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Association of chemerin gene promoter methylation in maternal blood and breast milk during gestational diabetes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 March 2021

Syeda Sadia Fatima Open the ORCID record for Syeda Sadia Fatima [Opens in a new window] ,
Rehana Rehman ,
Jibran Sualeh Muhammad ,
Russell Martins ,
Nuruddin Mohammed Open the ORCID record for Nuruddin Mohammed [Opens in a new window]  and
Unab Khan
Syeda Sadia Fatima*
Affiliation:
Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan
Rehana Rehman
Affiliation:
Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan
Jibran Sualeh Muhammad
Affiliation:
Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Russell Martins
Affiliation:
Medical College, Aga Khan University, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan
Nuruddin Mohammed
Affiliation:
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aga Khan University, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan
Unab Khan
Affiliation:
Department of Family Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan
*
Address for correspondence: Dr. Syeda Sadia Fatima, Assistant Professor (Physiology), Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Aga Khan University, Stadium Road, Karachi 74800, Pakistan. Email: sadia.fatima@aku.edu
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Abstract

The intrauterine environment and early-life nutrition are regulated by maternal biomarkers in the blood and breast milk. We aimed to explore epigenetic modifications that may contribute to differential chemerin expression in maternal plasma, colostrum, and breast milk and find its association with fetal cord blood and infant weight at 6 weeks postpartum. Thirty-three gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) mothers and 33 normoglycemic mothers (NGT) were recruited. Two maternal blood samples (28th week of gestation and 6 weeks postpartum), cord blood, colostrum, and mature milk were collected. Methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were conducted. The weight of the babies was measured at birth and 6 weeks postpartum. Serum chemerin levels at the 28th gestational week and 6 weeks postpartum were significantly lower for the NGT group as compared to the GDM group; (P < 0.05). Higher colostrum chemerin concentrations were observed in the GDM group and remained elevated in mature milk as compared to NGT (P < 0.05). Colostrum and breast milk chemerin levels showed an independent association with infant weight at 6 weeks postpartum (r = 0.270; P = 0.034) (r = 0.464; P < 0.001). Forty percent GDM mothers expressed unmethylated chemerin reflecting increased chemerin concentration in the maternal blood. This pattern was also observed in newborn cord blood where 52% of samples showed unmethylated chemerin in contrast to none in babies born to normoglycemic mothers. The results of this study highlight the critical importance of altered chemerin regulation in gestational diabetic mothers and its effect during early life period and suggest a possible role in contributing to childhood obesity.

Keywords

Breast milk adipokinegestational diabetesinfant weightchemerinobesity

Information

Type
Original Article
Information
Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease , Volume 13 , Issue 1 , February 2022 , pp. 108 - 114
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press in association with International Society for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease

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