Serum cytokine profile in women with type 1 diabetes mellitus in the III trimester of pregnancy and in their newborns

Background: Chronic hyperglycemia and abnormal glucose variability are established risk factors for perinatal complications. Abnormal fetal growth and diabetic fetopathy can be associated not only with carbohydrate metabolism disorders, but also with impaired production of cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors that regulate intercellular interactions.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate cytokine and growth factor levels in the blood serum of pregnant women with type 1 diabetes mellitus and in umbilical cord blood of their neonates, as well as assessing the associations of these levels with the development of fetal macrosomia and diabetic fetopathy.

Materials and methods: This prospective study included 88 women with a singleton pregnancy and cesarean delivery. All the patients provided informed consent for participation. The study groups comprised individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus (n = 32) and non-impaired glucose tolerance (n = 56). The levels of interferons alfa 2 and gamma, monokine induced by interferon-gamma, interleukin-1α, -1β, -2, -3, -4, -5, -6, -7, -8, -9, -10, -13, -15, -16, -17, -18, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, interleukin-2 receptor alpha subunits, p40 and p70 subunits of interleukin-12, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, -3, macrophage inflammatory protein-1α, -1β, leukemia inhibitory factor, macrophage ingibitory factor, nerve growth factor beta, stem cell factor, cutaneous T-cell-attracting chemokine, growth-regulated oncogene alpha, hepatocyte growth factor, stem cell growth factor beta, stromal cell-derived factor-1 alfa, interferon gamma inducible protein 10, platelet-derived growth factor-bb, vascular endothelial growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, eotaxin, chemokine ligand 5, and macrophage, granulocyte, and granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factors, tumor necrosis factor alfa and beta, and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand were measured with multiplex immunoassay in the blood serum of women at 36–40 weeks of gestation and in the umbilical cord blood serum of their neonates.

Results: Cytokine levels varied widely in the both study groups. Women with type 1 diabetes mellitus had higher levels of interleukin-1β, -6, -17, basic fibroblast growth factor, macrophage inflammatory protein-1α, -1β, and lower levels of interleukin-1ra compared to the control group. Their neonates had higher levels of interleukin-6, -8, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, macrophage inflammatory protein-1α, -1β. Higher levels of interleukin-1β, -6, -17, and basic fibroblast growth factor in the blood serum of the women were associated with time in range less than 70% and the development of diabetic fetopathy. Time in range was inversely associated with the interferon gamma / interleukin-5 (ρ = −0.531; p = 0.013), interferon gamma / interleukin-10 (ρ = −0.441; p = 0.045), interleukin-2 / -10 (ρ = −0.473; p = 0.030), interleukin-1β / -10 (ρ = −0.561; p = 0.008), interleukin-1β / -1ra (ρ = −0.635; p = 0.002), and interleukin-6 / -10 (ρ = −0.540; p = 0.012) ratios.

Conclusions: Cytokine profile alterations were the most pronounced in pregnant women with non-target time in range values and in those with diabetic fetopathy development. Serum cytokine levels correlate with glycemic profile parameters but are considered non-specific markers of pregnancy complications.