Placental Expression of Sirtuins in Women with Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common metabolic disorder in pregnant women. It can lead to several complications, such as preterm delivery, macrosomia, or metabolic disorders in newborns. Studies have revealed morphological and transcriptional differences between the placentas of patients with GDM and women with normal glucose tolerance. Sirtuins (SIRTs) are nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent deacetylases that interact with and regulate the activity of numerous proteins. However, little is known about their role in the pathogenesis of GDM. This study was performed to analyze the placental expression of SIRTs and investigate their correlations with clinical parameters.

GDM was diagnosed based on the 75 g oral glucose tolerance test in accordance with the criteria developed by the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups. Placental tissues were collected, and the expression of SIRT1,-3,-4 and a reference gene (β-2 microglobulin) was analyzed.

The placental expression of SIRT1 and SIRT3 was elevated in women with GDM. However, there was no significant difference in SIRT4 expression between women with GDM and those with normal glucose tolerance. Furthermore, we found no significant correlations between SIRT1, SIRT3, and SIRT4 expression and clinical parameters.

The findings of this study demonstrate elevated expression of SIRT1 and SIRT3 in the placentas of women with GDM. Further studies are required to confirm our observations and demonstrate the precise role of these enzymes in GDM.