SERUM VASPIN LEVELS IN NORMAL PREGNANT AND GESTATIONAL DIABETIC ALBINO RAT MODEL

Abstract

Background:Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a major pregnancy complication with increased blood glucose levels and insulin resistance. Vaspin is a visceral adipokine that is synthesized and secreted by abdominal fat tissue and one of the superfamily of serine protease inhibitors. Data proposed vaspin levels in normal pregnancy and GDM are still controversial. Objective : To assess serum vaspin levels in both of late pregnancy and experimentally-induced GDM in relation to certain metabolic parameters in albino rats. Material and methods: Thirty six virgin female albino rats of a local strain weighing 100-150 g were divided randomly into three equals groups. Group I (Control); virgin rats were fed normal diet. Group II (normal pregnant); rats were fed normal diet for five weeks before induction of pregnancy. Group III (experimentally-induced GDM); rats were fed fatty-sucrose diet (FSD) for five weeks before induction of pregnancy, then injected intraperitoneally with streptozotocin (25 mg/kg) on the 7th day of gestation. In all groups, serum vaspin, body mass index (BMI), serum estradiol, progesterone, total triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoproteins-cholesterol (LDL-c), high density lipoproteins-cholesterol (HDL-c), glucose, insulin levels and calculated homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) were estimated. Results: Normal pregnant rats showed a significant increase in BMI, serum vaspin, TG, TC, LDL-c, insulin levels and HOMA-IR compared to controls. Additionally, serum vaspin levels were significantly and positively correlated with BMI, serum glucose, TG levels and HOMA-IR. GDM-induced rats had significantly increased levels of serum vaspin, TC, TG, LDL-c, glucose, BMI and HOMA-IR, while decreased insulin and HDL-c levels compared to normal pregnant and control rats. Moreover, serum vaspin levels showed significant positive correlations with BMI, HOMA-IR, glucose, TG, TC levels, and an inverse correlation with HDL-c levels in GDM-induced group. Conclusion: Serum vaspin levels increased in both of late pregnancy and experimentally-induced GDM, but more in the later possibly for compensating GDM-induced insulin resistance and dyslipidemia.