Nutrient Levels in Amniotic Fluid from Women with Normal and Neural Tube Defect Pregnancies

Weekes, Elizabeth; Tamura, Toshiyuki; Davis, Richard O.; Birch, Robert; Vaughn, WK; Franklin, Judith; Barganier, Clyde; Cosper, Paula; Finley, Sara; Finley, Wayne H.

doi:10.1159/000243747

Cited by 41 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…We detected cobalamin and folate concentrations in AF that are similar to concentrations previously reported by others [11,[35][36][37][38]. The cobalamin content was substantially higher than in serum from term newborns and mothers [39].…”

Section: Concentrations Of B Vitamins and Metabolitessupporting

confidence: 89%

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Mid-trimester amniotic fluid methionine concentrations: a predictor of birth weight and length

2006

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Section: Concentrations Of B Vitamins and Metabolitessupporting

confidence: 89%

“…The cobalamin content was substantially higher than in serum from term newborns and mothers [39]. We observed a reduction in both B vitamins according to gestational age, as has previously been reported [38,40].…”

Section: Concentrations Of B Vitamins and Metabolitessupporting

confidence: 82%

Mid-trimester amniotic fluid methionine concentrations: a predictor of birth weight and length

2006

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“…Several clinical studies indicate that folate concentrations in postpartum serum and red blood cells are lower among women who have previously had a child with an NTD [28][29][30] ; however, there have been conflicting results, with some studies failing to find such an association [31][32][33][34][35] . Whether it is a low maternal intake or altered absorption/metabolism of folate that is responsible for the observed association with NTD risk has yet to be established 36 .…”

Section: Folic Acid Prevents Neural Tube Defectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neural tube defects and folate: case far from closed

Shaw²,

et al. 2006

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Neural tube closure takes place during early embryogenesis and requires interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Failure of neural tube closure is a common congenital malformation that results in morbidity and mortality. A major clinical achievement has been the use of periconceptional folic acid supplements, which prevents ~50-75% of cases of neural tube defects. However, the mechanism underlying the beneficial effects of folic acid is far from clear. Biochemical, genetic and epidemiological observations have led to the development of the methylation hypothesis, which suggests that folic acid prevents neural tube defects by stimulating cellular methylation reactions. Exploring the methylation hypothesis could direct us towards additional strategies to prevent neural tube defects.Neural tube defects (NTDs) are complex congenital malformations of the CNS. Anencephaly and spina bifida are the most common and severe forms of NTD, with a prevalence of about 1 in 1,000 births, although this varies throughout the world 1 . Infants with anencephaly are stillborn or die shortly after birth, whereas infants with spina bifida can survive but are likely to have severe lifelong disabilities and are at risk of psychosocial maladjustment. The estimated lifetime medical costs are high; for example, in California, USA, the costs for children born with spina bifida exceed US$81 million per year 2 .It has been known for more than 20 years that women can reduce their risk of having an NTDaffected pregnancy by taking folic acid supplements. However, the underlying mechanisms byCorrespondence to H.J.B. H.Blom@cukz.umcn.nl. Competing interests statementThe authors declare no competing financial interests. DATABASES NIH Public Access Author ManuscriptNat Rev Neurosci. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2010 November 2. Neurulation and neural tube defectsNeurulation has long fascinated scientists, as evidenced by a devoted literature that extends back hundreds of years. The process of neurulation occurs during early embryogenesis, starting with the formation of the neural plate from specialized ectodermal cells and culminating in the closure of the neural tube (FIG. 1), the precursor of both the CNS and most of the PNS. Considered most simply, the neural plate develops bilateral neural folds, which elevate and fuse at the midline to create the neural tube. Subsequent development, together with vesiculation within the tube, gives rise to the brain and spinal cord. Further details of this complex process are beyond the scope of this review (for reviews, see REFS 4,5 ).Neurulation seems to be highly complex and tightly regulated. The development and closure of the neural tube is usually completed by 28 days post-conception. This means that by the time a woman finds out that she is pregnant, the neural tube is almost completely closed. For the neural tube to close properly, genes that regulate various morphogenetic activities must function cooperatively. These activities include programmed cell death, neural crest...

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“…This controversy has been the subject of a recent review, in which it was concluded that there are moderate associations between low maternal B12 and an increased risk of NTDs (Ray and Blom, 2003). Other studies also indicate that B12 concentrations appear modified internally across the placenta, where a lower B12 status may or may not be present in serum, but is significantly lower in the amniotic fluid of NTD case versus control mothers (Gardiki-Kouidou and Seller, 1988;Weekes et al, 1992;Dawson et al, 1998;Steen et al, 1998;Suarez et al, 2003b). Additionally, Afman et al (2002) studied five SNPs in the coding region of the transcobalamin 2 (TCN2) gene, but none of the SNPs were associated with a significantly increased risk for NTDs.…”

Section: Vitamin B12mentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigations into the etiology of neural tube defects

Cabrera

Hill

Etheredge

et al. 2004

Birth Defects Research Pt C

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Neural tube defects (NTDs) are serious malformations affecting approximately 1 per 1000 births, yet the mechanisms by which they arise are unknown. There have been consistent efforts in many fields of research to elucidate the etiology of this multifactorial condition. While no single gene has been identified as a major independent risk factor for NTDs, candidate genes have been proposed that may modify the effects of maternal and/or embryonic exposures. Folate supplementation effectively reduces the occurrence of NTDs and, consequently, has focused much research on metabolism of folate-related pathways during pregnancy and development. Further understanding of normal development and how teratogens can perturb these orchestrated processes also remains at the fore of modern scientific endeavors. The composite of these factors remains fragmented; the aim of this review is to provide the reader with a summary of sentinel and current works in the body of literature addressing NTD disease etiology.

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Nutrient Levels in Amniotic Fluid from Women with Normal and Neural Tube Defect Pregnancies

Cited by 41 publications

References 7 publications

Mid-trimester amniotic fluid methionine concentrations: a predictor of birth weight and length

Mid-trimester amniotic fluid methionine concentrations: a predictor of birth weight and length

Neural tube defects and folate: case far from closed

Investigations into the etiology of neural tube defects

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