title: Maternal plasma advanced glycation end products concentrations in response to oral 50-gram glucose load in mid-pregnancy: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Accumulating evidence documents the initiation of diverse physiologic and biochemical responses subsequent to an oral glucose load.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to evaluate the extent to which acute hyperglycemia, resulting from a 50-gram glucose load, contributes to changes in maternal plasma concentrations of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), a heterogeneous group of molecules formed from the non-enzymatic reaction of reducing sugars with free amino groups of proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood specimens were collected from each participant in mid-pregnancy using standard procedures before and after a 50-gram oral glucose load. Maternal plasma methylglyoxal (MG), pentosidine and N(epsilon)-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML) (free and bound) were measured by HPLC-MS/MS method. Non-parametric methods were employed for statistical analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Median plasma MG increased 1.27 fold as a result of acute hyperglycemia. Median bound CML concentrations were elevated 21% in post-load plasma samples as compared with pre-load samples, while median free pentosidine concentrations were 51% lower (both p-values < 0.05). Future studies of larger populations and longer periods of follow-up are warranted to investigate the consequences of acute and chronic hyperglycemia on placental function and fetal development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA. mawilliams@hsph.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Michelle A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Daniel A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Enquobahrie
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zimmer
authors.forename: Chun Fang
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hevner
authors.forename: Dejene
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Abetew
authors.forename: Chad
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Christianson
authors.forename: Chrystal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sheaff
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000139:chemically induced; D008239:Lysine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011765:Pyruvaldehyde / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced; C048496:N(6)-carboxymethyllysine; D011765:Pyruvaldehyde; D001120:Arginine; C062187:pentosidine; D005947:Glucose; D008239:Lysine