Differential expression profiles of circulating microRNAs in newborns associated to maternal pregestational overweight and obesity.

BACKGROUND: The perinatal environment has a role in the establishment of altered metabolic and inflammatory responses, and could be modulated by microRNAs regulating immune and metabolic processes. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the expression profile of four circulating microRNAs and cytokine serum concentrations in neonates born to overweight and obese women. METHODS: Pregnant women were included and grouped by pregestational body mass index (21 with normal weight, 10 overweight and 10 obese women). A peripheral blood sample was obtained from newborn infants and used to determine circulating miRNAs expression and cytokine serum concentrations. RESULTS: There were significant differences in the expression of three microRNAs between newborns of pregestational obese women and newborns from pregestational normal weight women: miR-155 (p = 0.03), miR-181a (p = 0.02) and miR-221 (p = 0.04). A significant reduction in IL-1ß (p = 0.005) expression was also found in newborns of overweight women; although this cytokine was also diminished in newborns of obese women, this was not statistically significant. An association between IL-1ß concentrations and miR-146a and miR-221 expression was also observed. CONCLUSIONS: Expression of miR-155, miR-181a and miR-221 differs in infants born to obese women compared with infants born to normal weight women. Changes in microRNA expression could participate in the epigenetic foetal programming of metabolic disorders in children born to obese women.

NKG2C gene deletion in the Mexican population and lack of association to respiratory viral infections.

Expansion of a natural killer (NK) cell population that expresses NKG2C has been associated with cytomegalovirus and other viral infections. It has been suggested that this cell population may play a role in infection control. Deletion of the NKG2C gene (homozygous or heterozygous) has been reported with high prevalence in European and Asian populations. However, the effect of NKG2C genotype on NK cell responses to infection remains poorly defined. We determined the prevalence of the NKG2C deletion in a Mexican population (n = 300) and in a group of patients (n = 131) to assess whether NKG2C genotype affects the incidence of symptomatic viral infections caused by influenza or respiratory syncytial virus. The frequency of the NKG2C deletion haplotype in Mexican mestizos was significantly lower (10.3%) than that reported in other populations (17.5-21.9%). No difference in the prevalence of NKG2C deletion was observed in subjects with viral infections compared with the reference population. In addition, no differences in clinical characteristics and infection outcome were observed between patients with and without the NKG2C gene deletion. Our results indicate that copy number variation in the NKG2C gene has no impact on the severity of respiratory viral infections.

[Perinatal mortality in San Luis Postosí, 1988]. / Mortalidad perinatal en San Luis Potosí, 1988.

Through participation of ten hospital institutions in the city of San Luis Potosí, which systematically take care of newborns, the present collaborative study was performed; this includes all births during the period from january 1st. to december 31st., 1988. The births taken place at home and other sites such as the "Hospital Materno Infantil" during the last six months, were excluded from the study; they accounted approximately 10%. We registered 17,092 births including 204 mortinates. Based on the upper data, the following chart is given, stating weight as well as gestation rates. Precocious fetal mortality (500 to 999 g)--391.30 by thousand; Precocious fetal mortality (20 to 27 weeks)--140.40 by thousand; Late fetal mortality (1,000 g or more)--9.25 by thousand; Late fetal mortality (28 weeks or more)--9.89 by thousand; Hebdomadal mortality (500 to 999 g)--571.40 by thousand; Hebdomadal mortality (20 to 27 weeks)--159.40 by thousand; Hebdomadal mortality (1,000 g or more)--11.96 by thousand; Hebdomadal mortality (28 weeks or more)--12.62 by thousand; Perinatal mortality (1,000 g or more)--21.10 by thousand; Perinatal mortality (28 weeks or more)--22.38 by thousand. The IMSS sent for registration 8,710 births which accounted 51% of the total. Their data revealed the highest values in all rates. In precocious fetal mortality (products between 20 and 27 weeks), the rate value was 543.9 against 140.4 globally counted. Hebdomadal mortality for this 20 to 27 weeks group showed 730.8 against 159.4 globally reported. In 199 out the 204 mortinates, cause of death was registered; 49.7% of these causes was reported as placental circulation insufficiency and 17.1% as major congenital abnormalities.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)