Metabolites and metabolic pathways associated with glucocorticoid resistance in pregnant African-American women

Glucocorticoid resistance (GR) is associated with exposure to chronic stress and an increased risk of metabolic and inflammatory disorders in both animal and human populations. Studies on ethnic disparities highlight the African-American (AA) population as having a high propensity to both GR and chr...

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Main Authors: Elizabeth Corwin, Anne L. Dunlop, Jolyn Fernandes, Shuzhao Li, Bradley Pearce, Dean P. Jones
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2020-02-01
Series:Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666497620300011
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author Elizabeth Corwin
Anne L. Dunlop
Jolyn Fernandes
Shuzhao Li
Bradley Pearce
Dean P. Jones
author_facet Elizabeth Corwin
Anne L. Dunlop
Jolyn Fernandes
Shuzhao Li
Bradley Pearce
Dean P. Jones
author_sort Elizabeth Corwin
collection DOAJ
description Glucocorticoid resistance (GR) is associated with exposure to chronic stress and an increased risk of metabolic and inflammatory disorders in both animal and human populations. Studies on ethnic disparities highlight the African-American (AA) population as having a high propensity to both GR and chronic stress exposure. Glucocorticoids and inflammation play a very important role in pregnancy outcome and fetal development. To date, however, the metabolites and metabolic pathways associated with GR during pregnancy have not been identified, obscuring the mechanisms by which adverse health consequences arise, and thus impeding targeted therapeutic intervention. The objective of this study was to perform untargeted high-resolution metabolomics (HRM) profiling on 273 pregnant AA women, to identify metabolites and metabolic pathways associated with GR during the first trimester of pregnancy and to evaluate their cross-sectional association with birth outcomes and psychosocial variables related to chronic stress exposure. For this study, GR was determined by the concentration of dexamethasone required for 50% inhibition (Dex IC50) of the cytokine tumor-necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) release in vitro in response to a standard dose of lipopolysaccharide. The results for Metabolome-Wide Association Studies (MWAS) and pathway enrichment analysis for serum metabolic associations with Dex IC50, showed energy (nicotinamide and TCA cycle), amino acid, and glycosphingolipid metabolism as top altered pathways. Bioinformatic analysis showed that GR, as indicated by elevated Dex IC50 in the pregnant women, was associated with increased inflammatory metabolites, oxidative stress related metabolites, increased demand for functional amino acids to support growth and development, and disruption in energy-related metabolites. If confirmed in future studies, targeting these physiologically significant metabolites and metabolic pathways may lead to future assessment and intervention strategies to prevent inflammatory and metabolic complications observed in pregnant populations.
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spelling doaj.art-d0ffdf8e54bc49e381316850919f56ae2022-12-21T22:55:58ZengElsevierComprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology2666-49762020-02-011100001Metabolites and metabolic pathways associated with glucocorticoid resistance in pregnant African-American womenElizabeth Corwin0Anne L. Dunlop1Jolyn Fernandes2Shuzhao Li3Bradley Pearce4Dean P. Jones5Columbia University, United States; Corresponding author.Emory University School of Medicine and School of Nursing, Emory University, United StatesSchool of Medicine, Emory University, United StatesSchool of Medicine, Emory University, United StatesRollins School of Public Health, Emory University, United StatesSchool of Medicine, Emory University, United StatesGlucocorticoid resistance (GR) is associated with exposure to chronic stress and an increased risk of metabolic and inflammatory disorders in both animal and human populations. Studies on ethnic disparities highlight the African-American (AA) population as having a high propensity to both GR and chronic stress exposure. Glucocorticoids and inflammation play a very important role in pregnancy outcome and fetal development. To date, however, the metabolites and metabolic pathways associated with GR during pregnancy have not been identified, obscuring the mechanisms by which adverse health consequences arise, and thus impeding targeted therapeutic intervention. The objective of this study was to perform untargeted high-resolution metabolomics (HRM) profiling on 273 pregnant AA women, to identify metabolites and metabolic pathways associated with GR during the first trimester of pregnancy and to evaluate their cross-sectional association with birth outcomes and psychosocial variables related to chronic stress exposure. For this study, GR was determined by the concentration of dexamethasone required for 50% inhibition (Dex IC50) of the cytokine tumor-necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) release in vitro in response to a standard dose of lipopolysaccharide. The results for Metabolome-Wide Association Studies (MWAS) and pathway enrichment analysis for serum metabolic associations with Dex IC50, showed energy (nicotinamide and TCA cycle), amino acid, and glycosphingolipid metabolism as top altered pathways. Bioinformatic analysis showed that GR, as indicated by elevated Dex IC50 in the pregnant women, was associated with increased inflammatory metabolites, oxidative stress related metabolites, increased demand for functional amino acids to support growth and development, and disruption in energy-related metabolites. If confirmed in future studies, targeting these physiologically significant metabolites and metabolic pathways may lead to future assessment and intervention strategies to prevent inflammatory and metabolic complications observed in pregnant populations.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666497620300011MetabolomicsGlucocorticoid resistanceHealth disparityPregnancyStressMetabolites
spellingShingle Elizabeth Corwin
Anne L. Dunlop
Jolyn Fernandes
Shuzhao Li
Bradley Pearce
Dean P. Jones
Metabolites and metabolic pathways associated with glucocorticoid resistance in pregnant African-American women
Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology
Metabolomics
Glucocorticoid resistance
Health disparity
Pregnancy
Stress
Metabolites
title Metabolites and metabolic pathways associated with glucocorticoid resistance in pregnant African-American women
title_full Metabolites and metabolic pathways associated with glucocorticoid resistance in pregnant African-American women
title_fullStr Metabolites and metabolic pathways associated with glucocorticoid resistance in pregnant African-American women
title_full_unstemmed Metabolites and metabolic pathways associated with glucocorticoid resistance in pregnant African-American women
title_short Metabolites and metabolic pathways associated with glucocorticoid resistance in pregnant African-American women
title_sort metabolites and metabolic pathways associated with glucocorticoid resistance in pregnant african american women
topic Metabolomics
Glucocorticoid resistance
Health disparity
Pregnancy
Stress
Metabolites
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666497620300011
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