Abstract

Problem statement: Similar to obese patients and type 2 diabetic patients, adiponectin levels are reduced in former Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) patients and are lower in GDM women during late pregnancy compared with pregnant control subjects matched for BMI. Diabetic insult at later stages in gestation, such as may occur in gestational diabetes, will foremost lead to short-term changes in a variety of molecules for key functions including gene expression in the placenta. Approach: In this study we assessed the expression of adiponectin receptors in human placenta to identify the site (s) of expression and to clarify the effect of gestational diabetes in this expression. This study was carried on 10 normoglycemic pregnant women and 20 GDM women. The placental tissue was collected immediately after delivery and tissue biopsies were taken from both fetal and maternal sides of each placenta. One step-RT-PCR for ADIPOR1 and ADIPOR2 was done by Real Time PCR using Syber Green technique. Relative quantification of mRNA of the ADIPOR1 and ADIPOR2 genes was measured using ABI7900 Real Time machine. Results: Both types of Adiponectin Receptors (ADIPOR1 and ADIPOR2) are expressed in human placenta. ADIPOR1 is more highly expressed than ADIPOR2 in both fetal and maternal sides of GDM cases and normal pregnant women. ADIPOR1 mRNA expression was significantly up regulated in GDM women compared to normal pregnant women, whereas no significant difference in the expression of ADIPOR2 was detected between the two groups. There was no evidence of maternal-fetal side difference in the expression of adiponectin receptors in GDM cases but in normal pregnant women there is a statistically significant difference between both sides in the expression of both ADIPOR1 and ADIPOR2. Conclusion: We concluded that adiponectin plays an important role in mediation the glucose metabolism in fetal tissues through its receptors, mainly Adiponectin Receptor 1 (ADIPOR1).

Highlights

  • Adiponectin is a novel adipose tissue-specific protein abundantly expressed in human and rodent fat and secreted from differentiated adipocytes (Combs et al, 2004)

  • Adiponectin Receptor 1 (ADIPOR1) is more highly expressed than ADIPOR2 in both placental sides of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) cases and normal pregnant women

  • The increase in adiponectin receptors gene expression could be due to the decreased adiponectin concentrations in GDM cases (Ategbo et al, 2006) and generally consistent with the published study of Chen et al (2006) that showed a significant increase in ADIPOR1 mRNA in GDM placenta (90% increase compared with normal), whereas no significant up-regulation in the expression of ADIPOR2 was detected between the two groups

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Summary

Introduction

Adiponectin is a novel adipose tissue-specific protein abundantly expressed in human and rodent fat and secreted from differentiated adipocytes (Combs et al, 2004). Circulating levels of adiponectin are inversely related to the degree of adiposity and are positively associated with insulin sensitivity in both healthy subjects and diabetic patients. Two Adiponectin Receptors (ADIPOR1 and ADIPOR2) have recently been identified. ADIPOR1 is abundantly expressed in muscle whereas ADIPOR2 is predominantly expressed in liver (Yamauchi et al, 2003). Activation of these receptors phosphorylates AMP-Activated Protein Kinase (AMPK), a regulator of energy homeostasis of the cell and stimulates fatty acid oxidation and glucose uptake (Yamauchi et al, 2007)

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