Plasma Ceramide Concentrations in Full-Term Pregnancies Complicated with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Case-Control Study
Maria Lantzanaki,
Stavroula Veneti,
Gesthimani Mintziori,
Olga Begou,
Panagiotis D. Pappas,
Helen Gika,
Dimitrios G. Goulis,
Helen Bili,
Eleftheria Taousani,
Dimitrios Vavilis
Affiliations
Maria Lantzanaki
1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Stavroula Veneti
1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Gesthimani Mintziori
1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Olga Begou
Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Panagiotis D. Pappas
1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Helen Gika
Biomic AUTh, Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation (CIRI-AUTH), Balkan Center, 10th km Thessaloniki-Thermi Road, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece
Dimitrios G. Goulis
1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Helen Bili
1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Eleftheria Taousani
Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Health Sciences, International Hellenic University, Alexander Campus, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece
Dimitrios Vavilis
1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Ceramides, a sphingolipid group that acts as a messenger in cellular differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis and senescence, have been associated with cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. The evidence for an association between ceramides and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is scarce. This case-control study aimed to compare women with GDM with healthy, pregnant women in terms of plasma ceramide concentrations at the time of delivery. Ninety-two pregnant women were included in this case-control study, 29 in the GDM group and 63 in the control group. All women were admitted to a tertiary academic hospital for a full-term delivery. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was applied for the quantification of four molecular ceramides, namely Cer d18:1/16:0 (Cer16:0), Cer d18:1/18:0 (Cer18:0), Cer d18:1/24:0 (Cer24:0) and Cer d18:1/24:1 (Cer24:1) in plasma samples. The raw chromatographic data obtained from the LC-MS/MS analysis were processed using Analyst SCIEX (AB Sciex Pte. Ltd., USA). In a univariate statistical analysis, Cer24:0 concentration was significantly lower in the GDM group compared with the control group (p = 0.01). The present study demonstrated lower Cer24:0 concentrations in pregnancies complicated by GDM. Further prospective studies are required to enhance the results of this study.
