Colostrum and mature breast milk analysis of serum irisin and sterol regulatory element-binding proteins-1c in gestational diabetes mellitus

Background: We aimed to evaluate irisin and SREBP-1c levels in serum, colostrum and mature breast milk in women with and without gestational diabetes (GDM); and to relate them with maternal glucose, lipid profile and weight status of babies.

Methods: GDM positive women (n?=?33) and normal glucose tolerant women (NGT) (n?=?33) were recruited. Maternal blood samples were collected at 28th week of gestation and later at 6-week post-partum while breast milk samples of the lactating mothers were collected within 72?hours of birth (colostrum) and at 6 weeks post-partum (mature milk). Irisin and SREBP-1c levels were analyzed by commercially available ELISA kits for all maternal samples.

Results: Lower levels of irisin were seen in serum, colostrum and mature breast milk of GDM females (p?r?=?0.439; p?r?=?0.403; p?=?.01), HbA1c (r?=??0.312; p?=?.011), Fasting blood glucose (r?=?0.992; p?=?.008), and baby weight at birth (r?=?0.486; p?r?=?0.325; p?=?.017; r?=?0.296; p?=?.022, respectively). Serum SREBP-1c at 6 weeks correlated with random blood glucose (r?=?0.318; p?=?.009), and HbA1c (r=??0.292; p?=?.011). All correlations were lost once we adjusted for maternal BMI.

Conclusions: Low irisin and SREBP1-c levels may favor development of GDM in pregnant subjects. Further, low mature breast milk levels may act as a continued stressor from fetal to infant life as long as breast-feeding is continued. Further studies are required to identify the mechanistic relationship between these biomarkers and GDM.