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Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 2010; 118(2): 87-92
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1238313
Article

© J. A. Barth Verlag in Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Ghrelin in Gestational Diabetes: Serum Level and mRNA Expression in Fat and Placental Tissue

B. Telejko1 , M. Kuzmicki2 , A. Zonenberg1 , A. Modzelewska1 , K. Niedziolko-Bagniuk1 , A. Ponurkiewicz1 , N. Wawrusiewicz-Kurylonek1 , A. Nikolajuk1 , J. Szamatowicz3 , P. Laudanski2 , A. Kretowski1 , M. Gorska1
  • 1Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Bialystok, Poland
  • 2Department of Pathophysiology of Pregnancy, Medical University of Bialystok, Poland
  • 3Department of Gynecology, Medical University of Bialystok, Poland
Further Information

Publication History

received 06.05.2009 first decision 11.08.2009

accepted 19.08.2009

Publication Date:
23 February 2010 (online)

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Abstract

Objectives: We studied the effect of an oral glucose load on circulating ghrelin, as well as ghrelin and ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a) mRNA expression in subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and placental tissue from pregnant women with gestational diabetes (GDM) and normal glucose tolerance (NGT).

Methods: Plasma total ghrelin levels were measured in 58 patients with GDM and 61 women with NGT by radioimmunoassay. Ghrelin and GHS-R1a mRNA expression was studied in 16 subjects with GDM and 20 healthy pregnant women at term, using RT-PCR.

Results: Basal ghrelin concentrations and the maximal decrease in ghrelin levels after glucose load did not differ in the women with GDM and NGT (399.1 [299.6–563.3] pg/ml vs. 400.9 [302.3–475.8] pg/ml and 127.6 [23.1–213.1] pg/ml vs. 101.7 [44.0–217.6] pg/ml, respectively). Ghrelin mRNA expression in placental tissue was significantly higher in the subjects with GDM than in the healthy pregnant women (0.06 [0.03–0.07] AU vs. 0.02 [0.015–0.03 AU], p=0.02), whereas GHS-R1a mRNA expression in all three tissues studied did not differ between the two groups. Multiple regression analysis revealed that ghrelin mRNA expression in SAT was significantly predicted by serum insulin (β=0.62, p=0.01), explaining 42% of its variability.

Conclusions: Ghrelin mRNA expression in placental tissue was higher in the GDM than in NGT subjects, whereas no association between circulating ghrelin and GDM was observed.

Key words

ghrelin - GHS-R - gestational diabetes - adipose tissue - placenta

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Correspondence

B. Telejko

Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Internal

Medicine, Medical University of Bialystok

M. Curie-Sklodowskiej 24A

15–276 Białystok

Poland

Phone: +45857468239

Fax: +48857447611

Email: telejkob@poczta.onet.pl

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