Introduction: An increasing body of evidence has linked diabetes to inflammation. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase delta (PI3-K delta), a member of the PI3K class IA family, has been implicated in the regulation of inflammation since it is predominantly expressed in leukocytes. To date, no information has been available on the relationship of leukocyte PI3-K delta with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate changes in leukocyte PIK3CD mRNA expression in GDM women and, in turn, to correlate them with anthropometric and metabolic parameters of patients. Additionally, an association between leukocyte mRNA expression of PIK3CD and Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) was determined.

Material and methods: Blood samples from women with normal glucose tolerance (NGT; n = 43) and GDM (n = 132) at 24–33 weeks of gestation were collected. After isolating leukocytes from the blood, quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed to determine PIK3CD gene expression in these cells. Univariate regression analyses were used to assess an association of leukocyte PIK3CD mRNA level with clinical characteristics of patients as well as with leukocyte SIRT1 mRNA expression.

Results: Leukocyte PIK3CD mRNA was increased by 1.98-fold in the GDM v. NGT subjects and inversely correlated with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and total cholesterol (TC) in diabetic pregnancy. There were also significant positive correlations of leukocyte PIK3CD mRNA with plasma glucose concentration at 2h of 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and SIRT1 mRNA in the whole study population (both P < 0.05).

Conclusions: GDM is accompanied by leukocyte PIK3CD overexpression associated with reduced plasma LDL-C and TC levels, as well as with hyperglycaemia and elevated leukocyte SIRT1 mRNA. (Endokrynol Pol 2014; 65 (1): 17–24)