title: Galectin-13/PP-13 expression in term placentas of gestational diabetes mellitus pregnancies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is an increasing harm in pregnancy. Inflammatory processes in the placenta seem to have an influence on pathogenesis besides known factors like maternal BMI. Galectin-13 (gal-13) is an immunoregulatory protein, which is suspected to play a role in development of GDM in the placenta.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 40 placentas were obtained from women treated for gestational diabetes mellitus. Placental tissue for control group was obtained from 40 women with normal pregnancy. We investigated the protein expression of gal-13 in term placentas with immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Immunohistochemical staining was analyzed with the semi-quantified IRS score. Gal-13 serum levels were performed with ELISA on a total of 20 probes from women with GDM and healthy control pregnancies in the third trimester.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gal-13 was found in syncytiotrophoblast, in nuclei of syncytiotrophoblast and trophoblast cells as well in extravillous trophoblast cells of normal placentas. In GDM placentas, gal-13 expression was significantly decreased in all of these examined cell types (syncytiotrophoblast p = 0.003, nuclei of syncytiotrophoblast p = 0.007; extravillous trophoblast cells p = 0.001). The ELISA showed a significant lower gal-13 serum level in blood from pregnant women with GDM in comparison to healthy controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As gal-13 with its anti-inflammatory functions plays a role in regulation of maternal immune system, a lack of gal-13 may contribute to an imbalance in inflammation processes in the placenta during pregnancy and therefore influences development of GDM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Maistraße 11, 80337 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Unverdorben
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Maistraße 11, 80337 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hüttenbrenner
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Klinik Hallerwiese, Diakonie Neuendettelsau, St.-Johannis-Mühlgasse 19, 90419 Nuremberg, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Knabl
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Maistraße 11, 80337 Munich, Germany. Electronic address: udo.jeschke@med.uni-muenchen.de.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Jeschke
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Maistraße 11, 80337 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hutter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D037161:Galectins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third / Q000378:metabolism; D047929:Term Birth / Q000378:metabolism*; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D037161:Galectins; C038195:LGALS13 protein, human; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins
keywords: Galectin-13; Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM); PP-13; Trophoblast