Possible mechanisms of diabetic fetopathy

By using immunoaffine chromatography and ELISA it was found that 30-35% polyclonal of anti-insulin antibodies (AB1) in sera of diabetes patients has bound with high-affinity to Nerve Growth Factor (NGF). This indicates the presence of common epitop(s) in both molecules and could be a reason for NGF deprivation during formation of the nervous system in fetuses of diabetic pregnant women. Patient sera also usually characterized by elevated level of antiidiotypic antibodies (AIAb2) which interact with membrane insulin receptors, and may induce the general metabolic disturbances in fetus and newborns from diabetic mothers, fatal sometimes. High levels of anti-insulin/NGF Ab1 may bind excess of AIAb2 and prevents the insulin receptors dysfunction (typical for newborns in satisfactory health state). On the other hand--children with elevated levels of Ab1 at age 1-3 years often revealed clinical signs of neuropathology.