Insights into the pathophysiology of catch-up compared with non-catch-up growth in children born small for gestational age: an integrated analysis of metabolic and transcriptomic data.

Journal article

Small for gestational age (SGA) children exhibiting catch-up (CU) growth have a greater risk of cardiometabolic diseases in later life compared with non-catch-up (NCU) SGA children. The aim of this study was to establish differences in metabolism and gene expression profiles between CU and NCU at age 4-9 years. CU children (n=22) had greater height, weight and body mass index standard deviation scores along with insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and fasting glucose levels but lower adiponectin values than NCU children (n=11; all P<0.05). Metabolic profiling demonstrated a fourfold decrease of urine myo-inositol in CU compared with NCU (P<0.05). There were 1558 genes differentially expressed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells between the groups (P<0.05). Integrated analysis of data identified myo-inositol related to gene clusters associated with an increase in insulin, growth factor and IGF-I signalling in CU children (P<0.05). Metabolic and transcriptomic profiles in CU SGA children showed changes that may relate to cardiometabolic risk.

Authors: Stevens, A; Bonshek, C; Whatmore, A; Butcher, I; Hanson, D

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: pharmacogenomics journal
• Volume: 14
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 376-384
• Publication date: 2014-08-01
• DOI: 10.1038/tpj.2014.4
• EISSN: 1473-1150
• ISSN: 1470-269X
• Language: English
• Keywords: SGA; catch-up growth; transcriptomics; network biology; metabolomics