Correlation between birth weight, leptin, zinc and copper levels in maternal and cord blood

ABSTRACT

Leptin and zinc are involved in the regulation of appetite. Copper is a trace elementregulating the functions of several cuproenzymes that are essential for life. Toevaluate the relationship between zinc and copper status and the leptin system inhumans, we examined whether leptin concentrations in the mother and the newborncorrelate with the weight of mother, placenta and newborn. A total of 88 pregnantwomen at 38-42 weeks’ gestation were studied. All infants were categorized as smallfor gestational age (SGA) (n=16), average for gestational age (AGA) (n=59) or largefor gestational age (LGA) (n=13). Leptin, zinc, and copper levels were measured inmaternal and cord serum at birth. Maternal BMI and placental weight of the LGAgroups were significantly higher than those of the SGA and AGA groups. Cord andmaternal leptin levels of the SGA groups were significantly lower than those of theAGA and LGA groups. Maternal serum leptin levels were positively correlated withBMI and maternal zinc levels in all groups. Cord serum leptin levels of all groupswere positively correlated with birth weight and placental weight. Birth weight wasnegatively correlated with maternal and cord copper level of all groups. Umbilicalleptin concentrations of SGA newborns correlated with leptin concentrations of theirmothers. In all pregnancies, birth weight increases in association with increase in cordleptin level. Our results suggest that maternal zinc but not copper level has an effecton maternal serum leptin levels. The increase in copper level in both maternal andcord blood may contribute to restriction in fetal growth (AU)

RESUMEN

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