Alteration of the colostrum whey proteome in mothers with gestational hypothyroidism.

Lingli Chen,Huiyuan Guo,Xingen Lei,Pingping Jiang,Fazheng Ren,Jingxuan Wang

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0205987

Lingli Chen, Huiyuan Guo + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0205987

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Abstract

BackgroundGestational hypothyroidism (G-HypoT) is one of the most common thyroid diseases in pregnant women. Human milk, which closely links the mother with infant, is an important factor to the infant health. Here, we analyzed the colostrum whey proteome of women with or without G-HypoT.Methods and resultsUsing high–mass accuracy and high-resolution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), 1055 proteins were identified. Tandem Mass Tags (TMT) analysis identified differentially expressed proteins between G-HypoT and non-G-HypoT mothers. Of 44 proteins identified, 15 proteins were significantly increased in G-HypoT colostrum whey, while 29 were significantly decreased. Analysis revealed that enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism, and that reflect the metabolic activities in breastfeeding women, including fructose-1, 6-bisphosphatase 1, phosphoglycerate mutase 1 were down-regulated. Cell structural proteins, biomarkers of mammary integrity development, including Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and actin were lower in G-HypoT colostrum whey. However, immune protein fragments like Ig gamma-3 chain C region increased in G-HypoT colostrum whey.ConclusionThese results implied that G-HypoT may changed human colostrum whey protein in composition level, decreasing levels of metabolic proteins and cell-structure proteins, while increasing levels of immune-related proteins, which may compromise or reflect mothers’ and infants’ health.

Highlights

Hypothyroidism (HypoT), characterized by an increased level of thyrotropin (TSH) and a decreased level of free thyroxine (T4), affects 3–10% of women; its onset frequently occurs during child-bearing years, triggered by the physiological changes in the thyroid during pregnancy [1,2,3]
Overt hypothyroidism is defined as TSH concentrations above the reference range and free T4 levels below the reference range, while subclinical hypothyroidism is defined as TSH levels above the reference range when levels of free T4 are within the population reference range [4, 5]
Whey proteome and gestational hypothyroidism overexpressed in most tumors, including breast, pancreatic, ovarian, and colon cancers, our result suggests that hypothyroidism may induce abnormal cell metabolism and proliferation of mammary gland cells [46]

Summary

Introduction

Hypothyroidism (HypoT), characterized by an increased level of thyrotropin (TSH) and a decreased level of free thyroxine (T4), affects 3–10% of women; its onset frequently occurs during child-bearing years, triggered by the physiological changes in the thyroid during pregnancy [1,2,3]. In China, G-HypoT has emerged with an increasing prevalence in pregnant women. Since the clinical symptoms of HypoT, such as fatigue, constipation, cold intolerance, muscle cramps, edema, dry skin, hair loss, and a prolonged relaxation phase of deep tendon reflexes, are confused with common signs of pregnancy, they are often ignored by pregnant women [6]. Human milk provides an important link between mothers and their infants, and the effects of HypoT on lactation are gaining increasing attention. Gestational hypothyroidism (G-HypoT) is one of the most common thyroid diseases in pregnant women. Human milk, which closely links the mother with infant, is an important factor to the infant health. We analyzed the colostrum whey proteome of women with or without G-HypoT

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