(P18-053-23) Evaluation of Cholesterol Derivatives in Maternal Blood, Cord Blood, and Placental Tissue in Mother-Infant Dyads at Delivery

Objectives: Cholesterol and its derivatives are essential for infant growth and neurodevelopment. However, excessive exposure to cholesterol derivatives may promote inflammation and contribute to the development of chronic diseases. No prior studies have evaluated the status of cholesterol derivatives in placental tissues or newborns, so research is needed to understand the status of baseline levels in early life. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the status and relationship of blood and placental levels of the cholesterol derivates 7-ketocholesterol (7KCh) and Secosterol-B in mother-infant dyads at time of delivery. 

Methods: Maternal blood, umbilical cord blood, and placental tissue were collected at delivery. 7KCh and Secosterol-B concentrations were analyzed through LC-MS/MS. Spearman correlations were calculated to assess associations between maternal and cord blood and placental tissue. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: Of the 52 mother-infant dyads, 30 infants (58%) were female and 22 (42%) were male. Seventy-five percent of participants were Caucasian. Median maternal age was 30 and birth gestational age was 39.3 weeks. Two infants (4%) required NICU admission, 3 mothers (6%) had preeclampsia, and 6 mothers (12%) had gestational diabetes. Median 7KCh was higher in mothers (336.7 nmol/L) compared to infants (34.1 nmol/L) or placental tissue (2.3 nmol/L). Maternal 7KCh had a strong positive correlation with cord 7KCh (r=0.60, p< 0.001) and placental 7KCh (r=0.56, p< 0.001). Placental and cord 7KCh were moderately positively correlated (r=0.54, p=0.001). Median Secosterol-B was also higher in mothers (4,632.9 nmol/L) compared to infants (380.6 nmol/L) and was not quantifiable in placenta. There were no correlations between maternal and cord blood concentrations of Secosterol-B.

Conclusions: This study enhances our understanding of normal 7KCh and Secosterol-B levels in maternal blood, umbilical cord, and placental tissue at the time of delivery. Future research should evaluate the concentrations of these cholesterol derivatives across multiple patient populations to better inform nutrition recommendations during pregnancy and early childhood.

Funding Sources: This research was funded by the University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Pediatrics and the Child Health Research Institute.