The role of new adipokines in gestational diabetes mellitus pathogenesis

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined as any degree of glucose intolerance with onset or first recognition during pregnancy. Explanation of the GDM pathogenesis is important due to preventing gestational complications. During pregnancy there are significant changes in maternal metabolism. Many of these changes are influenced by different adipokines produced in the placenta and adipose tissue. The exact role of adipokines in the pathogenesis of GDM remains still unknown. Several adipokines have been analysed throughout gestation and their levels have been suggested as biomarkers of maternal-perinatal outcomes. Some of them have been postulated as significant in the pathogenesis of pregnancy complications like GDM. This report aims to review some of the recent topics of adipokine research that may be of particular importance in pathophysiology and diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus. Because of manuscript length limitations, after thorough literature review and in view of the recent evidence, we focus on the one of the most well-known adipokine: adiponectin, and not so well-studied: nesfatin-1, chemerin, ghrelin, and CTRP 1.