Abstract
Purpose :
Protein S (PS) is a natural anticoagulant protein that plays a crucial role in regulating the blood coagulation system. PS exhibits protective effects in diabetes mellitus (DM) by inhibiting pancreatic b-cell apoptosis. However, the precise role of PS in diabetic retinopathy (DR) remains unclear. We have previously reported an association between PS and DR and diabetic macular edema (Sugimoto M, Sci Rep 2021). This study investigated whether changes in PS concentrations are linked to carbohydrate metabolism disorders during pregnancy.
Methods :
Total PS (tPS) and its active form, free PS (fPS), were measured in blood samples using ELISA. The study included 76 patients with DM (DM with pregnancy [DM+P], 16 cases; gestational diabetes mellitus [GDM], 19 cases; DM without pregnancy [DM], 19 cases; normal pregnancy, 10 cases) and 12 healthy volunteers (normal group). tPS and fPS concentrations were compared between the groups. Additionally, correlations between fPS concentrations and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), soluble VEGF-R1, soluble VEGF-R2, and various cytokines were examined across the groups.
Results :
tPS levels did not differ significantly between the groups. fPS concentrations were significantly higher in the GDM group compared to the normal group (2.97±1.41 μg/mL vs 2.32±0.43, P<0.05, Mann-Whitney U test). However, there were no significant differences between the other groups. A weak correlation was observed between fPS and VEGF/VEGFR-2/IL6/IL8/TNF-α in the DM group (p<0.05). No significant correlations were found with any individual molecule in the GDM or DM+P groups.
Conclusions :
These findings suggest that PS does not play a significant role in carbohydrate metabolism disorders during pregnancy.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.