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Genetics of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Maternal Metabolism

  • Pathogenesis of Type 2 Diabetes and Insulin Resistance (RM Watanabe, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined as abnormal glucose tolerance with onset or first recognition during pregnancy. Women with a history of GDM are at long-term risk for developing type 2 diabetes (T2DM), raising the question to what extent GDM and T2DM share a common genetic architecture. Meta-analysis of candidate gene studies and genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) have identified a number of genes which are reproducibly associated with GDM, including TCF7L2, GCK, KCNJ11, KCNQ1, CDKAL1, IGF2BP2, MTNR1B, and IRS1. These genes are also associated with T2DM. Candidate gene and GWAS have also identified genes associated with maternal metabolic traits, most of which are also associated with metabolic traits in the general population. Two genes, BACE2 and HKDC1, are uniquely associated with maternal metabolic traits. These studies suggest that there are similarities and differences between the genetic architecture of GDM and T2DM and metabolic quantitative traits in pregnant and non-pregnant populations.

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Acknowledgments

This work was funded by NIH DK097534.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Molecular Medicine and Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Rubloff Building 420 E. Superior St., 12th Floor, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA

    William L. Lowe Jr., Victoria Sandler & M. Geoffrey Hayes

  2. Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Suite 1400 680 N Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA

    Denise M. Scholtens

  3. Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Suite 530, 645 N Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA

    Victoria Sandler

  4. Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Tarry Building, Room 15-759, 300 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA

    M. Geoffrey Hayes

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  1. William L. Lowe Jr.
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  4. M. Geoffrey Hayes
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Correspondence to William L. Lowe Jr..

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William L. Lowe, Jr., Denise M. Scholtens, Victoria Sandler, and M. Geoffrey Hayes declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Pathogenesis of Type 2 Diabetes and Insulin Resistance

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Lowe, W.L., Scholtens, D.M., Sandler, V. et al. Genetics of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Maternal Metabolism. Curr Diab Rep 16, 15 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-015-0709-z

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