TY - JOUR

T1 - The role of leptin in fetal growth during pre-eclampsia

AU - de Knegt, Victoria E.

AU - Hedley, Paula L.

AU - Kanters, Jørgen K.

AU - Thagaard, Ida N.

AU - Krebs, Lone

AU - Christiansen, Michael

AU - Lausten-Thomsen, Ulrik

PY - 2021/5/1

Y1 - 2021/5/1

N2 - Leptin is secreted by the placenta and has a multi-facetted role in the regulation of functions related to pregnancy. Metabolic disorders and insufficient homeostatic compensatory mechanisms involving leptin during pregnancy play a decisive role in the development of pre-eclampsia (PE) and give rise to compromised intrauterine growth conditions and aberrant birth weight of offspring. This review was compiled to elucidate the metabolic background of PE and its relationship with adverse intrauterine growth conditions through the examination of leptin as well as to describe possible mechanisms linking leptin to fetal growth restriction. This review illustrates that leptin in PE is dysregulated in maternal, fetal, and placental compartments. There is no single set of unifying mechanisms within the spectrum of PE, and regulatory mechanisms involving leptin are specific to each situation. We conclude that dysregulated leptin is involved in fetal growth at many levels through complex interactions with parallel pregnancy systems and probably throughout the entirety of pregnancy.

AB - Leptin is secreted by the placenta and has a multi-facetted role in the regulation of functions related to pregnancy. Metabolic disorders and insufficient homeostatic compensatory mechanisms involving leptin during pregnancy play a decisive role in the development of pre-eclampsia (PE) and give rise to compromised intrauterine growth conditions and aberrant birth weight of offspring. This review was compiled to elucidate the metabolic background of PE and its relationship with adverse intrauterine growth conditions through the examination of leptin as well as to describe possible mechanisms linking leptin to fetal growth restriction. This review illustrates that leptin in PE is dysregulated in maternal, fetal, and placental compartments. There is no single set of unifying mechanisms within the spectrum of PE, and regulatory mechanisms involving leptin are specific to each situation. We conclude that dysregulated leptin is involved in fetal growth at many levels through complex interactions with parallel pregnancy systems and probably throughout the entirety of pregnancy.

KW - Anthropometry

KW - Birth weight

KW - Fetal development

KW - Fetal growth restriction

KW - Infant growth

KW - Leptin

KW - Pre-eclampsia

KW - Prenatal growth

U2 - 10.3390/ijms22094569

DO - 10.3390/ijms22094569

M3 - Review

C2 - 33925454

AN - SCOPUS:85104791187

VL - 22

JO - International Journal of Molecular Sciences (CD-ROM)

JF - International Journal of Molecular Sciences (CD-ROM)

SN - 1424-6783

IS - 9

M1 - 4569

ER -