Biopolymers and cell. 2011; 27 (2): 85 - 92

Role of vitamin D in modulating gestational diabetes

Chander P. Arora ^1,2,3

¹Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center; Burns-Allen Research Institute and the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine Los Angeles, USA
²David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles, USA
³International Research and Innovation Management; Burns-Allen Research Institute; Department of Academic Affairs, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Los Angeles, USA

Low maternal levels of major circulating form of vitamin D could be a perplexing factor that leads to expression of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Insufficient or deficient levels of vitamin D may allow diabetic insult during pregnancy leading to gestational diabetes and inducing changes in a variety of key functional molecules and gene expression. Autocrine metabolism of vitamin D promotes anti-inflammatory response to maternal decidua and fetal trophoblasts. Immunomodulatory actions of vitamin D are likely to be compromised under conditions of low vitamin D levels with potential detrimental physiological consequences. Recent data are now available to implicate autocrine/paracrine impact of maternal vitamin D status can result in both increased insulin resistance and reduced insulin secretion, linking inflammation to metabolic disorder in the mother. Insulin and cytokines are the main contributors to the cascade of events and potential regulators of placental function in GDM. This article aims at exploring the possible mechanisms underlying GDM that could be regulated by pleotropic effects of vitamin D

Keywords: vitamin D, gestational diabetes, placenta, insulin, immune response