Pre- and postnatal environmental boron exposure and infant growth: Results from a mother-child cohort in northern Argentina

Background: Research is limited in evaluating the mechanisms responsible for infant growth in response to different protein-rich foods; Methods: Targeted and untargeted metabolomics analysis were conducted on serum samples collected from an infant controlled-feeding trial that participants consumed a meat- vs. dairy-based complementary diet from 5 to 12 months of age, and followed up at 24 months. Results: Isoleucine, valine, phenylalanine increased and threonine decreased over time among all participants; Although none of the individual essential amino acids had a significant impact on changes in growth Z scores from 5 to 12 months, principal component heavily weighted by BCAAs (leucine, isoleucine, valine) and phenylalanine had a positive association with changes in length-for-age Z score from 5 to 12 months. Concentrations of acylcarnitine-C4, acylcarnitine-C5 and acylcarnitine-C5:1 significantly increased over time with the dietary intervention, but none of the acylcarnitines were associated with infant growth Z scores. Quantitative trimethylamine N-oxide increased in the meat group from 5 to 12 months; Conclusions: Our findings suggest that increasing total protein intake by providing protein-rich complementary foods was associated with increased concentrations of certain essential amino acids and short-chain acyl-carnitines. The sources of protein-rich foods (e.g., meat vs. dairy) did not appear to differentially impact serum metabolites, and comprehensive mechanistic investigations are needed to identify other contributors or mediators of the diet-induced infant growth trajectories.

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Associations between stool micro-transcriptome, gut microbiota, and infant growth

Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease ◽

10.1017/s2040174420001324 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Molly C. Carney ◽

Xiang Zhan ◽

Akanksha Rangnekar ◽

Maria Z. Chroneos ◽

Sarah J.C. Craig ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gut Microbiota ◽

Microbial Activity ◽

Metabolic Pathways ◽

Weight Status ◽

Transcriptional Activity ◽

High Throughput Sequencing ◽

Infant Growth ◽

Adult Obesity ◽

Term Infants ◽

Ribonucleic Acids

Abstract Rapid infant growth increases the risk for adult obesity. The gut microbiome is associated with early weight status; however, no study has examined how interactions between microbial and host ribonucleic acid (RNA) expression influence infant growth. We hypothesized that dynamics in infant stool micro-ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) would be associated with both microbial activity and infant growth via putative metabolic targets. Stool was collected twice from 30 full-term infants, at 1 month and again between 6 and 12 months. Stool RNA were measured with high-throughput sequencing and aligned to human and microbial databases. Infant growth was measured by weight-for-length z-score at birth and 12 months. Increased RNA transcriptional activity of Clostridia (R = 0.55; Adj p = 3.7E-2) and Burkholderia (R = −0.820, Adj p = 2.62E-3) were associated with infant growth. Of the 25 human RNAs associated with growth, 16 were miRNAs. The miRNAs demonstrated significant target enrichment (Adj p < 0.05) for four metabolic pathways. There were four associations between growth-related miRNAs and growth-related phyla. We have shown that longitudinal trends in gut microbiota activity and human miRNA levels are associated with infant growth and the metabolic targets of miRNAs suggest these molecules may regulate the biosynthetic landscape of the gut and influence microbial activity.

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Lactation, maternal behavior and infant growth in common marmoset monkeys ( Callithrix jacchus ): effects of maternal size and litter size

Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology ◽

10.1007/s002650100400 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 51 (1) ◽

pp. 17-25 ◽

Cited By ~ 56

Author(s):

Olav Oftedal ◽

Rachel Power ◽

Donna Layne ◽

Suzette Tardif ◽

Michael Power

Keyword(s):

Litter Size ◽

Maternal Behavior ◽

Common Marmoset ◽

Callithrix Jacchus ◽

Infant Growth ◽

Maternal Size ◽

Marmoset Monkeys

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Longitudinal Changes in the Concentration of Major Human Milk Proteins in the First Six Months of Lactation and Their Effects on Infant Growth

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13051476 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 1476

Author(s):

Jian Zhang ◽

Ai Zhao ◽

Shiyun Lai ◽

Qingbin Yuan ◽

Xiaojiang Jia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Human Milk ◽

Maternal Education ◽

Mode Of Delivery ◽

Milk Proteins ◽

Protein Composition ◽

Infant Growth ◽

Term Infants ◽

Longitudinal Changes ◽

Milk Samples ◽

The Impact

Our knowledge related to human milk proteins is still limited. The present study determined the changes in multiple human milk proteins during the first six months of lactation, investigated the influencing factors of milk proteins, and explored the impact of milk proteins on infant growth. A total of 105 lactating women and their full-term infants from China were prospectively surveyed in this research. Milk samples were collected at 1–5 days, 8–14 days, 1 month, and 6 months postpartum. Concentrations of total protein and α-lactalbumin were measured in all milk samples, and concentrations of lactoferrin, osteopontin, total casein, β-casein, αs−1 casein, and κ-casein were measured in milk from 51 individuals using ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The concentration of measured proteins in the milk decreased during the first six months of postpartum (p-trend < 0.001). Maternal age, mode of delivery, maternal education, and income impacted the longitudinal changes in milk proteins (p-interaction < 0.05). Concentrations of αs−1 casein in milk were inversely associated with the weight-for-age Z-scores of the infants (1 m: r −0.29, p 0.038; 6 m: r −0.33, p 0.020). In conclusion, the concentration of proteins in milk decreased over the first six months postpartum, potentially influenced by maternal demographic and delivery factors. Milk protein composition may influence infant weights.

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Human milk oligosaccharides, infant growth, and adiposity over the first 4 months of lactation

Pediatric Research ◽

10.1038/s41390-020-01328-y ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Aristea Binia ◽

Luca Lavalle ◽

Cheng Chen ◽

Sean Austin ◽

Massimo Agosti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Human Milk ◽

Infant Growth ◽

Human Milk Oligosaccharides ◽

Milk Oligosaccharides

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Protocol for iGrow (Infant Growth and Development Study): biopsychosocial predictors of childhood obesity risk at 2 years

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-020-10003-0 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Esther M. Leerkes ◽

Cheryl Buehler ◽

Susan D. Calkins ◽

Lenka H. Shriver ◽

Laurie Wideman

Keyword(s):

Weight Gain ◽

Childhood Obesity ◽

Growth And Development ◽

Maternal Sensitivity ◽

Feeding Practices ◽

Infant Growth ◽

Obesity Risk ◽

Development Study ◽

Early Weight Gain ◽

Infant Weight Gain

Abstract Background Childhood obesity remains a significant public health problem. To date, most research on the causes and correlates of obesity has focused on a small number of direct predictors of obesity rather than testing complex models that address the multifactorial nature of the origins of obesity in early development. We describe the rationale and methods of iGrow (Infant Growth and Development Study) which will test multiple pathways by which (a) prenatal maternal psychobiological risk predicts infant weight gain over the first 6 months of life, and (b) this early weight gain confers risk for obesity at age 2. Infant hormonal and psychobiological risk are proposed mediators from prenatal risk to early weight gain, though these are moderated by early maternal sensitivity and obesogenic feeding practices. In addition, higher maternal sensitivity and lower obesogenic feeding practices are proposed predictors of adaptive child self-regulation in the second year of life, and all three are proposed to buffer/reduce the association between high early infant weight gain and obesity risk at age 2. Methods iGrow is a prospective, longitudinal community-based study of 300 diverse mothers and infants to be followed across 5 data waves from pregnancy until children are age 2. Key measures include (a) maternal reports of demographics, stress, well-being, feeding practices and child characteristics and health; (b) direct observation of maternal and infant behavior during feeding, play, and distress-eliciting tasks during which infant heart rate is recorded to derive measures of vagal withdrawal; (c) anthropometric measures of mothers and infants; and (d) assays of maternal prenatal blood and infant saliva and urine. A host of demographic and other potential confounds will be considered as potential covariates in structural equation models that include tests of mediation and moderation. Efforts to mitigate the deleterious effects of COVID-19 on study success are detailed. Discussion This study has the potential to inform (1) basic science about early life processes casually related to childhood obesity and (2) development of targeted intervention and prevention approaches that consider mother, infant, and family risks and resources.

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