Increased circulating heat shock protein 70 (HSPA1A) levels in gestational diabetes mellitus: a pilot study

Abstract

Recent data indicate that serum Hsp70 (HSPA1A) levels are increased in type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus. However, there is no report in the literature on circulating Hsp70 levels in gestational diabetes mellitus. In this pilot study, we measured serum Hsp70 levels in 11 pregnant women with pregestational diabetes, 38 women with gestational diabetes, and 40 healthy pregnant women with ELISA. Plasma glucose levels, serum insulin concentrations, HbA1c values, and the Homeostatic Model Assessment-Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) index were also determined. According to our results, serum Hsp70 concentrations were significantly higher in women with pregestational and gestational diabetes mellitus than in healthy pregnant women. In addition, pregestational diabetic women had significantly higher Hsp70 levels than those with gestational diabetes. Furthermore, in the group of women with gestational diabetes mellitus, serum Hsp70 levels showed a significant positive correlation with HbA1c values. However, there was no other relationship between clinical features and metabolic parameters of the study subjects and their serum Hsp70 levels in either study group. In conclusion, we demonstrated for the first time in the literature that serum Hsp70 levels are increased and correlate with HbA1c values in women with gestational diabetes mellitus. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to determine whether circulating Hsp70 plays a causative role in the pathogenesis of gestational diabetes or elevated serum Hsp70 levels are only consequences of the disease.

Higher β-HCG concentrations and higher birthweights ensue from single vitrified embryo transfers

“…Our group has ventured certain ideas on the benefits of short periods of physiological stress improving blastocyst development rates and quality in bovine studies (Vajta et al, 2010). Perhaps vitrification provides a form of positive "sublethal" stress to embryos, and this idea is supported by a recent publication showing that Heat shock protein (Hsp 70) is elevated in gestational diabetes (Garamvölgyi et al, 2015). Such possibilities deserve exploration at a molecular level.…”

Is the placental proteome impaired in well‐controlled gestational diabetes?

“…HSP70 is a stress‐induced protein involved in protein folding, degradation, and transport . A growing number of studies demonstrate that circulating HSP70 levels are elevated in diabetes mellitus types 1 and 2 and also in GDM . It has been suggested that inflammation and oxidative stress account for the increase in serum HSP70 concentrations in these disorders.…”

“…Graphs represent significantly different proteins: A, collagen alpha-1 chain (col14A1); B, galectin-1 (GAL-1); C, heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) growing number of studies demonstrate that circulating HSP70 levels are elevated in diabetes mellitus types 1 and 2 and also in GDM. [20][21][22] It has been suggested that inflammation and oxidative stress account for the increase in serum HSP70 concentrations in these disorders. No data had been available to date on the possible effects of GDM on the placental expression of HSP70, and this is the first report of a higher abundance of this protein in the placenta of healthy controls than in women with GDM.…”

Study of Preeclampsia in Placenta, Kidney, and Hepatic Diseases

“…Recent data also showed that serum Hsp70 (HSPA1A) levels are elevated in diabetes mellitus types 1 and 2. However, further research is needed to determine whether Hsp70 is a cause in the pathogenesis of gestational diabetes [43].…”