Low adiponectin in pregnancy and gestational diabetes
Official title: Hypoadiponectinemia and Gestational Diabetes
Funded at University of California, San Diego · NIH-11325712 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at how low levels of the fat‑cell hormone adiponectin in early pregnancy may lead to gestational diabetes in pregnant people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 2017 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $486,228 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK113007-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11325712 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be pregnant people in the first or second trimester, especially those with obesity or other risk factors for gestational diabetes.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not pregnant or whose diabetes has a clearly different cause may not benefit directly from this research.
What this research studies
This project studies how low adiponectin in early pregnancy may cause gestational diabetes by changing how the placenta signals the mother's pancreas. Researchers compare blood and placenta‑derived small extracellular vesicles (psEVs) and hormone levels from pregnancies with and without low adiponectin, and perform lab experiments on those vesicles. The team also uses mouse models and isolated pancreatic islets to see how these signals affect insulin production. By combining human samples and laboratory studies, they aim to trace a clear pathway from adiponectin changes to reduced insulin secretion.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to early tests or treatments to prevent or reduce gestational diabetes and its harms to mother and baby.
How similar studies have gone: Previous human studies link low adiponectin to higher GDM risk and mouse work shows adiponectin affects maternal metabolism, but the proposed role of placental extracellular vesicles is a newer, less‑tested idea.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shao, Jianhua — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Shao, Jianhua
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.