Maternal Myometrium Metabolomic Profiles in Labor: Preliminary Results

Abstract

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Parturition involves multiple complex metabolic processes that supply essential metabolites to facilitate fetal delivery. Little is known about the dynamic metabolic responses during labor. <b><i>Objective:</i></b> To profile the changes of myometrial metabolites between nonlabor and labor. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> The study involved 30 women in nonlabor and 30 in labor who underwent cesarean section. The characteristics of myometrial metabolite changes during parturition were explored through untargeted metabolomic analysis. Data were analyzed by multivariate and univariate statistical analysis. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Partial least squares-discriminant analysis plots significantly differentiated between the groups. In total, 392 metabolites were significantly distinct between the groups, among which lipid molecules were predominant. A 75% increase in fatty acids, 67% increase in fatty acid carnitines, 66% increase in glycerophospholipids, 83% increase in mono- and diacylglycerols, and 67% decrease in triacyclglycerols were observed in the patients during labor. Most glucose, amino acid, and steroid hormone metabolism also slightly increased in labor. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> An increase in lipolysis, fatty acid oxidation, amino acid catabolism, and steroid hormone metabolism was observed during parturition. The change of lipolysis and fatty acid oxidation is the most significant.