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Chemerin concentrations in maternal and fetal compartments: implications for metabolic adaptations to normal human pregnancy

  • Michal Kasher-Meron , Shali Mazaki-Tovi , Ehud Barhod , Rina Hemi , Jigal Haas , Itai Gat , Eran Zilberberg , Yoav Yinon , Avraham Karasik and Hannah Kanety EMAIL logo
Published/Copyright: December 13, 2013

Abstract

Objectives: Chemerin, a novel adipocytokine, has been implicated in major metabolic and inflammatory processes. Study aims were to determine whether circulating maternal chemerin concentration (1) differs between pregnant and non-pregnant women, (2) changes as a function of gestational age, and (3) correlates with maternal insulin resistance. In addition, we investigated which compartment, maternal, fetal or placental, is the source of chemerin in maternal circulation.

Methods: The study included three groups: Non-pregnant (n=18), pregnant women in the first trimester (n=19) and pregnant women in the third trimester (n=33). Chemerin was measured in cord blood and in maternal serum samples taken before and after delivery. Chemerin mRNA expression was evaluated in fetal and human adult tissues.

Results: Chemerin serum concentration was significantly higher in pregnant women in the third trimester than in non-pregnant and pregnant women in the first trimester. Chemerin concentration positively correlated with body mass index (BMI) and insulin resistance. Antenatal chemerin concentration was significantly lower than that during the postpartum period. Neonatal chemerin did not correlate with maternal one. Chemerin mRNA expression was abundant in fetal and adult liver and omental fat, but relatively low in placenta.

Conclusions: Chemerin is increased during normal gestation and is associated with maternal BMI and insulin resistance. Maternal tissues, possibly liver and adipose tissue, contribute to the increased maternal chemerin concentration.


Corresponding author: Hannah Kanety, PhD, Sheba Medical Center, The Institute of Endocrinology, Tel-Hashomer 52621, Israel, E-mail:
aThese authors contributed equally to this work.

Author contributions: M.K.M. contributed to the conception and design of the experiments, collection, analysis and interpretation of data, and to the drafting and preparation of the manuscript. S.M.T. contributed to the conception and design of the experiments, collection, analysis and interpretation of data, and to the drafting and preparation of the manuscript. E.B. contributed to the design of the experiments, collection, analysis and interpretation of data. R.H. contributed to the analysis and interpretation of data, and to the drafting and preparation of the manuscript. J.H. contributed to the collection, analysis and interpretation of data, and to the drafting and preparation of the manuscript. I.G. contributed to the collection, analysis and interpretation of data, and to the drafting and preparation of the manuscript. E.Z. contributed to the collection, analysis and interpretation of data, and to the drafting and preparation of the manuscript; Y.Y. contributed to the collection, analysis and interpretation of data, and to the drafting and preparation of the manuscript. A.K. contributed to the conception and design of the experiments, and to the drafting and preparation of the manuscript. And, finally, H.K. contributed to the conception and design of the experiments, collection, analysis and interpretation of data, and to the drafting and preparation of the manuscript. All authors approved the final version of this manuscript.

Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Assaf Rudich, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel, for providing visceral fat tissues.

Conflicts of interest statement

Disclosure: All authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

Funding: This study was supported by grants from the Mintz-Law Foundation of Tel-Aviv University and by the Talpiot Medical Leadership Program, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel.

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The authors stated that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this article.

Received: 2013-7-8
Accepted: 2013-11-4
Published Online: 2013-12-13
Published in Print: 2014-5-1

©2014 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin Boston

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