Association between maternal serum high mobility group box 1 levels and pregnancy complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus

• A correlation between HMGB1 and gestational diabetes mellitus has been evaluated.
• HMGB1 is associated to GDM in the third trimester of pregnancy.
• HMGB1 is associated to insulin resistance in the third trimester of pregnancy.

Background and aimsGestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), is characterized by chronic, low-grade subclinical inflammation with altered production of cytokines and mediators. Recently, a new protein acting as a “danger signal”, high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), that migrates quickly during electrophoresis, has been identified. The aim of our study was to analyze serum levels of HMGB1 in pregnant women, with or without GDM, in the third trimester of pregnancy to evaluate correlation with insulin resistance and other risk factors for GDM.Methods and resultsSeventy five pregnant women positive to the 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) were included in the study group and 48 pregnant women who were negative to the screening test, were randomly selected using a computer-generated randomisation table.A significant positive univariate correlation was observed between serum HMGB1 levels, HOMA-IR index, glycaemia values at OGTT and pre-pregnancy BMI. Moreover, logistic regression analysis showed that serum HMGB1 was independent linked to GDM.ConclusionOur study demonstrated that HMGB1, a marker of chronic inflammation, is associated to GDM and insulin resistance level, in the third trimester of pregnancy.