Plasma lipocalin-2 levels in pregnancy

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Metabolic Health
• Reproductive Medicine

Background:

• Lipocalin-2 is a novel adipokine linked to obesity and insulin resistance.
• Understanding adipokine roles in pregnancy is crucial for metabolic health.
• Elevated lipocalin-2 may indicate altered metabolic status during gestation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate plasma lipocalin-2 levels in pregnant women.
• To assess the association between lipocalin-2 and insulin resistance markers in pregnancy.
• To compare lipocalin-2 levels between pregnant women with different pre-pregnancy body mass indices and non-pregnant controls.

Main Methods:

• Prospective case-control study conducted at a university hospital.
• Inclusion of pregnant women (gestational age 24-28 weeks) stratified by pre-pregnancy BMI (>25kg/m² vs. <25kg/m²) and non-pregnant controls (<25kg/m²).
• Measurement of plasma lipocalin-2, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and fasting glucose/insulin ratio.

Main Results:

• Plasma lipocalin-2 levels were significantly higher in pregnant women compared to non-pregnant controls (p<0.001).
• Lipocalin-2 levels were significantly elevated in pregnant women with a pre-pregnancy BMI >25kg/m² compared to those with BMI <25kg/m² (p=0.003).
• Lipocalin-2 showed a positive correlation with HOMA-IR and fasting insulin, and a negative correlation with the glucose/insulin ratio in pregnant groups.

Conclusions:

• Plasma lipocalin-2 is elevated in pregnant women, particularly those with overweight or obesity (pre-pregnancy BMI >25kg/m²).
• Elevated lipocalin-2 levels in pregnancy are associated with markers of insulin resistance.
• Lipocalin-2 may serve as a potential biomarker for metabolic disturbances during pregnancy.