The importance of maternal insulin resistance throughout pregnancy on neonatal adiposity

Background: Although previous studies evaluated the association of maternal health parameters with neonatal adiposity, little is known regarding the complexity of the relationships among different maternal health parameters throughout pregnancy and its impact on neonatal adiposity. Objectives: To evaluate the direct and indirect associations between maternal insulin resistance during pregnancy, in women with obesity, and neonatal adiposity. In addition, associations between maternal fasting glucose, triglycerides (TG), non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), and neonatal adiposity were also assessed. Methods: This is a longitudinal, secondary analysis of the DALI study, an international project conducted in nine European countries with pregnant women with obesity. Maternal insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), fasting glucose, TG, and NEFA were measured three times during pregnancy (<20, 24-28, and 35-37 weeks of gestation). Offspring neonatal adiposity was estimated by the sum of four skinfolds. Structural equation modelling was conducted to evaluate the direct and indirect relationships among the variables of interest. Results: Data on 657 mother-infant pairs (50.7% boys) were analysed. Neonatal boys exhibited lower mean sum of skinfolds compared to girls (20.3 mm, 95% CI 19.7, 21.0 vs 21.5 mm, 95% CI 20.8, 22.2). In boys, maternal HOMA-IR at <20 weeks was directly associated with neonatal adiposity (β = 0.35 mm, 95% CI 0.01, 0.70). In girls, maternal HOMA-IR at 24-28 weeks was only indirectly associated with neonatal adiposity, which implies that this association was mediated via maternal HOMA-IR, glucose, triglycerides, and NEFA during pregnancy (β = 0.26 mm, 95% CI 0.08, 0.44). Conclusions: The timing of the role of maternal insulin resistance on neonatal adiposity depends on fetal sex. Although the association was time-dependent, maternal insulin resistance was associated with neonatal adiposity in both sexes

Recent advances in Pichia pastoris as host for heterologous expression system for lipases : a review

The production of heterologous lipases is one of the most promising strategies to increase the productivity of the bioprocesses and to reduce costs, with the final objective that more industrial lipase applications could be implemented. In this chapter, an overview of the new success in synthetic biology, with traditional molecular genetic techniques and bioprocess engineering in the last 5 years in the cell factory Pichia pastoris, the most promising host system for heterologous lipase production, is presented. The goals get on heterologous Candida antarctica, Rhizopus oryzae, and Candida rugosa lipases, three of the most common lipases used in biocatalysis, are showed. Finally, new cell factories producing heterologous lipases are presented

Independent and combined influence of healthy lifestyle factors on academic performance in adolescents: DADOS Study

BACKGROUND. Few studies have analyzed the combined effect of lifestyle factors on academic performance (AP) in adolescents. The aim of this study was to analyze the independent and combined effects of weight status, screen time, sleep quality, daily meal frequency, cardiorespiratory fitness and physical activity (PA) on AP in adolescents. METHODS. A total of 262 adolescents (13.9±0.3 years) from the DADOS study were included in the analysis. Weight status was assessed through body mass index (kg/m 2 ). Participants completed questionnaires to evaluate screen time, sleep quality and daily meal frequency. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed by the 20-m shuttle run test. PA was evaluated by a wrist-worn GENEActiv accelerometer. AP was assessed through the final academic grades and a validated questionnaire. RESULTS. Non-overweight status, low screen time, good sleep quality and proper meal frequency showed independent, positive influence on AP. Moreover, adolescents achieving at least 3 healthy lifestyles were more likely to be in the high-performance group for academic grades than those achieving ≤ 1 (math OR: 3.02-9.51, language OR: 3.51-6.76 and grade point average OR: 4.22-9.36). CONCLUSIONS. Although individual healthy lifestyles are independently and positively associated with AP, the cumulative effect of multiple healthy lifestyles have a stronger impact

A reduction in sedentary behaviour in obese women during pregnancy reduces neonatal adiposity: the DALI randomised controlled trial

Abstract Aims/hypothesis Offspring of obese women are at increased risk of features of the metabolic syndrome, including obesity and diabetes. Lifestyle intervention in pregnancy might reduce adverse effects of maternal obesity on neonatal adiposity. Methods In the Vitamin D And Lifestyle Intervention for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) Prevention (DALI) lifestyle trial, 436 women with a BMI ≥29 kg/m2 were randomly assigned to counselling on healthy eating (HE), physical activity (PA) or HE&PA, or to usual care (UC). In secondary analyses of the lifestyle trial, intervention effects on neonatal outcomes (head, abdominal, arm and leg circumferences and skinfold thicknesses, estimated fat mass, fat percentage, fat-free mass and cord blood leptin) were assessed using multilevel regression analyses. Mediation of intervention effects by lifestyle and gestational weight gain was assessed. Results Outcomes were available from 334 neonates. A reduction in sum of skinfolds (−1.8 mm; 95% CI −3.5, −0.2; p = 0.03), fat mass (−63 g; 95% CI −124, −2; p = 0.04), fat percentage (−1.2%; 95% CI −2.4%, −0.04%; p = 0.04) and leptin (−3.80 μg/l; 95% CI −7.15, −0.45; p = 0.03) was found in the HE&PA group, and reduced leptin in female neonates in the PA group (−5.79 μg/l; 95% CI −11.43, −0.14; p = 0.05) compared with UC. Reduced sedentary time, but not gestational weight gain, mediated intervention effects on leptin in both the HE&PA and PA groups. Conclusions/interpretation The HE&PA intervention resulted in reduced adiposity in neonates. Reduced sedentary time seemed to drive the intervention effect on cord blood leptin. Implications for future adiposity and diabetes risk of the offspring need to be elucidated. Trial registration ISRCTN70595832

Metabolic phenotypes of early gestational diabetes mellitus and their association with adverse pregnancy outcomes.

AIMS: To describe the metabolic phenotypes of early gestational diabetes mellitus and their association with adverse pregnancy outcomes. METHODS: We performed a post hoc analysis using data from the Vitamin D And Lifestyle Intervention for gestational diabetes prevention (DALI) trial conducted across nine European countries (2012-2014). In women with a BMI ≥29 kg/m2 , insulin resistance and secretion were estimated from the oral glucose tolerance test values performed before 20 weeks, using homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance and Stumvoll first-phase indices, respectively. Women with early gestational diabetes, defined by the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups criteria, were classified into three groups: GDM-R (above-median insulin resistance alone), GDM-S (below-median insulin secretion alone), and GDM-B (combination of both) and the few remaining women were excluded. RESULTS: Compared with women in the normal glucose tolerance group (n = 651), women in the GDM-R group (n = 143) had higher fasting and post-load glucose values and insulin levels, with a greater risk of having large-for-gestational age babies [adjusted odds ratio 3.30 (95% CI 1.50-7.50)] and caesarean section [adjusted odds ratio 2.30 (95% CI 1.20-4.40)]. Women in the GDM-S (n = 37) and GDM-B (n = 56) groups had comparable pregnancy outcomes with those in the normal glucose tolerance group. CONCLUSIONS: In overweight and obese women with early gestational diabetes, higher degree of insulin resistance alone was more likely to be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes than lower insulin secretion alone or a combination of both.status: Published onlin

Metabolic phenotypes of early gestational diabetes mellitus and their association with adverse pregnancy outcomes

Aims: To describe the metabolic phenotypes of early gestational diabetes mellitus and their association with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Methods: We performed a post hoc analysis using data from the Vitamin D And Lifestyle Intervention for gestational diabetes prevention (DALI) trial conducted across nine European countries (2012–2014). In women with a BMI ≥29 kg/m 2, insulin resistance and secretion were estimated from the oral glucose tolerance test values performed before 20 weeks, using homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance and Stumvoll first-phase indices, respectively. Women with early gestational diabetes, defined by the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups criteria, were classified into three groups: GDM-R (above-median insulin resistance alone), GDM-S (below-median insulin secretion alone), and GDM-B (combination of both) and the few remaining women were excluded. Results: Compared with women in the normal glucose tolerance group (n = 651), women in the GDM-R group (n = 143) had higher fasting and post-load glucose values and insulin levels, with a greater risk of having large-for-gestational age babies [adjusted odds ratio 3.30 (95% CI 1.50–7.50)] and caesarean section [adjusted odds ratio 2.30 (95% CI 1.20–4.40)]. Women in the GDM-S (n = 37) and GDM-B (n = 56) groups had comparable pregnancy outcomes with those in the normal glucose tolerance group. Conclusions: In overweight and obese women with early gestational diabetes, higher degree of insulin resistance alone was more likely to be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes than lower insulin secretion alone or a combination of both

The importance of maternal insulin resistance throughout pregnancy on neonatal adiposity

Background: Although previous studies evaluated the association of maternal health parameters with neonatal adiposity, little is known regarding the complexity of the relationships among different maternal health parameters throughout pregnancy and its impact on neonatal adiposity. Objectives: To evaluate the direct and indirect associations between maternal insulin resistance during pregnancy, in women with obesity, and neonatal adiposity. In addition, associations between maternal fasting glucose, triglycerides (TG), non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), and neonatal adiposity were also assessed. Methods: This is a longitudinal, secondary analysis of the DALI study, an international project conducted in nine European countries with pregnant women with obesity. Maternal insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), fasting glucose, TG, and NEFA were measured three times during pregnancy (<20, 24-28, and 35-37 weeks of gestation). Offspring neonatal adiposity was estimated by the sum of four skinfolds. Structural equation modelling was conducted to evaluate the direct and indirect relationships among the variables of interest. Results: Data on 657 mother-infant pairs (50.7% boys) were analysed. Neonatal boys exhibited lower mean sum of skinfolds compared to girls (20.3 mm, 95% CI 19.7, 21.0 vs 21.5 mm, 95% CI 20.8, 22.2). In boys, maternal HOMA-IR at <20 weeks was directly associated with neonatal adiposity (β = 0.35 mm, 95% CI 0.01, 0.70). In girls, maternal HOMA-IR at 24-28 weeks was only indirectly associated with neonatal adiposity, which implies that this association was mediated via maternal HOMA-IR, glucose, triglycerides, and NEFA during pregnancy (β = 0.26 mm, 95% CI 0.08, 0.44). Conclusions: The timing of the role of maternal insulin resistance on neonatal adiposity depends on fetal sex. Although the association was time-dependent, maternal insulin resistance was associated with neonatal adiposity in both sexes