Alteration of serum neuregulin 4 and neuregulin 1 in gestational diabetes mellitus

Context: Neuregulin 4 (Nrg4) and neuregulin 1 (Nrg1) have been shown to play vital roles in several disorders of glucose metabolism. The pathophysiological role of Nrg4 and Nrg1 in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), however, remains poorly understood. We assessed the clinical relevance of the two cytokines in patients with GDM. Methods: The study recruited 36 GDM patients and 38 age-matched, gestational age (24–28 weeks of gestation)–matched, and BMI (during pregnancy)–matched controls in this study. Serum Nrg4 and Nrg1 were measured using ELISA. Inflammatory factors such as IL-6, IL-1β, leptin, TNF-α, and monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) were determined via Luminex technique. Results: Serum Nrg4 in GDM patients was significantly lower than that in the controls, while Nrg1 was significantly higher in the GDM group ( p