Gestational diabetes & diabetes in pregnancy
Placental expression of GKN1 and diminished pancreatic beta cell function during pregnancy
Authors' conclusion
Higher placental expression of GKN1 is associated with reduced beta cell function in pregnancy and GDM.
Study context
- Population
- Pregnancies in the prospective Gestation and Growth (Gen3G) cohort; 75 g OGTT at 24–30 weeks' gestation; placental tissue collected at delivery
- Participants
- 433 placental samples
- Outcome
- Association of placental gene transcripts with beta cell function (Pregnancy Insulin Physiology (PIP) index)
Methodological detailsplacental whole-transcriptome analysis, differential gene expression analysis, false discovery rate (FDR)-adjusted
- Placental whole-transcriptome analysis
- Differential gene expression analysis
- FDR-adjusted
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Placental GKN1 expression vs beta cell function (PIP index)
GKN1 top differentially expressed gene
FDR <0.05
Log2 change in GKN1 expression per SD change in beta cell function (higher GKN1, lower beta cell function)
−0.44, FDR=7.7 × 10-6
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | log2 fold change | P value |
|---|---|---|
| GKN1 expression, GDM vs unaffected pregnanciesHigher GKN1 with GDM | 1.13 | FDR=4.2 × 10-3 |
GKN1 expression and other glycaemic traits
- BMI, β
- 0.16, p=0.035
- 1 h post-load glucose, β
- 0.30, p<0.001
- 2 h post-load glucose, β
- 0.32, p<0.001
- 1 h post-load insulin, β
- 0.19, p=0.008
- 2 h post-load insulin, β
- 0.22, p=0.003
- Insulin sensitivity-adjusted Stumvoll first-phase estimate, β
- −0.53, p<0.001
- Weighted linear regression
Original publication
Placental expression of GKN1 and diminished pancreatic beta cell function during pregnancy. Diabetologia. Published 6 December 2025. doi:10.
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