Abstract
The teleological purpose of an ongoing pregnancy is to fulfill its fundamental role of a successful, uncomplicated delivery, in conjunction with an optimal intrauterine environment for the developing fetus. Vitamin D metabolism is adapted to meet both these demands during pregnancy; first by stimulation of calcium absorption for adequate intrauterine bone mineral accrual of the fetus, and second, by enhancing systemic and local maternal tolerance to paternal and fetal alloantigens. Vitamin D-binding protein (VDBP) is one of the key biomolecules that optimize vitamin D homeostasis and also contributes as an immune regulator for a healthy, ongoing pregnancy. In this regard, recent results indicate that dysregulation of VDBP equilibrium could be a risk factor for adverse fetal, maternal, and neonatal outcomes, including preeclampsia, preterm birth, and gestational diabetes. Moreover, it has been hypothesized to be also implicated in the interpretation of vitamin D status in the pregnant state. The aim of this review is to assess available literature regarding the association of VDBP with clinical outcomes during pregnancy, as a potential biomarker for future clinical practice, with a discourse on current knowledge gaps and future research agenda.
Highlights
The vitamin D-binding protein (VDBP), known as group-specific component of serum (Gc-globulin), is a member of the albumin, α-fetoprotein, and α-albumin/afamin gene family and the major plasma carrier protein of vitamin D and its metabolites [1, 2]
It is believed that VDBP is one of the key biomolecules that optimize vitamin D homeostasis and VDBP During Pregnancy contributes as an immune regulator for a healthy, ongoing pregnancy
Vitamin D-binding protein could be possibly connected with the management of large amounts of progesterone produced by the placental trophoblast during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, which could theoretically displace vitamin D from VDBP [25, 26]
Summary
The vitamin D-binding protein (VDBP), known as group-specific component of serum (Gc-globulin), is a member of the albumin, α-fetoprotein, and α-albumin/afamin gene family and the major plasma carrier protein of vitamin D and its metabolites [1, 2]. Vitamin D is adapted to meet both these demands during pregnancy; first by stimulation of calcium absorption for adequate intrauterine bone mineral accrual of the fetus, and second, by enhancing systemic and local maternal tolerance to paternal and fetal alloantigens [1,2,3]. In this context, it is believed that VDBP is one of the key biomolecules that optimize vitamin D homeostasis and. VDBP could interfere with available assays and confound interpretation of maternal and neonatal vitamin D status. The aim of this review is to assess available literature regarding the association of VDBP with clinical outcomes during pregnancy, as a potential biomarker for future clinical practice, with a discourse on current knowledge gaps and future research agenda
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