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Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors γ (PPARγ) is a member of nuclear receptor superfamily, and studies have demonstrated that dysregulation of PPARγ was associated with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), which is one of the most common metabolic abnormalities occurring during pregnancy. However, the results regarding the associations between PPARγ and GDM were conflicting among different studies. The present study aimed to determine the expression of PPARγ in adipose and placenta from GDM women in a Chinese population and to further explore the role of PPARγ in GDM women. The adipose and placenta tissues were isolated from GDM women and healthy pregnant women at term. The mRNA and protein expressions of PPARγ in adipose and placenta tissues were determined by qRT-PCR and western blot, respectively. Univariate correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationship between PPARγ expression and clinical characteristics of patients. The levels of tryglycerides and HbA1c were significantly higher, while the levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, adiponectin and insulin were significantly lower in the GDM women than that in the healthy pregnant women. The mRNA and protein expression of PPARγ in both adipose and placenta from GDM women were significantly lower than that from healthy pregnant women. PPARγ mRNA expression in both adipose and placenta positively correlated with LDL cholesterol and adiponectin levels, and negatively correlated with tryglycerides and glucose levels at 0 h, 1 h and 2 h of 75 g oral glucose tolerance test. In summary, our results suggest that PPARγ may be a key modulator in the development of GDM, due to the roles of PPARγ in glucose homeostasis and adipose tissue development and function.

Pre‐eclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy disease that causes maternal death and threatens the health of newborns. Accumulating evidence has revealed the essential roles of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the progression of PE. The present investigation determined lncRNA ZEB2 antisense RNA 1 (ZEB2‐AS1) expression in PE and looked into the potential role of ZEB2‐AS1 in modulating trophoblastic cell functions. Quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction evaluated gene expression. Western blot analyzed the placental growth factor (PGF) protein level. Cell counting kit‐8 and Transwell invasion assays assessed the proliferative and invasive abilities of placental trophoblast cells, respectively. Wound healing assay determined cell migratory potentials. Dual‐luciferase reporter assay assessed the targeting relationship among ZEB2‐AS1, miR‐149, and PGF. Downregulation of lncRNA ZEB2‐AS1 was detected in placentas from patients with PE when compared with those from normal pregnancies. Moreover, ZEB2‐AS1 upregulation markedly promoted proliferative, migratory, and invasive potentials in HTR‐8/SVneo cells, while knockdown of ZEB2‐AS1 had the opposite effects. The effects on HTR‐8/SVneo cells mediated by ZEB2‐AS1 was correlated with the miR‐149/PGF axis. These findings indicate that ZEB2‐AS1 contributes to PE progression by affecting cell proliferative and invasive capacities via the miR‐149/PGF axis in HTR‐8/SVneo cells. In sum, we identified that ZEB2‐AS1 was a novel aberrantly expressed lncRNA in the placentas of PE patients and lncRNA ZEB2‐AS1 modulated trophoblastic cell line HTR‐8/SVneo's proliferative and invasive potentials via targeting the miR‐149/PGF axis.

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