Evaluation of Circulating Acylated-ghrelin, Leptin, Growth Hormone, IGF-1, IGFBP-1, IGFBP-3 and their Correlation Among Healthy Pregnant Subjects

Propose: Maternal diabetes, nausea, changes in appetite, blood pressure alteration, anxiety, complication of fetus growth and many other obstacles that happen during pregnancy are related to the changes of circulating hormones. To illuminate the reasons for some of these problems, present work was designed. Method: Seventy-seven healthy women aged 22-30 years (Pregnant, n=43, gestational age between 14-18 weeks and 34 matched non-pregnant) participated in this study, according to inclusion criteria. Circulating level of fasting acylated ghrelin, leptin, growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1) and its carrier proteins (IGF1BP-1 and IGF1BP-3) were evaluated for all participant, while a-fetoprotein, b-HCG and unconjugated estriol were measured for pregnant subjects, using immunoassay methods. Results: Evaluated data shows neither acylated ghrelin nor GH of pregnant group differ from nongravid subjects, whereas their circulating levels of total IGF-1, IGF1BP-1, IGF1BP-3 and leptin increased (P<0.001). Additionally, there were significant (P<0.01) correlations between leptin and BMI (r= 0.46), IGFBP-3 (r= 0.52) or IGFBP-1 (r= -0.34), among pregnant subjects. Significant correlations (P<0.01) were also detected between their a-fetoprotein and IGFBP-1 (r= 0.30) or between IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-3 (r= -0.39). Conclusion: Unchanged ghrelin may confirm earlier report that showed increase of ghrelin is the cause of maternal diabetes, while increases of IGF-1 IGF1BP-1, IGF1BP-3 and leptin are necessary to meet the demand of fetus growth. In conclusion, in this study for the first time, we showed many unlooked correlations between different parameters that have role in healthy pregnancy and disturbance of their harmony could be the cause of pregnancy complication or fetal growth that desires further investigation.