ArticleBMC pregnancy and childbirth2015
Maternal creatine homeostasis is altered during gestation in the spiny mouse: is this a metabolic adaptation to pregnancy?
Article in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers.
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Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 27 citations in OpenAlex.
- Metabolism and homeostasis of energy in trophoblast cells of the placenta: from development to disease†.Biology of reproduction · 2026Review
- Estimating standardized ileal digestible methionine requirements for gilts during gestation using whole-body nitrogen retention and describing plasma creatine, glutathione, and taurine concentrations.Journal of animal science · 2025Article
- Review
- Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show?Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · 2021Review
- Review
- The Spiny Mouse-A Menstruating Rodent to Build a Bridge From Bench to Bedside.Frontiers in reproductive health · 2021Review
- Increased creatine demand during pregnancy in Arginine: Glycine Amidino-Transferase deficiency: a case report.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2020Article
- Creatine and pregnancy outcomes, a prospective cohort study in low-risk pregnant women: study protocol.BMJ open · 2019Article
- Comparative Proteomic Analysis ofMolecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2018Article
- The biomarker and causal roles of homoarginine in the development of cardiometabolic diseases: an observational and Mendelian randomization analysis.Scientific reports · 2017Observational
- Fifteen-year follow-up of Italian families affected by arginine glycine amidinotransferase deficiency.Orphanet journal of rare diseases · 2017Article
- [Prevention and treatment of energy failure in neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy].Zhongguo dang dai er ke za zhi = Chinese journal of contemporary pediatrics · 2016Review
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
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No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPregnancy induces adaptations in maternal metabolism to meet the increased need for nutrients by the placenta and fetus. Creatine is an important intracellular metabolite obtained from the diet and also synthesised endogenously. Experimental evidence suggests that the fetus relies on a maternal supply of creatine for much of gestation. However, the impact of pregnancy on maternal creatine homeostasis is unclear. We hypothesise that alteration of maternal creatine homeostasis occurs during pregnancy to ensure adequate levels of this essential substrate are available for maternal tissues, the placenta and fetus. This study aimed to describe maternal creatine homeostasis from mid to late gestation in the precocial spiny mouse.
methodsPlasma creatine concentration and urinary excretion were measured from mid to late gestation in pregnant (n = 8) and age-matched virgin female spiny mice (n = 6). At term, body composition and organ weights were assessed and tissue total creatine content determined. mRNA expression of the creatine synthesising enzymes arginine:glycine amidinotransferase (AGAT) and guanidinoacetate methyltransferase (GAMT), and the creatine transporter (CrT1) were assessed by RT-qPCR. Protein expression of AGAT and GAMT was also assessed by western blot analysis.
resultsPlasma creatine and renal creatine excretion decreased significantly from mid to late gestation (P < 0.001, P < 0.05, respectively). Pregnancy resulted in increased lean tissue (P < 0.01), kidney (P < 0.01), liver (P < 0.01) and heart (P < 0.05) mass at term. CrT1 expression was increased in the heart (P < 0.05) and skeletal muscle (P < 0.05) at term compared to non-pregnant tissues, and creatine content of the heart (P < 0.05) and kidney (P < 0.001) were also increased at this time. CrT1 mRNA expression was down-regulated in the liver (<0.01) and brain (<0.01) of pregnant spiny mice at term. Renal AGAT mRNA (P < 0.01) and protein (P < 0.05) expression were both significantly up-regulated at term, with decreased expression of AGAT mRNA (<0.01) and GAMT protein (<0.05) observed in the term pregnant heart. Brain AGAT (<0.01) and GAMT (<0.001) mRNA expression were also decreased at term.
conclusionChange of maternal creatine status (increased creatine synthesis and reduced creatine excretion) may be a necessary adjustment of maternal physiology to pregnancy to meet the metabolic demands of maternal tissues, the placenta and developing fetus.
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