Inflammatory Protein Expression in Adolescent and Adult Offspring of Type 1 Diabetic Mice

Abstract

To measure inflammatory markers in offspring of pregestational type 1 diabetic mothers. Type 1 diabetes was induced in female C57BL6/J mice using streptozotocin. Offspring from control C57BL6/J and type 1 diabetic mothers were followed up to adulthood and blood was collected at 6 and 12 weeks of age, representing adolescent and adult stages respectively. Five well-established inflammatory markers; Matrix metalloproteinase 9, soluble E-selectin, sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, and total plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) were measured on an inflammatory multiplex assay in plasma. Blood plasma from adolescent offspring from diabetic mothers displayed an increase in all five inflammatory markers when compared to controls, and there was a highly significant increase in sVCAM-1 (64.56 ± 20.1 vs. 33.8 ± 20.75; p < 0.01) and tPAI-1 (0.05 ± 0.02 vs. 0.02 ± 0.01; p < 0.01) expression. Our findings show that inflammatory markers are increased in offspring of pregestational diabetic mothers. This may represent a mechanism for increased risk of cardiovascular disease evident in these offspring.