Background: Offspring exposed in foetal life to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are at increased risk for future metabolic diseases. Objective: To explore the prognostic role of abdominal aorta intima-media thickness (aIMT) in neonates exposed to GDM as a possible biomarker for later atherogenesis and its possible correlation with thioredoxin- interacting protein (TXNIP), a protein involved in oxidative stress. Methods: In this prospective, observational study, mother-infant pairs were studied in 2 groups (57 patients with GDM and 51 controls without GDM). TXNIP levels were measured in the placenta, as well as in the umbilical and neonatal blood. The data were correlated with aIMT in neonates. Results: aIMT was increased in GDM offspring (patients: median [range]=0.39 mm [0.31-0.46] vs controls: median=0.28 mm [0.23-0.33]; p=0.001) and remained significant after adjusting for possible confounders (e.g., triglycerides, blood pressure, vitamin D, birth weight and gender; β coefficient=0.131 p=0.049). TXNIP levels were increased in trophoblasts (p=0.001) and syncytiotrophoblasts (p=0.001) and were decreased in endothelial cells (p=0.022) in GDM offspring vs controls. Moreover, TXNIP levels in trophoblasts positively correlated with aIMT (r=0.369; p=0.001). TXNIP levels in umbilical/ neonatal blood were not associated with GDM. Conclusion: Increased aIMT was demonstrated in the offspring of mothers with GDM. Non-invasive measurement of aIMT could be used as a biomarker to identify children at increased risk for atherogenesis later in life. This information may encourage early preventive measures. TXNIP may be associated with GDM and/or aIMT.

中文翻译：

---

妊娠期糖尿病母亲的新生儿主动脉内膜中层厚度增加：硫氧还蛋白相互作用蛋白作为氧化应激标志物的作用

背景：在胎儿期暴露于妊娠糖尿病（GDM）的后代未来患代谢疾病的风险会增加。目的：探讨腹主动脉内膜中层厚度（aIMT）在暴露于 GDM 的新生儿中的预后作用，作为后期动脉粥样硬化形成的可能生物标志物，及其与硫氧还蛋白相互作用蛋白（TXNIP）（一种参与氧化应激的蛋白质）的可能相关性。方法：在这项前瞻性观察性研究中，母婴对分为两组（57 名 GDM 患者和 51 名无 GDM 对照）进行研究。测量胎盘、脐血和新生儿血液中的 TXNIP 水平。这些数据与新生儿的 aIMT 相关。结果：GDM 后代的 aIMT 增加（患者：中位数[范围]=0.39 mm [0.31-0.46] 与对照相比：中位数=0.28 mm [0.23-0.33]；p=0.001），并且在调整可能的混杂因素后仍然显着（例如、甘油三酯、血压、维生素 D、出生体重和性别；β 系数=0.131 p=0.049）。与对照组相比，GDM 后代的滋养层细胞 (p=0.001) 和合体滋养层细胞 (p=0.001) 中的 TXNIP 水平升高，而内皮细胞中的 TXNIP 水平降低 (p=0.022)。此外，滋养层中的TXNIP水平与aIMT呈正相关（r=0.369；p=0.001）。脐带/新生儿血液中的 TXNIP 水平与 GDM 无关。结论：GDM 母亲的后代 aIMT 增加。aIMT 的无创测量可用作生物标志物，以识别儿童在以后的生活中动脉粥样硬化形成风险增加的情况。该信息可能会鼓励采取早期预防措施。TXNIP可以与GDM和/或aIMT相关联。