Baardman ME, Erwich JJHM, Berger RMF, Hofstra RMW, Kerstjens-Frederikse WS, Lütjohann D, Plösch T. The origin of fetal sterols in second-trimester amniotic fluid: endogenous synthesis or maternal-fetal transport?
Am J Obstet Gynecol 2012;
207:202.e19-25. [PMID:
22728028 DOI:
10.1016/j.ajog.2012.06.003]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2012] [Revised: 05/27/2012] [Accepted: 06/01/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
Cholesterol is crucial for fetal development. To gain more insight into the origin of the fetal cholesterol pool in early human pregnancy, we determined cholesterol and its precursors in the amniotic fluid of uncomplicated, singleton human pregnancies.
STUDY DESIGN
Total sterols were characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in the second-trimester amniotic fluid of 126 healthy fetuses from week 15 until week 22.
RESULTS
The markers of cholesterol biosynthesis, lanosterol, dihydrolanosterol, and lathosterol, were present in low levels until the 19th week of gestation, after which their levels increased strongly. β-sitosterol, a marker for maternal-fetal cholesterol transport, was detectable in the amniotic fluid. The total cholesterol levels increased slightly between weeks 15 and 22.
CONCLUSION
Our results support the hypothesis that during early life the fetus depends on maternal cholesterol supply because endogenous synthesis is relatively low. Therefore, maternal cholesterol can play a crucial role in fetal development.
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