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Observational Study
. 2023 Jan 24;15(3):600.
doi: 10.3390/nu15030600.

Relationship of Glucose, C-peptide, Leptin, and BDNF in Maternal and Umbilical Vein Blood in Type-1 Diabetes

Josip Delmis  1 , Slavko Oreskovic  1 , Vesna Elvedji Gasparovic  1 , Mirta Starcevic  1 , Mislav Herman  1 , Nada Dessardo  1 , Vito Starcevic  1 , Marina Ivanisevic  1
Affiliations
Observational Study

Relationship of Glucose, C-peptide, Leptin, and BDNF in Maternal and Umbilical Vein Blood in Type-1 Diabetes

Josip Delmis et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

The study aimed to determine the relationship between glucose, C-peptide, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and leptin between mother and fetus and neonatal weight.

Methods: In the prospective observational cohort study, we included 66 women with type-1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). According to the z-score for neonatal weight, patients were divided into healthy-weight neonates (n = 42) and overweight neonates (n = 24). The maternal blood samples were taken during pregnancy and cesarean section when the umbilical vein blood sample was also withdrawn. The maternal vein sera were analyzed for fasting glucose, C-reactive protein (CRP), leptin, BDNF, TSH, FT3, and FT4. The umbilical vein sera were analyzed for glucose, C-peptide, leptin, TSH, thyroid-stimulating protein (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), and BDNF concentration. The neonatologist measured the skinfold thickness on the third day of neonatal life.

Results: A strong correlation was confirmed between maternal and umbilical vein glucose concentration and maternal glucose and C-peptide in umbilical vein blood. A negative correlation was found between the concentration of BDNF in the umbilical vein and glucose in maternal blood. A strong correlation was seen between BMI and maternal blood leptin concentration, neonatal fat body mass, and umbilical vein blood leptin concentration. Higher BMI elevated BDNF, and TSH increase the odds for overweight neonates in the first trimester of pregnancy. Maternal higher leptin concentration in the first trimester decrease the odds of overweight neonates.

Conclusions: Maternal glucose concentrations affect the fetus's glucose, C-peptide, and BDNF concentrations. Leptin levels increase in maternal blood due to increased body mass index, and in the neonate, fat body mass is responsible for increased leptin concentrations.

Keywords: BDNF; C-peptide; CRP; leptin; pregnancy; skinfold thickness; thyroid hormones; type-1 diabetes mellitus.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Linear regression of glucose concentration between maternal and umbilical vein serum (r = 0.752, p < 0.001).
Figure 2
Figure 2
The maternal and umbilical vein glucose concentration ratio in two study groups (healthy-weight neonates 1.2 ± 0.3, overweight neonates 1.4 ± 0.7; p = 0.021).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Scatter plot of nonparametric correlations between maternal venous glucose and umbilical vein C-peptide concentrations (rrho = 0.566, p < 0.001).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Scatter plot of nonparametric correlations between glucose and C-peptide concentrations in umbilical vein serum (rrho = 0.449, p < 0.001).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Scatter plot of nonparametric correlations between maternal body mass at the time of delivery and leptin concentrations at the time of delivery (rrho = 0.501, p < 0.001).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Linear regression of between z-score of neonatal weight and leptin in umbilical vein serum (r = 0.431, p = 0.001).
Figure 7
Figure 7
Scatter plot of nonparametric correlations between maternal and umbilical vein serum BDNF at the time of delivery (rrho = 0.494, p < 0.001).
Figure 8
Figure 8
Lean body mass in male and female neonates (male 3294.8 ± 479.6: female 3046.2 ± 465.2, p = 0.037).
Figure 9
Figure 9
Linear regression between birth weight and FT4 in umbilical vein serum (r = 0.320, p = 0.024).
Figure 10
Figure 10
FT4 concentration in umbilical vein serum in healthy-weight and overweight neonates (healthy weight 12.6 ± 1.2: overweight 13.5 ± 1.2, p = 0.010).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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