Association between Maternal Serum Concentrations of Angiopoietin-like Protein 2 in Early Pregnancy and Subsequent Risk of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Background: A recent study reported a positive association between elevated serum levels of angiopoietin-like protein 2 (ANGPTL2) and the development of type 2 diabetes in a general population. However, the relationship of serum ANGPTL2 levels with the risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has not been reported to date. The aim of this study was to investigate the change of maternal serum ANGPTL2 concentrations in the first trimester of pregnancy and to determine whether ANGPTL2 is a biomarker for subsequent GDM development. Methods: We conducted a prospective, nested case-control study in a pregnancy cohort. First-trimester ANGPTL2 levels were measured using a high-resolution assay in 89 women who subsequently developed GDM and in a random sample of 177 women who remained euglycemic throughout the pregnancy. Median ANGPTL2 levels were compared using Mann-Whitney U-test. Logistic regression was used to compute unadjusted and multivariable-adjusted odds ratios for developing GDM among ANGPTL2 quartiles. Results: The serum levels of ANGPTL2 was higher in women with GDM than that in women without GDM (3.06 [2.59, 3.65] ng/ml vs. 2.46 [2.05, 2.96] ng/ml, P = 0.003). Fasting blood glucose was higher in women with GDM than that in women without GDM (5.0 +/- 0.9 mmol/L vs. 4.4 +/- 0.6 mmol/L, P < 0.001). Glucose challenge test showed that the blood glucose was higher in women with GDM than that in women without GDM (9.1 +/- 3.5 mmol/L vs. 6.2 +/- 1.2 mmol/L, P < 0.001). A multivariate model adjusted for baseline characteristics, medical complications, and gestational characteristics revealed that the risk of developing GDM among women in Q4 compared with Q1 was 2.90-fold more likely to develop GDM later in pregnancy. Conclusions: At 11-13 weeks in pregnancies that develop GDM, the serum concentration of ANGPTL2 is increased, and it can be combined with maternal factors to provide effective early screening for GDM.