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Circulating high-molecular-weight adiponectin is upregulated in preeclampsia and is related to insulin sensitivity and renal function

¹ Department of Internal Medicine III, University of Leipzig, Ph.-Rosenthal-Str. 27, 04103 Leipzig, Germany² Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research (IZKF) Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany³ Department of Obstetrics and ⁴ Institute of Laboratory Medicine, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany

(Correspondence should be addressed to M Fasshauer; Email: mathias.fasshauer{at}medizin.uni-leipzig.de)

Objective: Preeclampsia (PE) is a serious cardiovascular complication in pregnancy which is associated with an increased future metabolic and cardiovascular risk for mother and newborn. Recently, a paradoxical upregulation of the insulin-sensitizing and anti-atherogenic adipokine adiponectin has been shown in PE. Furthermore, high-molecular-weight (HMW) adiponectin has been suggested as the biologically active form of this adipokine.

Design and methods: HMW adiponectin and total adiponectin serum concentrations were quantified by ELISA in PE (n=16) patients and pregnant control women without PE (n=20). Furthermore, HMW adiponectin and total adiponectin were correlated to clinical and biochemical measures of renal function, glucose, and lipid metabolism, as well as inflammation.

Results: Median maternal HMW adiponectin and total adiponectin levels were significantly and independently upregulated almost twofold in PE when compared with controls. HMW adiponectin and total adiponectin correlated positively with creatinine and negatively with fasting insulin in univariate and multivariate analyses.

Conclusions: We show that maternal HMW adiponectin and total adiponectin serum concentrations are significantly increased in PE and are positively associated with markers of insulin sensitivity and renal dysfunction. Adiponectin might be part of a physiological feedback mechanism improving insulin sensitivity and cardiovascular health in PE.