Blood Test May Help Identify Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Fetal alcohol syndrome is a severe form of a spectrum of mental and physical disabilities called fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) that can affect children's development with long-lasting consequences and a blood test has been developed to predict the severity of disability.

Children and adults affected by FASD may experience a range of symptoms, from physical changes like a small head and subtle differences in facial characteristics to learning difficulties and behavioral issues. In the In the USA and Western Europe, it is estimated that 2% to 5% of school-age children are affected by FASD and in some parts of the world, the number is higher.

A team of collaborating scientists co-led by those at University of California San Diego (La Jolla, CA, USA) looked at birth outcomes for 68 pregnant women enrolled in the study at two perinatal care clinics in western Ukraine. They selected a sample consisting of three groups. The first group of 22 represented moderate to heavily-exposed mothers with an FASD affected child (HEa); the second group of 23 represented moderate to heavily-exposed mothers with an apparently unaffected child, i.e., no facial features, normal head circumference and normal neurobehavioral test scores (HEua); and 23 low alcohol consuming or unexposed mothers with an unaffected child (UE).

Plasma sample quality control analysis and RNA isolation was performed and micro ribonucleic acid (miRNA) profiles were measured using Human miRCURY LNA microRNA real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) arrays (Exiqon, Vedbæk, Denmark), which assess 752 unique miRNAs. This platform has been shown in comparison tests, to detect miRNAs in biofluids with greater sensitivity and specificity than other miRNA detection methods. Human Placental Lactogen (hPL) concentration in human plasma was quantitatively determined using a commercially available solid phase sandwich-type enzyme-linked immunoassay (hPL micro-ELISA, Leinco Technologies, Inc, St. Louis, MO, USA). The chromogenic reaction product was quantified spectrometrically using an Infinite m200 at 450nm (Tecan, Männedorf, Switzerland).

The results of the study indicated that moderate to high levels of alcohol exposure during early pregnancy resulted in significant differences in some circulating small RNA molecules called miRNAs in maternal blood. These differences were particularly notable in mothers whose infants showed some physical or neurobehavioral signs of alcohol effects in the first 12 months of life. Plasma placental lactogen content in late pregnancy was not significantly different among HEa, HEua and UE groups.

Christina Chambers, PhD, a professor of pediatrics and co-senior author of the study said, “Although it is generally true that binge-drinking during pregnancy presents the greatest risk, not all women who consume substantial amounts of alcohol in pregnancy will have a child who is clearly affected. That's why we examined specific biomarkers in the mother's blood in the second and third trimester of her pregnancy to determine if they are useful in identifying children who could benefit from early interventions.” The study was published on November 9, 2016, in the journal Public Library of Science ONE.

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University of California San Diego
Exiqon
Leinco Technologies
Tecan