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Meconium proteins as a source of biomarkers for the assessment of the intrauterine environment of the fetus

Part of: Liggins Institute, New Zealand and the Japanese DOHaD Society

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 March 2018

B. Lisowska-Myjak ,
E. Skarżyńska  and
M. Bakun
B. Lisowska-Myjak*
Affiliation:
Department of Biochemistry and Clinical Chemistry, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
E. Skarżyńska
Affiliation:
Department of Biochemistry and Clinical Chemistry, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
M. Bakun
Affiliation:
Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
*
*Address for correspondence: Dr hab. Barbara Lisowska-Myjak, Department of Biochemistry and Clinical Chemistry, Medical University of Warsaw, ul. Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland. E-mail basia.myjak@interia.pl
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Abstract

Intrauterine environmental factors can be associated with perinatal complications and long-term health outcomes although the underlying mechanisms remain poorly defined. Meconium formed exclusively in utero and passed naturally by a neonate may contain proteins which characterise the intrauterine environment. The aim of the study was proteomic analysis of the composition of meconium proteins and their classification by biological function. Proteomic techniques combining isoelectrofocussing fractionation and LC-MS/MS analysis were used to study the protein composition of a meconium sample obtained by pooling 50 serial meconium portions from 10 healthy full-term neonates. The proteins were classified by function based on the literature search for each protein in the PubMed database. A total of 946 proteins were identified in the meconium, including 430 proteins represented by two or more peptides. When the proteins were classified by their biological function the following were identified: immunoglobulin fragments and enzymatic, neutrophil-derived, structural and fetal intestine-specific proteins. Meconium is a rich source of proteins deposited in the fetal intestine during its development in utero. A better understanding of their specific biological functions in the intrauterine environment may help to identify these proteins which may serve as biomarkers associated with specific clinical conditions/diseases with the possible impact on the fetal development and further health consequences in infants, older children and adults.

Keywords

biomarkersfetusintrauterine environmentmeconiumproteomics
Type
Original Article
Information
Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease , Volume 9 , Issue 3: Themed Issue: NZ-Japan , June 2018 , pp. 329 - 337
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Copyright
© Cambridge University Press and the International Society for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease 2018 

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