Association of overweight/obesity and insulin resistance with activation of circulating innate lymphoid cells in women after gestational diabetes mellitus
Listed in
This article is not in any list yet, why not save it to one of your lists.Abstract
Introduction
Women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are at high risk of developing prediabetes or type 2 diabetes later in life. Recent studies have highlighted the regulation and function of innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) in metabolic homeostasis. However, the multifactorial impact of both overweight/obesity and GDM on the immunological profile of circulating ILCs and the progression to prediabetes are not yet fully elucidated.
Methods
Blood samples from 42 women with a history of insulin-treated GDM (GDMi), 33 women with a history of GDM without insulin treatment during pregnancy (GDM), and 45 women after a normoglycemic pregnancy (Ctrl) participating in the ongoing observational PPSDiab study were analyzed by flow cytometry for markers of ILC subsets at the baseline visit (3-16 months postpartum; Visit 1) and 5 years postpartum (58-66 months postpartum; Visit 3).
Results
During the first 5 years postpartum, 18 women of the GDMi group (42.8%), 10 women of the GDM group (30.3%), and 8 participants of the Ctrl group (17.8%) developed prediabetes, respectively. Total circulating type 1 innate lymphoid cells (ILC1s) and NK cell numbers as well as percent HLA-DR + ILC1s were increased in GDMi versus GDM and Ctrl women both at the baseline visit and the 5-year follow-up. Although ILC subsets at Visit 1 could not predict the progression from GDM to prediabetes, ILC2 frequency was associated with insulin sensitivity index (ISI), whereas percent HLA-DR + ILC1s were inversely correlated. Moreover, circulating leukocytes and total NK cells were associated with waist circumference and fat mass both at Visit 1 and Visit 3.
Discussion
Our findings introduce human ILCs as a potential therapeutic target deserving further exploration.
Trial registration
Study ID 300-11.
