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. 2008 Nov;21(11):796-815.
doi: 10.1080/14767050802266881.

Adiponectin multimers in maternal plasma

S Mazaki-Tovi  1 , R Romero, J P Kusanovic, O Erez, E Vaisbuch, F Gotsch, P Mittal, G N Than, C Nhan-Chang, T Chaiworapongsa, S Edwin, N Camacho, J K Nien, S S Hassan
Affiliations

Adiponectin multimers in maternal plasma

S Mazaki-Tovi et al. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2008 Nov.

Abstract

Objective: Adiponectin is an anti-diabetic, anti-atherogenic, anti-inflammatory, and angiogenic adipokine that circulates in oligomeric complexes including: low molecular weight (LMW) trimers, medium molecular weight (MMW) hexamers, and high molecular weight (HMW) isoforms. The aim of this study was to determine whether there are changes in adiponectin multimers in pregnancy and as a function of maternal weight.

Study design: In this cross-sectional study, plasma concentrations of total, HMW, MMW, and LMW adiponectin were determined in women included in three groups: (1) normal pregnant women of normal body mass index (BMI) (n = 466), (2) overweight pregnant women (BMI >or=25; n = 257), and (3) non-pregnant women of normal weight (n = 40). Blood samples were collected once from each woman between 11 and 42 weeks of gestation. Plasma adiponectin multimer concentrations were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Non-parametric statistics were used for analysis.

Results: (1) The median HMW adiponectin concentration and the median HMW/total adiponectin ratio were significantly higher, and the median LMW adiponectin concentration was significantly lower in pregnant women than in non-pregnant women. (2) Among pregnant women, the median plasma concentration of total, HMW, and MMW adiponectin was significantly higher in normal weight women than in overweight patients. (3) Maternal HMW was the most prevalent adiponectin multimer regardless of gestational age or BMI status. (4) There were no significant differences in the median concentration of total, MMW, and LMW adiponectin and their relative distribution with advancing gestation.

Conclusion: Human pregnancy is characterized by quantitative and qualitative changes in adiponectin multimers, especially the most active isoform, HMW adiponectin.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Comparison of the median serum total, HMW, MMW and LMW adiponectin concentrations between non-pregnant, normal weight and overweight/obese pregnant women
The median serum concentration of total, HMW and MMW adiponectin was significantly higher in normal weight than overweight/obese women. Among non-pregnant women, the median HMW adiponectin concentration was significantly higher than the median concentrations of MMW and LMW adiponectin. The median concentration of the latter was significantly higher than MMW adiponectin
Figure 2
Figure 2. Comparison of HMW/Total adiponectin MMW/Total adiponectin and LMW/Total adiponectin ratio between non-pregnant, normal weight and overweight/obese pregnant women
The median HMW to total adiponectin ratio was significantly higher in normal weight than overweight/obese pregnant women and in overweight/obese patients compared to non pregnant women. The median LMW to total adiponectin ratio was significantly higher in non-pregnant women than the median LMW/Total adiponectin ration in normal weight and overweight/obese pregnant women. The median LMW to total adiponectin ratio was significantly higher in overweight/obese pregnant than in normal weight pregnant women.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Maternal serum total adiponectin (a), HMW adiponectin (b), MMW adiponectin (c) and LMW adiponectin (d) concentrations in normal weight and pregnant overweight/obese women according to gestational age groups
Among women between 11–14 weeks of gestation, normal weight women had a higher median concentration of total (a) and HMW (b) adiponectin than overweight/obese patients. Among women between 19–22 weeks of gestation, normal weight women had a higher median concentration of total (a), HMW (b) and MMW (c) adiponectin than overweight/obese patients. Among women between 31–34 weeks of gestation, normal weight women had a higher median concentration of total (a), HMW (b) and MMW (c) adiponectin than overweight/obese patients. Among women at term, normal weight women had a higher median concentration of HMW (b) adiponectin than overweight/obese patients.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Maternal serum total adiponectin (a), HMW adiponectin (b), MMW adiponectin (c) and LMW adiponectin (d) concentrations in normal weight and pregnant overweight/obese women according to gestational age groups
Among women between 11–14 weeks of gestation, normal weight women had a higher median concentration of total (a) and HMW (b) adiponectin than overweight/obese patients. Among women between 19–22 weeks of gestation, normal weight women had a higher median concentration of total (a), HMW (b) and MMW (c) adiponectin than overweight/obese patients. Among women between 31–34 weeks of gestation, normal weight women had a higher median concentration of total (a), HMW (b) and MMW (c) adiponectin than overweight/obese patients. Among women at term, normal weight women had a higher median concentration of HMW (b) adiponectin than overweight/obese patients.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Maternal serum total adiponectin (a), HMW adiponectin (b), MMW adiponectin (c) and LMW adiponectin (d) concentrations in normal weight and pregnant overweight/obese women according to gestational age groups
Among women between 11–14 weeks of gestation, normal weight women had a higher median concentration of total (a) and HMW (b) adiponectin than overweight/obese patients. Among women between 19–22 weeks of gestation, normal weight women had a higher median concentration of total (a), HMW (b) and MMW (c) adiponectin than overweight/obese patients. Among women between 31–34 weeks of gestation, normal weight women had a higher median concentration of total (a), HMW (b) and MMW (c) adiponectin than overweight/obese patients. Among women at term, normal weight women had a higher median concentration of HMW (b) adiponectin than overweight/obese patients.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Maternal serum total adiponectin (a), HMW adiponectin (b), MMW adiponectin (c) and LMW adiponectin (d) concentrations in normal weight and pregnant overweight/obese women according to gestational age groups
Among women between 11–14 weeks of gestation, normal weight women had a higher median concentration of total (a) and HMW (b) adiponectin than overweight/obese patients. Among women between 19–22 weeks of gestation, normal weight women had a higher median concentration of total (a), HMW (b) and MMW (c) adiponectin than overweight/obese patients. Among women between 31–34 weeks of gestation, normal weight women had a higher median concentration of total (a), HMW (b) and MMW (c) adiponectin than overweight/obese patients. Among women at term, normal weight women had a higher median concentration of HMW (b) adiponectin than overweight/obese patients.
Figure 4
Figure 4. Comparison of median HMW/Total adiponectin MMW/Total adiponectin and LMW/Total adiponectin ratio between normal weight and overweight/obese pregnant women in 11–14 weeks (a) and 19–22 weeks (b) of gestation
The median HMW/Total adiponectin ratio was higher in normal weight than in overweight/obese pregnant women between 11–14 (a) and 19–22 (b) weeks of gestation.
Figure 4
Figure 4. Comparison of median HMW/Total adiponectin MMW/Total adiponectin and LMW/Total adiponectin ratio between normal weight and overweight/obese pregnant women in 11–14 weeks (a) and 19–22 weeks (b) of gestation
The median HMW/Total adiponectin ratio was higher in normal weight than in overweight/obese pregnant women between 11–14 (a) and 19–22 (b) weeks of gestation.
Figure 5
Figure 5. Comparison of median serum total, HMW, MMW and LMW adiponectin concentrations between women at term in labor and not in labor
Women at term in labor had a higher median concentration of HMW adiponectin compared to women at term not in labor. Among pregnant women in labor and not in labor at term, the median serum concentration of HMW adiponectin was higher than the median concentrations of LMW and MMW adiponectin. The latter was higher than the median LMW adiponectin concentrations.
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