Abstract
Carotenoids are antioxidant nutrients with the potential to provide protection against oxidative stress. Plasma carotenoid concentrations are lower in newborn infants compared to their mothers; however, limited information is available regarding how concentrations differ by gestational age. The objective of this research is to assess maternal and umbilical cord plasma carotenoid concentrations and maternal-umbilical cord plasma ratios across five groups of birth gestational age. Mother-infant dyads were enrolled at delivery for collection of maternal and umbilical cord blood. Plasma carotenoids were analyzed by HPLC and LC-MS/MS. Birth gestational age was categorized into five groups, and the Kruskal–Wallis test compared carotenoid concentrations and maternal-umbilical cord plasma ratios between these groups. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. 370 mother-infant dyads were included, with most infants delivered at early term (20.3%) or term (64.6%). Though maternal plasma concentrations increased with birth gestational age, we observed less variability in umbilical cord plasma concentrations, thus the maternal-umbilical cord plasma ratio also increased with birth CGA groups for lutein + zeaxanthin (p = 0.008), β-cryptoxanthin (p = 0.027), α-carotene (p = 0.030); β-carotene approached significance (p = 0.056). Additional research is needed to determine if carotenoid concentrations were physiologic to varying gestational ages or if they were impacted by factors associated with preterm birth.
Highlights
Carotenoids are fat-soluble pigments found in plants, fungi, bacteria, and algae [1].There are more than 600 different carotenoids found in nature, of which 50 have been identified in the United States (US) diet and are present predominantly in fruits and vegetables [1,2]
Maternal-umbilical cord cord plasma plasma ratio ratio of of each each carotenoid carotenoid by Figure by birth birth corrected corrected gestational gestational age age group. Data from from this this cohort cohort demonstrates demonstrates that that maternal Data maternal plasma plasma carotenoid carotenoid concentrations concentrations primarily increase with advancing gestational age groups
We observed less less variability in newborn umbilical cord plasma concentrations, likely why variability in newborn umbilical cord plasma concentrations, which which is likelyiswhy matermaternal-umbilical cord plasma ratios increased with advancing birth nal-umbilical cord plasma ratios increased with advancing birth CGA groups
Summary
Carotenoids are fat-soluble pigments found in plants, fungi, bacteria, and algae [1].There are more than 600 different carotenoids found in nature, of which 50 have been identified in the United States (US) diet and are present predominantly in fruits and vegetables [1,2]. Carotenoids are fat-soluble pigments found in plants, fungi, bacteria, and algae [1]. The most prevalent carotenoids consumed in the US are α-carotene, β-carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and β-cryptoxanthin [2]. Α-carotene, β-carotene, and β-cryptoxanthin can be converted to retinol in the body and are referred to as provitamin A carotenoids [2]. The remainder (lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin) are not endogenously converted to retinol, so are referred to as non-provitamin. There are many factors that affect blood and tissue carotenoid concentrations in pregnant women, such as obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption, and dietary intake [3,4,5,6]. Current literature reports that carotenoid concentrations in newborns are Antioxidants 2021, 10, 1409.
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