The present research work concerns the development of new analytical methods aimed to the study of the proteome and the metallome of placental tissue and the evaluation of its possible modifications and/or alterations due to gestational diabetes.
Proteomics analysis was performed by different experimental approaches based on mass spectrometry (ESI-MS and MALDI-MS), and on one- and two-dimensional electrophoresis. These analytical techniques are presently the most suitable experimental approaches to be used in omics applications thanks to their high sensitivity and specificity. Results showed the presence of protein species differently expressed in the case of gestational diabetes; in particular, it was measured an increment of the chorionic somatomammotrophin level and a decrease in the concentration of alpha, beta and gamma chains of fibrinogen and tubulointerstitial nephritis antigen-like in the case of placental tissues impaired by GDM.
Metallomics analysis was carried out by ICP-MS, an analytical technique characterized by high sensitivity and robustness. The study reported an increased concentration of Se and a decrease of Cd level in pathological placental tissues compared to healthy ones. Furthermore, this approach allowed the evaluation of the effectiveness of the sampling procedure, the influence of the blood on the obtained results and showed the importance of other parameters, such as the lifestyle of the patients, in the statistical evaluation of the experimental data.
In conclusion, the obtained data might be useful for the study and the explanation of the biochemical processes that characterize the disease and for the determination of new biomarkers aimed to the development of innovative diagnostic tests for gestational diabetes
