Adipose Tissue Insulin Resistance in South Asian and Nordic Women after Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

• Published in: Metabolites Vol. 14; no. 5; p. 288
• Main Authors: Kvist, Ahalya Anita Suntharalingam, Sharma, Archana, Sommer, Christine, Qvigstad, Elisabeth, Gulseth, Hanne Løvdal, Sollid, Stina Therese, Nermoen, Ingrid, Sattar, Naveed, Gill, Jason, Tannæs, Tone Møller, Birkeland, Kåre Inge, Lee-Ødegård, Sindre
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 01-05-2024
• Subjects: Adipocytes; Adiponectin; Adipose tissue; Adipose tissues; Asian people; Blood levels; Body fat; Body mass index; Care and treatment; Causes of; Complications and side effects; Diabetes in pregnancy; Diabetes mellitus (non-insulin dependent); Diagnosis; Fatty liver; Gestational diabetes; Glucose; Glucose metabolism; Glucose tolerance; Health aspects; Immunoassay; Inflammation; insulin clearance; Insulin resistance; Liver; Liver diseases; Metabolism; non-esterified fatty acids; Plasma; pre-hepatic insulin; Pregnancy; South Asian; type 2 diabetes; Womens health; Norway; type 2 diabetes; inflammation; insulin clearance; gestational diabetes; liver fat; adipose tissue; fetuin-A; South Asian; pre-hepatic insulin; non-esterified fatty acids; insulin resistance
• ISSN: 2218-1989; 2218-1989
• DOI: 10.3390/metabo14050288

South Asians (SAs) have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) than white Europeans, especially following gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Despite similar blood glucose levels post-GDM, SAs exhibit more insulin resistance (IR) than Nordics, though the underlying mechanisms are unclear. This study aimed to assess markers of adipose tissue (AT) IR and liver fat in SA and Nordic women post-GDM. A total of 179 SA and 108 Nordic women in Norway underwent oral glucose tolerance tests 1-3 years post-GDM. We measured metabolic markers and calculated the AT IR index and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease liver fat (NAFLD-LFS) scores. Results showed that normoglycaemic SAs had less non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) suppression during the test, resembling prediabetes/T2D responses, and higher levels of plasma fetuin-A, CRP, and IL-6 but lower adiponectin, indicating AT inflammation. Furthermore, normoglycaemic SAs had higher NAFLD-LFS scores, lower insulin clearance, and higher peripheral insulin than Nordics, indicating increased AT IR, inflammation, and liver fat in SAs. Higher liver fat markers significantly contributed to the ethnic disparities in glucose metabolism, suggesting a key area for intervention to reduce T2D risk post-GDM in SAs.