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Reim PK, Engelbrechtsen L, Gybel-Brask D, Schnurr TM, Kelstrup L, Høgdall EV, Hansen T. The influence of insulin-related genetic variants on fetal growth, fetal blood flow, and placental weight in a prospective pregnancy cohort. Sci Rep 2023; 13:19638. [PMID: 37949941 PMCID: PMC10638310 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46910-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The fetal insulin hypothesis proposes that low birthweight and type 2 diabetes (T2D) in adulthood may be two phenotypes of the same genotype. In this study we aimed to explore this theory further by testing the effects of GWAS-identified genetic variants related to insulin release and sensitivity on fetal growth and blood flow from week 20 of gestation to birth and on placental weight at birth. We calculated genetic risk scores (GRS) of first phase insulin release (FPIR), fasting insulin (FI), combined insulin resistance and dyslipidaemia (IR + DLD) and insulin sensitivity (IS) in a study population of 665 genotyped newborns. Two-dimensional ultrasound measurements with estimation of fetal weight and blood flow were carried out at week 20, 25, and 32 of gestation in all 665 pregnancies. Birthweight and placental weight were registered at birth. Associations between the GRSs and fetal growth, blood flow and placental weight were investigated using linear mixed models. The FPIR GRS was directly associated with fetal growth from week 20 to birth, and both the FI GRS, IR + DLD GRS, and IS GRS were associated with placental weight at birth. Our findings indicate that insulin-related genetic variants might primarily affect fetal growth via the placenta.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline K Reim
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen, Maersk Tower, Blegdamsvej 3B, 8th Floor, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Line Engelbrechtsen
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen, Maersk Tower, Blegdamsvej 3B, 8th Floor, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Herlev Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Dorte Gybel-Brask
- Psycotherapeutic Outpatient Clinic, Department of Psychiatry, Ballerup Hospital, Ballerup, Denmark
| | - Theresia M Schnurr
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen, Maersk Tower, Blegdamsvej 3B, 8th Floor, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Louise Kelstrup
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Herlev Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Estrid V Høgdall
- Molecular Unit, Department of Pathology, Herlev Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Torben Hansen
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen, Maersk Tower, Blegdamsvej 3B, 8th Floor, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Willson J. Fetal growth: a family affair. Nat Rev Genet 2021. [PMID: 34302144 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-021-00399-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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