Telomeres are shorter in placentas from pregnancies with uncontrolled diabetes

Introduction The intrauterine environment, including the placenta, is influenced by a variety of factors, among which is diabetes during pregnancy. These factors can affect lifetime morbidity. Senescence is a state of cellular metabolic arrest, known to be correlated with age-related diseases and is usually accompanied by short telomeres. This study evaluated telomere characteristics in placentas and in cord blood from term pregnancies complicated by uncontrolled diabetes mellitus. Methods Placental biopsies and cord blood were collected from 16 pregnancies with poorly controlled diabetes and from 16 healthy controls. Senescence-associated heterochromatin foci (SAHF) and senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SAβ-Gal) staining were evaluated. Apoptosis was evaluated using tunel staining. Telomere length and aggregate formation were assessed in placentas and in cord blood using Q-FISH. Results Increased SAHF (19.28% ± 7.93 vs. 7.78% ± 5.31, P