On the Low Birth Weight Risk for Insulin Resistance

Altered PI3-Kinase/Akt Signalling in Skeletal Muscle of Young Men with Low Birth Weight
Original source: PLoS ONE 3(11): e3738
Authors: Christine B. Jensen, Malgorzata S. Martin-Gronert, Heidi Storgaard, Sten Madsbad, Allan Vaag, Susan E. Ozanne (corresponding author)
Publication date: November 17, 2008
DOI (digital document ID): 10.1371/journal.pone.0003738
Requires subscription? No
Publicly-available abstract: Yes

Synopsis:
Low birth weight (LBW), an indicator of stress or an adverse fetal environment, is associated with increased future risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. The investigators are reporting continuing research on a specific insulin signaling pathway may be altered in skeletal muscle of young adult men with LBW. This would help increase our understanding of the mechanisms of insulin resistance in this particular population.

Muscle biopsies were obtained from 20 healthy 19-yr old men who had been in the lowest 10% birth weight for full-term babies and compared them to 20 physically similar men of normal birth weight. The samples were checked for fasting blood glucose and insulin levels, and after four hours in which insulin-production was medically stimulated.

The researchers looked at several previously-unstudied proteins and pathways related to muscular function and muscular glucose metabolism to see if there was any difference between the two groups of men. They found significant differences in the levels of several proteins after insulin stimulation. Some of these differences seen in the LBW group are similar to those seen in patients with insulin-resistant Type 2 diabetes.

The authors conclude that these differences in skeletal-muscle response to insulin precede, and may contribute to, the development of whole-body insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes in men with LBW.


Reliability:
The tests were done on a small number of subjects and a small number of controls. The small sample could skew the results obtained. Also, these were spot observations. Longitudinal observation of these subjects (over a period of time) might give the researchers better information about whether or not insulin resistance progresses in this manner in these subjects.

Practical Applications:
This is one of a series in basic research of how diabetes may develop in specific populations.

In many areas, low birth weight is associated with maternal malnutrition and/or poor prenatal care -- which are further associated with low-income communities and minority communities. Type 2 diabetes is more common in these groups than in the general population. Proving a definite link and path may bring more interest in providing education, and medical and dietary services, to this high-risk group.

Ethics note:
Written informed consent was provided from all participants and approval was obtained from the regional ethics committee.

This synopsis was based on the entire article.