Stirm L, et al. - Experts assessed the detailed plasma lipid profiles and their impact on placental and fetal metabolism. Maternal plasma nonesterified fatty acids (NEFAs) and the placental lipid profile were altered by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), independently of BMI. Findings suggested an association of GDM with trophoblast and whole-placenta lipoinflammation. Nonetheless, in neonatal cord blood, this was not accompanied by elevated concentrations of inflammatory cytokines or NEFAs.

Methods

• Researchers characterized the maternal and placental lipid profiles in women with GDM and women with normal glucose tolerance (NGT).
• They compared the inflammatory gene expression in placentas and primary term trophoblasts between the groups.
• Moreover, with NEFAs, trophoblasts were stimulated, and effects on gene expression were quantified.
• Finally, they compared the placental macrophage content and cord blood concentrations of inflammatory parameters and NEFAs between women with GDM and women with NGT with similar body mass index (BMI).

Results

• As per data, in both maternal plasma and placental tissue of women with GDM, palmitate and stearate levels were elevated.
• Findings suggested that the placental GDM-associated elevations of IL6, IL8, and TLR2 expression were reflected in trophoblasts derived from women with GDM.
• Increased mRNA expression and protein release of the cytokine IL6 and the chemokine IL8 was led by the stimulation of primary trophoblasts with palmitate.
• In line with this, in the placental tissue of women with GDM, elevated amounts of CD68-positive cells were quantified.
• Authors did not note any GDM-associated elevations in a range of inflammatory parameters and NEFAs in cord blood of NGT vs GDM neonates.