Conclusion
The miRNA content of blood EVs may be a promising avenue for studying the early effect of impaired glucose metabolism on placental development.
Methods
This was a case-control study nested in a prospective pregnancy cohort including 23 women with GDM and 46 matched controls. The presence of serum EVs in early pregnancy was validated by transmission electron microscopy. Placental dimensions were assessed at 11 to 13 weeks of gestation. Differential expression of 17 miRNAs encapsulated in EVs (miR‒122-5p, miR‒132-3p, miR-1323, miR‒182-3p, miR‒210-3p, miR‒29a-3p, miR‒29b-3p, miR‒342-3p, miR‒517-5p, miR‒517a-3p, miR‒518b, miR-520h, miR‒525-5p, miR‒136-5p, miR‒342-3p, miR‒376c-5p, and miR‒494-3p) was assessed using quantitative reverse transcription PCR.
Objective
To compare differential expression of miRNAs in circulating EVs in pregnancies complicated by GDM vs controls.
Results
EVs were present in the early phase of placentation (6 to 15 weeks of gestation) in both cases and controls. No differences were observed for placental dimensions and estimated placental volume between GDM and control groups. Ten miRNAs (miR‒122-5p; miR‒132-3p; miR‒1323; miR‒136-5p; miR‒182-3p; miR‒210-3p; miR‒29a-3p; miR‒29b-3p; miR‒342-3p, and miR-520h) showed significantly higher levels in GDM cases than in controls (P ≤ 0.05). Bioinformatics analysis showed that these miRNAs are involved in trophoblast proliferation/differentiation as well as in insulin secretion/regulation and glucose transport in pregnant women.