125I insulin receptor binding characteristics on umbilical cord blood erythrocytes from normal and diabetic pregnancies
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 17, 2026
The 4-vessel Sampling Approach to Integrative Studies of Human Placental Physiology In Vivo
Published on: August 2, 2017
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
Insights
Maternal diabetes alters fetal insulin receptors, decreasing binding affinity but increasing receptor numbers. This adaptation helps maintain fetal insulin sensitivity despite high insulin levels, potentially impacting neonatal blood sugar regulation.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Perinatal Medicine
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Maternal diabetes significantly impacts fetal development and metabolic regulation.
- Insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia are key features of diabetic pregnancies.
- Fetal erythrocyte insulin receptors play a crucial role in mediating insulin's effects in utero.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the characteristics of umbilical cord blood erythrocyte insulin receptors in infants of diabetic mothers (IDMs) compared to infants of non-diabetic mothers.
- To elucidate the effect of maternal diabetes on fetal insulin binding affinity and receptor number.
- To understand the adaptive mechanisms of fetal insulin signaling in response to maternal hyperglycemia.
Main Methods:
- Collected umbilical cord blood from 13 normal and 14 diabetic pregnancies.
- Assessed specific insulin binding to erythrocytes.
- Quantified insulin receptor affinity and receptor site number.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in specific insulin binding was observed between the two groups.
- Infants of diabetic mothers showed a fourfold decrease in insulin receptor affinity.
- Infants of diabetic mothers exhibited a fourfold increase in the number of insulin receptor sites, despite hyperinsulinemia.
Conclusions:
- Infants of diabetic mothers possess a low-affinity, high-capacity insulin binding system.
- This altered system allows fetuses to maintain normal insulin sensitivity in the presence of maternal hyperinsulinemia.
- This adaptive mechanism may be critical for maintaining in utero glycemic homeostasis and could contribute to neonatal hypoglycemia.
Abstract:
Umbilical cord blood erythrocyte insulin receptor characteristics of 13 normal and 14 diabetic pregnancies were evaluated to elucidate the effect of maternal diabetes on fetal insulin binding. Specific insulin binding to erythrocytes was similar in the two populations. However, in comparison to infants of nondiabetic women, infants of diabetic mothers exhibited a fourfold decrease in receptor affinity and a fourfold increased number of receptor sites in spite of significant hyperinsulinemia. The in utero infant of a diabetic mother therefore functions with a comparatively low affinity/high capacity insulin binding system that allows it to maintain normal insulin sensitivity in the presence of hyperinsulinemia. This altered, but balanced, mechanism may play an important role in glycemic homeostasis in utero and in the development of neonatal hypoglycemia.
