Global placental gene expression in gestational diabetes mellitus.
OBJECTIVE
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is thought to modify the pattern of placental transcriptome. In a microarray study and a confirmatory quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction study, we investigated global placental gene expression in GDM.


METHODS
Ribonucleic acid was extracted from placental samples collected from 19 GDM cases and 21 controls. Oligonucleotide probes representing 22,000 genes were used to measure gene expression. Differential gene expression was evaluated using the Student t test, fold change assessment, and significance analysis of microarrays. Path analysis was used to assess functions and functional relationships of differentially expressed genes.


RESULTS
Sixty-six genes participating in cell functions involving cell activation, immune response, organ development, and regulation of cell death were differentially expressed in GDM placentas. These genes include previously described candidate genes (eg, LEP, CEBPA, and MIF), genes with related functions (eg, ADFP), and novel genes (eg, AQP3).


CONCLUSIONS
Expression of genes responsible for diverse biologic processes are modified in GDM.
Enquobahrie
Daniel A
DA
Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA. denquoba@hsph.harvard.edu
Williams
Michelle A
MA
Qiu
Chunfang
C
Meller
Margaret
M
Sorensen
Tanya K
TK
D000328:Adult; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy