The Role of Adiponectin During Placental Development in Streptozotocin-Induced Rats

Objectives: The placenta is a regulator organ for many metabolic activities between mother and fetus. Many physiological, immunological, and metabolic adaptations are necessary for healthy placental/fetal development and maternal health. Pregnancy is closely associated with normal placental development. Impaired placental development may cause clinical complications such as intrauterine growth retardation, preeclampsia, and diabetes. There are limited data about placental expression of adiponectin, which has anti-diabetic effects. In this study, the relationship between adiponectin and placental development was studied in normal and streptozocin-induced diabetic rats.
Methods: For this purpose, protein and mRNA levels of adiponectin and its receptors (AdipoR1 and AdipoR2) were determined in control and diabetic (mediated by 50 mg/kg streptozotocin) rats’ placentas at 14th, 16th, 18th, 20th days of pregnancy by western blot and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) techniques. Serum levels of adiponectin were also assessed by ELISA method.
Results: Placenta and embryo weights were compared in the control and the diabetic groups. Placental weights of the diabetic group were significantly higher than the control group from gestational day 18. The weights of embryo were significantly decreased in the control group at gestational days 14, 18, and 20. According to the western blot and RT-PCR results, in general protein and mRNA levels of adiponectin, AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 were significantly decreased in the diabetic group compared to the control group. Maternal serum adiponectin levels were also evaluated, and a significant decrease was observed in the diabetic group compared to the control group.
Conclusion: According to our results, we are of the opinion that pregnancy and diabetes are associated with adiponectin and that adiponectin has an important role in placental development abnormalities in diabetic conditions.