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Spexin (SPX) is a peptide that plays an important role in the regulation of food intake and body weight (BW) by the effect on carbohydrate-lipid metabolism. However, the role of SPX in fetal life, in children, and in adolescent metabolism is limited. Therefore, we decided to check whether obesity affects the concentration of SPX in the mother's peripheral blood (MB) and umbilical cord blood (UCB). Using MB and UCB sera on the day of delivery obtained from 48 women (24 non-obese and 24 obese) and commercially available Elisa kits and colorimetric assays, we determined changes in SPX and the relationship between SPX concentration and other metabolic and anthropometric markers (body weight and BMI) on the day of delivery and in children at the age of 36 months. We found lower concentrations of SPX in MB (p < 0.05) and UCB (p < 0.01) derived from obese women (BMI > 30) and a moderate linear correlation (r = 0.4429; p < 0.01) between SPX concentrations in MB and UCB. We also noted that the concentration of SPX is not correlated with the child's body weight on the day of birth (r = −0.0128). However, there is a relationship between SPX at birth and body weight at 3 years of age (r = −0.3219; p < 0.05). Based on the obtained results, it can be assumed that spexin is one of the factors modulating the child's metabolism already in the fetal period and can be considered a potential marker of future predisposition to obesity. However, confirmation of this thesis requires additional research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and objective. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a metabolic disease affecting an increasing number of women. The disease not only affects the health of mothers, but may also contribute to metabolic problems in children, both at the stage of foetal life and in the future, including increasing the risk of obesity or type 2 diabetes. Therefore, it is important to conduct research to get closer to fully defining the problem and developing therapies or methods of preventing GDM. Materials and method. The study used umbilical cord blood from 540 women (260-healthy and 280 - GDM) and commercially available ELISA and RIA tests to investigate the interaction between leptin, ghrelin (active and total) and insulin in cord blood, and its correlation with anthropometric parameters of newborns as well as pregnancy week on the day of delivery, weight, BMI and growth of mothers. Results. It was found that in healthy mothers there were statistically significant correlations between maternal pre-pregnancy weight in relation to leptin (positive) and glucose (negative), a positive correlation between active ghrelin concentration and gestational week at delivery, and a positive level of leptin to the chest circumference of newborns, and a negative of glucose levels to the chest circumference of newborns at birth in the healthy group. In the GDM group, a positive correlation was found of total ghrelin to the abdominal circumference of the newborns at birth, and a positive of leptin concentration and thigh circumference of the newborns Conclusions. It was concluded that altered hormonal profiles during the prenatal period may have long-term consequences for the health of children. The study also indicated the need for further research in this area to better understand the causes and consequences of GDM r. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. We examined ghrelin, leptin and insulin in maternal blood during normal pregnancy and pregnancy complicated by urinary tract infection (UTI), as well as in cord blood at labor. Methods. A total of 36 delivering women with history of UTI during the third trimester of pregnancy were enrolled in the study; 12 healthy pregnant women served as a control. Infection markers (CRP and procalcitonin) were determined in maternal blood during the course of UTI and at labor. Ghrelin, leptin and insulin were determined during labor in venous maternal and in umbilical cord blood. Results. We found negative correlation between infection markers in maternal blood during UTI, and level of tested hormones in cord blood, indicating potential risk of placental impairment due to energetic imbalance. We noted lower level of leptin in mothers with UTI and no change in leptin from umbilical blood comparing subjects with and without UTI. Low level of ghrelin was observed in maternal and cord blood when pregnancy was complicated by UTI. Insulin concentrations were high in mothers with UTI and low in their newborn's cord blood. Increased maternal insulin level could indicate peripheral insulin resistance caused by the infection. Conclusion. UTI during pregnancy affects the concentration of hormones responsible for regulating energetic homeostasis within the placenta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Metabolic relationships between mother and child are currently some of the most studied in the context of maternal imprinting. This is particularly important in the context of metabolic diseases as well as newly discovered peptides, proteins, and biologically active substances produced in the bodies of a mother and child. One of them is MOTS-c, which belongs to the group of mitochondria-derived peptides (MDP). The first reports show that it plays an important metabolic role in carbohydrate–lipid metabolism. We decided to investigate the concentration changes in MOTS-c levels in maternal and umbilical cord blood at delivery in healthy, obese, and hypothyroidism subjects. We found changes in MOTS-c levels depending on the metabolic condition of mothers. MOTS-c peptide is a member of the group of mitochondria-derived peptides (MDP). It is a product of the open reading frame in the 12S RNA gene. Due to its features and functions in the body, this peptide is classified as a hormone. The first publications indicated that this hormone improves insulin sensitivity and lowers body weight in obese animals. This suggests that it may be an important peptide in maintaining the body's energy homeostasis. The aim of our work was to investigate the potential role of MOTS-c peptide during pregnancy, which is a condition prone to metabolic disorders. The research covered healthy, obese women and women with thyroid disorders. The obtained results indicated an increase in the concentration of MOTS-c in the blood of mothers and newborns in the obese group as compared to the healthy control group and a corresponding decrease in the concentration of this peptide in mothers and newborns in the group with hypothyroidism compared to the obese group. Moreover, we also observed a strong positive correlation between the concentration of MOTS-c in maternal blood and in umbilical cord blood. In summary, the MOTS-c peptide shows changes in blood concentration in various physiological states and may, in the future, become an important tool in the fight against metabolic diseases such as obesity or type 2 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]