Maternal obesity alters the apelinergic system at the feto-maternal interface

•Maternal apelinemia is decreased at term and fetal apelinemia is sixfold higher than maternal level.•Ex-vivo, the placenta releases high amount of apelin at E12.5 and E18.5.•Maternal apelinemia is increased at term in insulin-resistant obese female mice.•Placental apelin release and its gene-expression level are altered by maternal obesity.

Apelin and its receptor APJ have been implicated in pathologies including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. Little is known about the function of the apelinergic system during gestation. We evaluated in mice this system at the feto-maternal interface in insulin-resistant obese female (HF) mice. Maternal apelinemia was decreased at term and fetal apelinemia was sixfold higher than maternal level. Ex-vivo, the placenta releases apelin at E12.5 and E18.5. In HF pregnant mice at term, apelinemia as well as placental apelin and APJ mRNA levels were increased whereas placental release of apelin was drastically reduced compared to controls.