Nesfatin-1 and Vaspin as Potential Novel Biomarkers for the Prediction and Early Diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
Authors: Mierzynski, Radzislaw; Poniedzialek-Czajkowska, Elzbieta; Dluski, Dominik; Patro-Malysza, Jolanta; Kimber-Trojnar, Zaneta; Majsterek, Maciej; Leszczynska-Gorzelak, Bozena
Abstract
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is considered to be one of the most frequent medical complication observed among pregnant women. The role of adipokines in the pathogenesis of GDM remains strictly unknown. Different adipokines have been studied throughout gestation, and they have been proposed as biomarkers of GDM and other pregnancy-related complications; however, there is no biomarker reported for GDM screening at present. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum nesfatin-1 and vaspin levels in GDM and non-GDM women, to characterize the correlation between these adipokines, and to assess the potential role of circulating adipokines in the prediction of risk of gestational diabetes mellitus. Serum concentrations of nesfatin-1 and vaspin were measured in 153 women with GDM, and in 84 patients with uncomplicated pregnancy by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits, according to the manufacturer's instructions. Circulating levels of nesfatin-1 and vaspin were significantly lower in the GDM group than in the control group. Nesfatin-1 levels were negatively correlated with vaspin levels. The results of this study point out the possible role of nesfatin-1 and vaspin as potential novel biomarkers for the prediction and early diagnosis of GDM. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the influence of nesfatin-1 and vaspin on glucose metabolism in the early stages of GDM.
Genome-Wide Association Study of Body Weight Traits in Chinese Fine-Wool Sheep
ANIMALS
Authors: Lu, Zengkui; Yue, Yaojing; Yuan, Chao; Liu, Jianbin; Chen, Zhiqiang; Niu, Chune; Sun, Xiaoping; Zhu, Shaohua; Zhao, Hongchang; Guo, Tingting; Yang, Bohui
Abstract
Simple Summary Body weight traits are economically important in the sheep industry, and it is critical to explore their underlying genetic architecture. Hence, four body weight traits, including birth, weaning, yearling, and adult weights were examined. Through a genome-wide association study on Chinese fine-wool sheep, several candidate single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and genes were found potentially associated with the traits of interest. The results of this study may facilitate the potential use of the genes involved in growth and production traits for the genetic improvement of productivity in sheep. Abstract Body weight is an important economic trait for sheep and it is vital for their successful production and breeding. Therefore, identifying the genomic regions and biological pathways that contribute to understanding variability in body weight traits is significant for selection purposes. In this study, the genome-wide associations of birth, weaning, yearling, and adult weights of 460 fine-wool sheep were determined using resequencing technology. The results showed that 113 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) reached the genome-wide significance levels for the four body weight traits and 30 genes were annotated effectively, including AADACL3, VGF, NPC1, and SERPINA12. The genes annotated by these SNPs significantly enriched 78 gene ontology terms and 25 signaling pathways, and were found to mainly participate in skeletal muscle development and lipid metabolism. These genes can be used as candidate genes for body weight in sheep, and provide useful information for the production and genomic selection of Chinese fine-wool sheep.