Role of T-cells in diabetic pregnancy and macrosomia.
A number of studies have recently addressed the correlationship between diabetic pregnancy/macrosomia and differentiation of T-cells into Th1 and Th2 subsets. Diabetic pregnancy has been found to be associated with a decreased Th1 phenotype and IL-4 mRNA expression. In macrosomic offspring, high expression of IL-2 and IFN-gamma mRNA, but not of Th2 cytokines is observed, indicating that the Th1 phenotype is upregulated during macrosomia. T-cells of gestational diabetic rats and their macrosomic offspring seem to present a defect in signal transduction. Indeed, the recruitment of free intracellular calcium concentrations from intracellular pool in T-cells of these animals is altered. The phenotype of regulatory T-cells (T-Reg) is upregulated in diabetic pregnancy and their infants. T-cells in diabetic pregnancy and macrosomic obese offspring are in vivo activated. Adipokines and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPARalpha) also seem to modulate the pro-inflammatory cytokines in these pathologies. Hence, activation of the immune system might be considered as one of the regulatory pathways including metabolic abnormalities in these two pathologies.
Khan
Naim Akhtar
NA
UPRES EA 4183 Lipides & Signalisation Cellulaire, Université de Bourgogne, Faculté des Sciences de la vie, 6, Boulevard Gabriel, 21000 Dijon, France. naim.khan@u-bourgogne.fr
D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005320:Fetal Macrosomia / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000276:immunology*; D018448:Models, Immunological; D011247:Pregnancy; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D015854:Up-Regulation