruoppolo Margherita, Costanzo Michele, Albano Lucia, Crisci Daniela, Sotgiu Giovanni, Saderi Laura, Montella Andrea, Franconi Flavia, Campesi Ilaria
Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples 'Federico II', 80131 Naples, Italy.
CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate Scarl, 80145 Naples, Italy.
Metabolites. 2021 Mar 9;11(3):158. doi: 10.3390/metabo11030158.
Prematurity is the leading cause of neonatal deaths and high economic costs; it depends on numerous biological and social factors, and is highly prevalent in males. Several factors can affect the metabolome of premature infants. Accordingly, the aim of the present study was to analyze the role played by gestational age (GA), parenteral nutrition (PN), and caffeine treatment in sex-related differences of blood metabolome of premature neonates through a MS/MS-based targeted metabolomic approach for the detection of amino acids and acylcarnitines in dried blood spots. GA affected the blood metabolome of premature neonates: male and female very premature infants (VPI) diverged in amino acids but not in acylcarnitines, whereas the opposite was observed in moderate or late preterm infants (MLPI). Moreover, an important reduction of metabolites was observed in female VPI fed with PN, suggesting that PN might not satisfy an infant's nutritional needs. Caffeine showed the highest significant impact on metabolite levels of male MLPI. This study proves the presence of a sex-dependent metabolome in premature infants, which is affected by GA and pharmacological treatment (e.g., caffeine). Furthermore, it describes an integrated relationship among several features of physiology and health.
早产是新生儿死亡的主要原因，且经济成本高昂；它取决于众多生物和社会因素，在男性中极为普遍。多种因素会影响早产儿的代谢组。因此，本研究的目的是通过基于串联质谱的靶向代谢组学方法，检测干血斑中的氨基酸和酰基肉碱，分析胎龄（GA）、肠外营养（PN）和咖啡因治疗在早产儿血液代谢组性别差异中所起的作用。GA影响早产儿的血液代谢组：极早早产儿（VPI）的男性和女性在氨基酸方面存在差异，但在酰基肉碱方面没有差异，而中度或晚期早产儿（MLPI）则相反。此外，接受PN喂养的女性VPI中观察到代谢物显著减少，这表明PN可能无法满足婴儿的营养需求。咖啡因对男性MLPI的代谢物水平影响最为显著。本研究证明早产儿存在性别依赖性代谢组，其受到GA和药物治疗（如咖啡因）的影响。此外，它还描述了生理和健康的几个特征之间的综合关系。
