Apolipoprotein Profiles in Very Preterm and Term-Born Preschool Children

Abstract

Background: Little is known about plasma apolipoprotein profiles in very preterm-born and term-born preschool children compared with the adult population. This is of particular interest because apolipoprotein composition might contribute to cardiometabolic outcome in later life. Methods and Results: Children aged 5 to 7 years born at term or with <32 weeks of gestation were included. Apolipoprotein concentrations were measured in plasma collected after an overnight fast using multiple-reaction monitoring-based mass spectrometry. Twelve apolipoproteins were measured in 26 former term and 38 former very preterm infants. Key findings were confirmed by assessing apolipoprotein levels using antibody-based assays. Comparing children born term and preterm, apolipoprotein A-I, A-IV, C-II, and C-III were significantly higher in the latter group. Term-born children showed plasma levels of apolipoprotein C-II and C-III quantitatively similar to the adult range (Bruneck study). Hierarchical clustering analyses suggested that a higher proportion of apolipoprotein C-III and C-II reside on high-density lipoprotein particles in children than in adults given the marked correlations of apolipoprotein C-III and C-II with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein A-I in children but not adults. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations were similar in children and adults but the pattern of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol–associated apolipoproteins was different (lower apolipoprotein A-I and C-I but higher A-II, A-IV, and M). Conclusions: Our study defines apolipoprotein profiles in preschoolers and reports potential effects of prematurity. Further large-scale studies are required to provide evidence whether this apolipoprotein signature of prematurity, including high apolipoprotein C-II and C-III levels, might translate into adverse cardiometabolic outcome in later life.