Our results suggest that irisin may be involved in reproductive function and in the pregnancy-associated metabolic changes, and this condition may be an irisin-resistant state during gestation.

Adipsin is a protease produced at high levels by adipose tissue. It is involved in complement activation and metabolic control. The objective of this study was to determine the changes in adipsin levels during different stages of normal pregnancy, and its association with obstetric outcomes, such as preeclampsia. This nested case-control study in a longitudinal cohort included normal pregnant (n = 54) and preeclamptic (n = 18) women, both followed throughout pregnancy. Additionally, some of the normal pregnant women were followed up three months postpartum (n = 18). Healthy non-pregnant women were also studied during their menstrual cycle (n = 20). The results of this study show that in healthy non-pregnant women, adipsin levels did not change significantly during the menstrual cycle. In normal pregnant women, adipsin levels were lower (p < 0.01) when compared with non-pregnant healthy women, but these serum levels increased again during postpartum (p < 0.001). Adipsin levels were significantly elevated in preeclamptic women in late pregnancy (P < 0.01). A significant correlation was not found between leptin and adipsin during the three periods of gestation studied in healthy pregnant and preeclamptic women. Our results suggest that adipsin may be involved in pregnancy-associated metabolic changes. Moreover, the increase of adipsin levels towards late gestation in preeclamptic women could be related to the pathophysiology of this disease.

Galanin (GAL) is a neuropeptide involved in the homeostasis of energy metabolism. The objective of this study was to investigate the serum levels of GAL during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in lean and obese young men. This cross-sectional study included 30 obese non-diabetic young men (median 22 years; mean BMI 37 kg/m2) and 30 healthy lean men (median 23 years; mean BMI 22 kg/m2). Serum GAL was determined during OGTT. The results of this study include that serum GAL levels showed a reduction during OGTT compared with basal levels in the lean subjects group. Conversely, serum GAL levels increased significantly during OGTT in obese subjects. Serum GAL levels were also higher in obese non-diabetic men compared with lean subjects during fasting and in every period of the OGTT (p < 0.001). Serum GAL levels were positively correlated with BMI, total fat, visceral fat, HOMA–IR, total cholesterol, triglycerides and Leptin. A multiple regression analysis revealed that serum insulin levels at 30, 60 and 120 minutes during the OGTT is the most predictive variable for serum GAL levels (p < 0.001). In conclusion, serum GAL levels are significantly higher in the obese group compared with lean subjects during an OGTT.

Metabolic changes have been correlated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. The aim of the present study is to determine the TyG and TG/HDL-c indices in a cohort of healthy pregnant (n = 142), preeclamptic (n = 18), and healthy nonpregnant women (n = 56). Preeclamptic women were selected from the same cohort. Pregnant women were followed during three periods of pregnancy and postpartum. The results showed a significant increase in the values of TyG and TG/HDL-c (p < 0.01) as pregnancy progresses, without significant differences between healthy and preeclamptic women. TyG and TG/HDL-c indices are significantly low in nonpregnant and three months' postpartum women when compared with each gestational period studied. TyG and TG/HDL-c indices are positively correlated with HOMA-IR in the early and middle pregnancy (p < 0.05). Multiple linear regression using the TyG and TG/HDL-c indices as dependent variables showed that TyG index was significantly associated with HOMA-IR, gestational age, HDL-c, TC, LDL, fasting insulin, and mean BP (p < 0.001); meanwhile, TG/HDL-c index was only associated with HOMA-IR (p < 0.0242) and gestational age (p < 0.001). In conclusion, the TyG and TG/HDL-c indices could be useful in monitoring insulin resistance during pregnancy.

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