Problem: Cytokines, advanced glycation end products (AGEs), and their receptor RAGE have been recently suggested to play a role in human pregnancy. In this study, we sought to determine the alterations of plasma AGEs, soluble RAGE (sRAGE), and proinflammatory cytokines in normal pregnancies and those complicated with type 1 diabetes mellitus.
Method of study: These parameters were measured in samples from healthy non-pregnant (C), diabetic non-pregnant (D), healthy pregnant (HP), and pregnant diabetic (DP) women.
Results: In the first trimester, DP showed lower sRAGE and higher AGEs compared to HP. In the DP group, significant negative correlations were seen between TNF-alpha and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated IotaL-6 in the first trimester and sRAGE in the third trimester. LPS-stimulated IL-12 was positively correlated with levels of AGEs in the third trimester.
Conclusion: We detected several differences in the levels of AGEs, sRAGE, and proinflammatory cytokines between euglycemic and diabetic pregnancies.