The Effect of Gestational Diabetes on the α7 and α4 Subtypes of nAChRs in Human Placenta

Abstract

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), as a teratogenic agent, is one of the most prevalent and critical metabolic disorders during pregnancy, which has irreversible effects on fetal development. This study aimed to evaluate the alterations of α7 and α4 subtypes of the nAChRs in the placenta of diabetic. Materials and Methods:The present research was a case-control study performed on women who were referred to the cesarean section of the Allameh Bohlool Gonabadi Hospital from January 2021 to April 2021. These women were divided into the following two study groups: healthy pregnancy (n=10) and GDM (n=10). Placental samples were obtained from these mothers. Afterward, Immunohistochemistry (IHC) technique was performed for detecting α7 and α4 subtypes. Thereafter, the image quantification was done using ImageJ software. SPSS20 software was also used to perform statistical analyses and lastly, P≤0.05 was considered as statistically significant.Results: Maternal and infant demographics data revealed no significant differences between the two groups (P<0.05). However, maternal fasting glucose level was significantly higher in the GDM group compared to the healthy group (P=0.002). Additionally, the α7 and α4 protein expression significantly differed between the two study groups, so that OD of the α7 and α4 was more in the GDM group compared to the healthy group (P=0.001; for each). Conclusion:This study revealed that gestational diabetes could strongly affect the expressions of α7 and α4 subtypes in the Human placenta. This issue may reflect a compensatory protective physiological response, which may be responsible for fetal complications occurring during GDM.