Serum levels of spexin are increased in the third trimester pregnancy with gestational diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Spexin is a peptide that is involved in energy homeostasis and its expression is influenced by altered glucose metabolism. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with increased insulin resistance (IR) and pregnancy is a progressive insulin resistant state. We hypothesized that spexin may have an effect on the pathophysiology of GDM which further could help to identify the disease. The aim of this study was to investigate spexin levels in the third trimester pregnancies with GDM and healthy controls. Thirty-nine women with GDM and 39 healthy singleton pregnancies were enrolled in this case-control study. Serum spexin concentrations were measured and correlated to biochemical and clinical parameters. Serum spexin levels were significantly higher in women with GDM (3686.25 ± 348.37 vs. 3472.33 ± 293.93 pg/ml, p=.004). Spexin levels ​​did not differ significantly according to treatment modality. Moreover, spexin levels were significantly positively correlated with homeostasis model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR). Spexin levels were significantly higher in women with GDM and closely related to HOMA-IR in the third trimester pregnancy. This may help to better clarify the pathophysiological role of spexin in GDM.

摘要

Spexin是一种参与能量稳态的肽, 其表达受葡萄糖代谢改变的影响。妊娠期糖尿病（GDM）与胰岛素抵抗（IR）增加有关, 妊娠处于一种进行性胰岛素抵抗的状态。我们假设spexin可能对GDM的病理生理有影响, 这可能有助于进一步认识该疾病。本研究的目的是调查晚期妊娠合并GDM和健康对照组的spexin水平。该病例对照研究共纳入了39例GDM和39例健康单胎孕妇。测定血清spexin浓度并将其与生化和临床参数相关。患有GDM的女性血清spexin水平显著增高（3686.25±348.37 vs.3472.33±293.93 pg / ml, p = 0.004）。Spexin水平根据治疗方式没有显著差异。 此外, spexin水平与IR稳态模型评估（HOMA-IR）显著正相关。GDM女性的Spexin水平显著增高, 并且与妊娠晚期的HOMA-IR密切相关。这可能有助于更好地阐明Spexin在GDM中的病理生理作用。

The Chinese abstracts are translated by Prof. Dr. Xiangyan Ruan and her team: Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100026, China.

Keywords:

• Gestational diabetes mellitus
• spexin
• insulin resistance
• pregnancy
• third trimester

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the Manisa Celal Bayar University Coordinatorship of Scientific Research Projects [Number=2018–110].