Some Immune Parameters of Term Newborns at Birth Are Associated with the Concentration of Iron, Copper and Magnesium in Maternal Serum.

The nutritional status of pregnant women is considered to affect fetal development and the health condition of newborns, including their immune system. We investigated the relationship between the concentrations of magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe) and copper (Cu) in maternal serum (MS) and the concentrations of IgG antibodies and antineutrophil cytoplasmatic auto-antibodies against lactoferrin (Lf-ANCA) in umbilical cord serum (UCS). IgG was considered as a promoter of immunity, and Lf-ANCA as an inhibitor. The examined group consisted of 98 pregnant women and their healthy term newborn children. The concentrations of mineral elements were measured by FAAS/FAES, while the concentrations of antibodies were determined by ELISA. Excessive MS Fe and insufficient MS Cu were related to insufficient UCS IgG and excessive UCS Lf-ANCA. The correlation analysis showed confirming results. Adequate UCS IgG and Lf-ANCA were related to MS Mg at the strictly lower limit of the reference values. The results obtained seem to suggest that an excess of Fe and a deficiency of Cu in pregnancy may adversely affect some immune parameters of newborns. Reference values for MS Mg are likely to require reconsideration. It would be advisable to monitor the nutritional status of pregnant women with minerals in order to support the immune capacity of newborns.

Oxidative Stress at Birth Is Associated with the Concentration of Iron and Copper in Maternal Serum.

Oxidative stress (OS) in the foetal and neonatal periods leads to many disorders in newborns and in later life. The nutritional status of pregnant women is considered to be one of the key factors that triggers OS. We investigated the relationship between the concentration of selected mineral elements in the blood of pregnant women and the concentration of 3'nitrotyrosine (3'NT) as a marker of OS in the umbilical cord blood of newborns. The study group consisted of 57 pregnant women and their newborn children. The concentrations of magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) in maternal serum (MS) were measured by the flame atomic absorption/emission spectrometry (FAAS/FAES) method. The concentration of 3'NT in umbilical cord serum (UCS) of newborns was determined by the ELISA method. A positive correlation between MS Fe and UCS 3'NT in male newborns was shown (rho = 0.392, p = 0.053). Significantly higher UCS 3'NT was demonstrated in newborns, especially males, whose mothers were characterized by MS Fe higher than 400 µg/dL compared to those of mothers with MS Fe up to 300 µg/dL (p < 0.01). Moreover, a negative correlation between the MS Cu and UCS 3'NT in male newborns was observed (rho = -0.509, p = 0.008). Results of the study showed the need to develop strategies to optimize the nutritional status of pregnant women. Implementation of these strategies could contribute to reducing the risk of pre- and neonatal OS and its adverse health effects in the offspring.

Lactoferrin level in maternal serum is related to birth anthropometry - an evidence for an indirect biomarker of intrauterine homeostasis?

Objective: To investigate the relation between level of antibodies against lactoferrin (LfAb) in maternal serum (MS) and birth anthropometry of healthy full-term newborns.Methods: The study included 105 pairs of mother-newborn. MS LfAb level was determined using ELISA kit. Spearman's correlation and Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were applied to establish the relationship between MS LfAb level and birth weight (BW), birth weight-to-birth length ratio (BW/BL), and head circumference (HC) of newborns.Results: The U-shaped relation of MS LfAb and BW was demonstrated (p = .019). Negative correlation between MS LfAb and BW/BL was observed (p = .016). The most optimal birth weight and body proportion were observed in newborns of mothers with MS LfAb level of 49 ± 4 U/ml.Conclusions: Significant relationship between MS LfAb and birth anthropometry suggests serum Lf of pregnant women can be considered as a promising indirect biomarker of intrauterine homeostasis, verifiable noninvasively already during pregnancy and thus allowing predict, or even prevent, potential short- and long-term postnatal health consequences.

Immunomodulatory Effect of Vitamin D and Its Potential Role in the Prevention and Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus-A Narrative Review.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus is a chronic autoimmune disease associated with degeneration of pancreatic ß-cells that results in an inability to produce insulin and the need for exogenous insulin administration. It is a significant global health problem as the incidence of this disorder is increasing worldwide. The causes are still poorly understood, although it certainly has genetic and environmental origins. Vitamin D formed profusely in the skin upon exposure to sunlight, as well as from dietary sources, exhibits an immunomodulatory effect based on gene transcription control. Indeed, vitamin D can downregulate mechanisms connected with adaptive immunity, induce immunological tolerance and decrease auto-aggression-related inflammation. These properties provide the basis for a preventive and therapeutic role of vitamin D. As many studies have demonstrated, appropriate supplementation with vitamin D reduces the risk of autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes mellitus, and alleviates disease symptoms in patients. The aim of this narrative review is to present the molecular mechanisms for the vitamin D immunomodulatory effect as well as review human clinical studies on the use of vitamin D as adjuvant therapy in type 1 diabetes mellitus.