Gestational DiabetesMellitus Causes Changes in the Concentrations of Adipocyte Fatty Acid–Binding Protein and Other Adipocytokines in Cord Blood

OBJECTIVE—To determine the concentrations of adipocyte fatty acid–binding protein (AFABP) and other adipocytokines in maternal and cord serum of pregnant women with gesta-tional diabetes mellitus (GDM) and of control subjects and to relate them to indexes of insulin sensitivity. RESEARCH DESIGN ANDMETHODS—In 86 control and 98 GDM pregnant women, venous blood was collected before vaginal delivery and arterial blood from cord immediately after delivery. Serum insulin and adipocytokines were measured by enzyme-linked immunosor-bent assay (ELISA). RESULTS—GDM women had higher prepregnancy BMI, and data were adjusted for it. Ma-ternal serum insulin, insulin-to-glucose ratio, homeostasis model assessment (HOMA), AFABP, and retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) were higher and adiponectin was lower in GDM than in control subjects, whereas serum glucose, insulin, insulin-to-glucose ratio, HOMA, nonesterified fatty acids, and RBP4 were higher and glycerol, AFABP, and adiponectin were lower in cord blood serum of GDM than of control subjects. AFABP and adiponectin in cord serum of control subjects were higher than inmaternal serum; in GDMwomen no difference was found for AFAB