Comparison of immunoreactive gonadotropin-releasing hormone and human chorionic gonadotropin in term placentas from normal women and those with insulin-dependent and gestational diabetes.
We measured prohormone gonadotropin-releasing hormone (high-molecular-weight gonadotropin-releasing hormone), gonadotropin-releasing hormone and human chorionic gonadotropin concentrations in term placentas from normal women and those with insulin-dependent and gestational diabetes. The placental immunoreactive gonadotropin-releasing hormone levels were significantly higher in normal tissues than in tissues from insulin-dependent and gestational diabetes (p less than 0.01). When compared with diabetic placental extracts, normal tissue also had more stored prohormone immunoreactive gonadotropin-releasing hormone. Whereas there were no consistent differences in placental human chorionic gonadotropin concentrations in normal tissues and tissues from insulin-dependent and gestational diabetes, there was a significant correlation between gonadotropin-releasing hormone and human chorionic gonadotropin concentrations in normal samples (r = 0.57, p less than 0.05), which was abolished when the diabetic tissue was included in the analysis. These data suggest that differences in high-molecular-weight gonadotropin-releasing hormone and gonadotropin-releasing hormone concentrations in term placentas from normal versus diabetic mothers may be due to enhanced processing of the prohormone and increased release of the decapeptide in diabetic pregnancy.
Elkind-Hirsch
K E
KE
Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030.
Raynolds
M V
MV
Goldzieher
J W
JW
D002585:Cesarean Section; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000032:analysis*; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010906:Pituitary Hormone-Releasing Hormones / Q000032:analysis*; D010920:Placenta / Q000032:analysis*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011254:Pregnancy in Diabetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D010906:Pituitary Hormone-Releasing Hormones