Genome-wide association meta-analysis identifies five loci associated with postpartum hemorrhage.

Bleeding in early pregnancy and postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) bear substantial risks, with the former closely associated with pregnancy loss and the latter being the foremost cause of maternal death, underscoring the severe impact on maternal-fetal health. We identified five genetic loci linked to PPH in a meta-analysis. Functional annotation analysis indicated candidate genes HAND2, TBX3 and RAP2C/FRMD7 at three loci and showed that at each locus, associated variants were located within binding sites for progesterone receptors. There were strong genetic correlations with birth weight, gestational duration and uterine fibroids. Bleeding in early pregnancy yielded no genome-wide association signals but showed strong genetic correlation with various human traits, suggesting a potentially complex, polygenic etiology. Our results suggest that PPH is related to progesterone signaling dysregulation, whereas early bleeding is a complex trait associated with underlying health and possibly socioeconomic status and may include genetic factors that have not yet been identified.

Clinical and genetic characteristics of congenital hyperinsulinism in Norway: A nationwide cohort study.

PURPOSE: Congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) is a rare, monogenic disease characterized by excessive insulin secretion. We aimed to evaluate all probands with suspected CHI in Norway registered over the past two decades. METHODS: The study included 98 probands. Clinical data were cumulated from medical records. All probands were screened for variants in the genes ABCC8 and KCNJ11. Other CHI-related genes were Sanger-sequenced as indicated by the patients' phenotype (N=75) or analyzed by next-generation sequencing employing a panel of 30 CHI-related genes (N=23). RESULTS: Twenty-one probands (21%) received a diagnosis other than CHI, the most common being idiopathic ketotic hypoglycemia (9%) or syndromic hyperinsulinism (4%). In the final cohort of 77 CHI probands, genetic findings were revealed in 46 (60%). ABCC8 variants were most common (N=40) and five novel variants were identified. One proband harbored both the pathogenic GCK variant p.(Ala456Val) and the ABCC8 variant p.(Gly505Cys). Although most ABCC8 variants caused immediate disease onset with severe hypoglycemia and were diazoxide-unresponsive, eight probands had a heterozygous, apparently dominant variant with milder phenotype. Two probands had pathogenic variants in GLUD1, whereas variants in HADH, HNF4A, KCNJ11, and HK1 were identified in one proband each, the latter being non-coding. Neurologic sequelae were reported in 53% of the CHI probands. Of non-surgically treated probands, 43% had spontaneous resolution. The minimum birth prevalence of CHI in Norway is 1:19,400 live births. MAIN CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with disease-causing ABCC8 variants dominated our cohort. Patients with known genetic etiology had earlier and more severe disease-onset than genetically unsolved patients.

Molecular mechanism of HNF-1A-mediated HNF4A gene regulation and promoter-driven HNF4A-MODY diabetes.

Monogenic diabetes is a gateway to precision medicine through molecular mechanistic insight. Hepatocyte nuclear factor 1A (HNF-1A) and HNF-4A are transcription factors that engage in crossregulatory gene transcription networks to maintain glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in pancreatic ß cells. Variants in the HNF1A and HNF4A genes are associated with maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY). Here, we explored 4 variants in the P2-HNF4A promoter region: 3 in the HNF-1A binding site and 1 close to the site, which were identified in 63 individuals from 21 families of different MODY disease registries across Europe. Our goal was to study the disease causality for these variants and to investigate diabetes mechanisms on the molecular level. We solved a crystal structure of HNF-1A bound to the P2-HNF4A promoter and established a set of techniques to probe HNF-1A binding and transcriptional activity toward different promoter variants. We used isothermal titration calorimetry, biolayer interferometry, x-ray crystallography, and transactivation assays, which revealed changes in HNF-1A binding or transcriptional activities for all 4 P2-HNF4A variants. Our results suggest distinct disease mechanisms of the promoter variants, which can be correlated with clinical phenotype, such as age of diagnosis of diabetes, and be important tools for clinical utility in precision medicine.

Ten Years of Improving Glycemic Control in Pediatric Diabetes Care: Data From the Norwegian Childhood Diabetes Registry.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate, from 2013 to 2022, how HbA1c, the incidence of acute complications, and use of diabetes technology changed at the national level in Norway and how glycemic control was associated with use of diabetes technology, carbohydrate counting, or participation in a quality improvement project. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This longitudinal observational study was based on 27,214 annual registrations of 6,775 children from the Norwegian Childhood Diabetes Registry from 2013 to 2022. Individuals aged >18 years, those with diabetes other than type 1, and those without HbA1c measurements were excluded. The outcome measure was HbA1c. The predictor variables in the adjusted linear mixed-effects model were 1) the use of diabetes technology, 2) the use of carbohydrate counting for meal bolusing, and 3) whether the patient's diabetes team participated in a quality improvement project. RESULTS: Mean HbA1c decreased from 8.2% (2013) to 7.2% (2021), and the proportion of youth reaching an HbA1c <7.0% increased from 13% (2013) to 43% (2022). Insulin pump use increased from 65% (2013) to 91% (2022). Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) use increased from 34% (first recorded in 2016) to 97% (2022). Insulin pump, CGM, and carbohydrate counting were associated with lower HbA1c and higher achievement of glycemic targets. Girls had a higher mean HbA1c than boys. Mean HbA1c levels were lower in clinics that participated in a quality improvement project for the following 4 years after the project. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes technology, carbohydrate counting, and systematic quality improvement in pediatric departments led to improved glycemic control.

In Vitro Functional Analysis Can Aid Precision Diagnostics of HNF1B-MODY.

Precision medicine relies on accurate and consistent classification of sequence variants. A correct diagnosis of hepatocyte nuclear factor (HNF) 1B maturity-onset diabetes of the young, caused by pathogenic variants in the HNF1B gene, is important for optimal disease management and prognosis, and it has implications for genetic counseling and follow-up of at-risk family members. We hypothesized that the functional characterization could provide valuable information to assist the interpretation of pathogenicity of HNF1B variants. Using different in vitro functional assays, variants identified among 313 individuals, suspected to have monogenic diabetes with or without kidney disease, were characterized. The data from the functional assays were subsequently conjugated with obtained clinical, biochemical, and in silico data. Two variants (p.A167P, p.H336Pfs∗22) showed severe loss of function due to impaired transactivation, reduced DNA binding (p.A167P), and mRNA instability (p.A167P). Although both these variant carriers were diagnosed with diabetes, the p.H336Pfs∗22 carrier also had congenital absence of a kidney, which is a characteristic trait for HNF1B maturity-onset diabetes of the young. Functional analysis of the p.A167P variant revealed damaging effects on HNF-1B protein function, which may warrant imaging of the kidneys and/or pancreas. In addition, the current study has generated important data, including evidence supporting the benign functional impact of five variants (p.D82N, p.T88A, p.N394D, p.V458G, and p.T544A), and piloting new approaches that will prove critical for the growth of HNF1B-diabetes diagnosis.

A genome-wide association study provides insights into the genetic etiology of 57 essential and non-essential trace elements in humans.

Trace elements are important for human health but may exert toxic or adverse effects. Mechanisms of uptake, distribution, metabolism, and excretion are partly under genetic control but have not yet been extensively mapped. Here we report a comprehensive multi-element genome-wide association study of 57 essential and non-essential trace elements. We perform genome-wide association meta-analyses of 14 trace elements in up to 6564 Scandinavian whole blood samples, and genome-wide association studies of 43 trace elements in up to 2819 samples measured only in the Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT). We identify 11 novel genetic loci associated with blood concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, manganese, selenium, and zinc in genome-wide association meta-analyses. In HUNT, several genome-wide significant loci are also indicated for other trace elements. Using two-sample Mendelian randomization, we find several indications of weak to moderate effects on health outcomes, the most precise being a weak harmful effect of increased zinc on prostate cancer. However, independent validation is needed. Our current understanding of trace element-associated genetic variants may help establish consequences of trace elements on human health.

Smoking during pregnancy and its effect on placental weight: a Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: The causal relationship between maternal smoking in pregnancy and reduced offspring birth weight is well established and is likely due to impaired placental function. However, observational studies have given conflicting results on the association between smoking and placental weight. We aimed to estimate the causal effect of newly pregnant mothers quitting smoking on their placental weight at the time of delivery. METHODS: We used one-sample Mendelian randomization, drawing data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) (N = 690 to 804) and the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) (N = 4267 to 4606). The sample size depends on the smoking definition used for different analyses. The analysis was performed in pre-pregnancy smokers only, due to the specific role of the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs1051730 (CHRNA5 - CHRNA3 - CHRNB4) in affecting smoking cessation but not initiation. RESULTS: Fixed effect meta-analysis showed a 182 g [95%CI: 29,335] higher placental weight for pre-pregnancy smoking mothers who continued smoking at the beginning of pregnancy, compared with those who stopped smoking. Using the number of cigarettes smoked per day in the first trimester as the exposure, the causal effect on placental weight was 11 g [95%CI: 1,21] per cigarette per day. Similarly, smoking at the end of pregnancy was causally associated with higher placental weight. Using the residuals of birth weight regressed on placental weight as the outcome, we showed evidence of lower offspring birth weight relative to the placental weight, both for continuing smoking at the start of pregnancy as well as continuing smoking throughout pregnancy (change in z-score birth weight adjusted for z-score placental weight: -0.8 [95%CI: -1.6,-0.1]). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that continued smoking during pregnancy causes higher placental weights.

Bioinformatics pipeline for the systematic mining genomic and proteomic variation linked to rare diseases: The example of monogenic diabetes.

Monogenic diabetes is characterized as a group of diseases caused by rare variants in single genes. Like for other rare diseases, multiple genes have been linked to monogenic diabetes with different measures of pathogenicity, but the information on the genes and variants is not unified among different resources, making it challenging to process them informatically. We have developed an automated pipeline for collecting and harmonizing data on genetic variants linked to monogenic diabetes. Furthermore, we have translated variant genetic sequences into protein sequences accounting for all protein isoforms and their variants. This allows researchers to consolidate information on variant genes and proteins linked to monogenic diabetes and facilitates their study using proteomics or structural biology. Our open and flexible implementation using Jupyter notebooks enables tailoring and modifying the pipeline and its application to other rare diseases.

Functional characterization of HNF4A gene variants identify promoter and cell line specific transactivation effects.

Hepatocyte nuclear factor-4 alpha (HNF-4A) regulates genes with roles in glucose metabolism and ß-cell development. Although pathogenic HNF4A variants are commonly associated with maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY1; HNF4A-MODY), rare phenotypes also include hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia, renal Fanconi syndrome and liver disease. While the association of rare functionally damaging HNF1A variants with HNF1A-MODY and type 2 diabetes is well established owing to robust functional assays, the impact of HNF4A variants on HNF-4A transactivation in tissues including the liver and kidney is less known, due to lack of similar assays. Our aim was to investigate the functional effects of seven HNF4A variants, located in the HNF-4A DNA binding domain and associated with different clinical phenotypes, by various functional assays and cell lines (transactivation, DNA binding, protein expression, nuclear localization) and in silico protein structure analyses. Variants R85W, S87N and R89W demonstrated reduced DNA binding to the consensus HNF-4A binding elements in the HNF1A promoter (35, 13 and 9%, respectively) and the G6PC promoter (R85W ~10%). While reduced transactivation on the G6PC promoter in HepG2 cells was shown for S87N (33%), R89W (65%) and R136W (35%), increased transactivation by R85W and R85Q was confirmed using several combinations of target promoters and cell lines. R89W showed reduced nuclear levels. In silico analyses supported variant induced structural impact. Our study indicates that cell line specific functional investigations are important to better understand HNF4A-MODY genotype-phenotype correlations, as our data supports ACMG/AMP interpretations of loss-of-function variants and propose assay-specific HNF4A control variants for future functional investigations.

No association between long-chain n-3 fatty acid intake during pregnancy and risk of type 1 diabetes in offspring in two large Scandinavian pregnancy cohorts.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: The aim of this study was to investigate whether higher dietary intake of marine n-3 fatty acids during pregnancy is associated with a lower risk of type 1 diabetes in children. METHODS: The Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC) and the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) together include 153,843 mother-child pairs with prospectively collected data on eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) intake during pregnancy from validated food frequency questionnaires. Type 1 diabetes diagnosis in children (n=634) was ascertained from national diabetes registries. RESULTS: There was no association between the sum of EPA and DHA intake during pregnancy and risk of type 1 diabetes in offspring (pooled HR per g/day of intake: 1.00, 95% CI 0.88, 1.14), with consistent results for both the MoBa and the DNBC. Robustness analyses gave very similar results. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Initiation of a trial of EPA and DHA during pregnancy to prevent type 1 diabetes in offspring should not be prioritised.

Placental efflux transporters and antiseizure or antidepressant medication use impact birth weight in MoBa cohort.

Low birth weight raises neonatal risks and lifelong health issues and is linked to maternal medication use during pregnancy. We examined data from the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study and the Medical Birth Registry of Norway, including 69,828 offspring with genotype data and 81,189 with maternal genotype data. We identified genetic risk variants in placental efflux transporters, calculated genetic scores based on alleles related to transporter activity, and assessed their interaction with prenatal use of antiseizure or antidepressant medication on offspring birth weight. Our study uncovered possible genetic variants in both offspring (rs3740066) and mothers (rs10248420; rs2235015) in placental efflux transporters (MRP2-ABCC2 and MDR1-ABCB1) that modulated the association between prenatal exposure to antiseizure medication and low birth weight in the offspring. Antidepressant exposure was associated with low birth weight, but there were no gene-drug interactions. The interplay between MRP2-ABCC2 and MDR1-ABCB1 variants and antiseizure medication may impact neonatal birth weight.

Parental genetically predicted liability for coronary heart disease and risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Adverse pregnancy outcomes (APO) may unmask or exacerbate a woman's underlying risk for coronary heart disease (CHD). We estimated associations of maternal and paternal genetically predicted liability for CHD with lifelong risk of APOs. We hypothesized that associations would be found for women, but not their male partners (negative controls). METHODS: We studied up to 83,969‬ women (and up to 55,568‬ male partners) from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study or the Trøndelag Health Study with genotyping data and lifetime history of any APO in their pregnancies (1967-2019) in the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (miscarriage, stillbirth, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, gestational diabetes, small for gestational age, large for gestational age, and spontaneous preterm birth). Maternal and paternal genetic risk scores (GRS) for CHD were generated using 148 gene variants (p-value < 5 × 10-8, not in linkage disequilibrium). Associations between GRS for CHD and each APO were determined using logistic regression, adjusting for genomic principal components, in each cohort separately, and combined using fixed effects meta-analysis. RESULTS: One standard deviation higher GRS for CHD in women was related to increased risk of any hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (odds ratio [OR] 1.08, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05-1.10), pre-eclampsia (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.05-1.11), and small for gestational age (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01-1.06). Imprecise associations with lower odds of large for gestational age (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.96-1.00) and higher odds of stillbirth (OR 1.04, 95% CI 0.98-1.11) were suggested. These findings remained consistent after adjusting for number of total pregnancies and the male partners' GRS and restricting analyses to stable couples. Associations for other APOs were close to the null. There was weak evidence of an association of paternal genetically predicted liability for CHD with spontaneous preterm birth in female partners (OR 1.02, 95% CI 0.99-1.05), but not with other APOs. CONCLUSIONS: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, small for gestational age, and stillbirth may unmask women with a genetically predicted propensity for CHD. The association of paternal genetically predicted CHD risk with spontaneous preterm birth in female partners needs further exploration.

Intrauterine Growth and Offspring Neurodevelopmental Traits: A Mendelian Randomization Analysis of the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa).

Importance: Conventional epidemiological analyses have suggested that lower birth weight is associated with later neurodevelopmental difficulties; however, it is unclear whether this association is causal. Objective: To investigate the relationship between intrauterine growth and offspring neurodevelopmental difficulties. Design, Setting, and Participants: MoBa is a population-based pregnancy cohort that recruited pregnant women from June 1999 to December 2008 included approximately 114 500 children, 95 200 mothers, and 75 200 fathers. Observational associations between birth weight and neurodevelopmental difficulties were assessed with a conventional epidemiological approach. Mendelian randomization analyses were performed to investigate the potential causal association between maternal allele scores for birth weight and offspring neurodevelopmental difficulties conditional on offspring allele scores. Exposures: Birth weight and maternal allele scores for birth weight (derived from genetic variants robustly associated with birth weight) were the exposures in the observational and mendelian randomization analyses, respectively. Main Outcomes and Measures: Clinically relevant maternal ratings of offspring neurodevelopmental difficulties at 6 months, 18 months, 3 years, 5 years, and 8 years of age assessing language and motor difficulties, inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity, social communication difficulties, and repetitive behaviors. Results: The conventional epidemiological sample included up to 46 970 offspring, whereas the mendelian randomization sample included up to 44 134 offspring (median offspring birth year, 2005 [range, 1999-2009]; mean [SD] maternal age at birth, 30.1 [4.5] years; mean [SD] paternal age at birth, 32.5 [5.1] years). The conventional epidemiological analyses found evidence that birth weight was negatively associated with several domains at multiple offspring ages (outcome of autism-related trait scores: Social Communication Questionnaire [SCQ]-full at 3 years, ß = -0.046 [95% CI, -0.057 to -0.034]; SCQ-Restricted and Repetitive Behaviors subscale at 3 years, ß = -0.049 [95% CI, -0.060 to -0.038]; attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD] trait scores: Child Behavior Checklist [CBCL]-ADHD subscale at 18 months, ß = -0.035 [95% CI, -0.045 to -0.024]; CBCL-ADHD at 3 years, ß = -0.032 [95% CI, -0.043 to -0.021]; CBCL-ADHD at 5 years, ß = -0.050 [95% CI, -0.064 to -0.037]; Rating Scale for Disruptive Behavior Disorders [RS-DBD]-ADHD at 8 years, ß = -0.036 [95% CI, -0.049 to -0.023]; RS-DBD-Inattention at 8 years, ß = -0.037 [95% CI, -0.050 to -0.024]; RS-DBD-Hyperactive-Impulsive Behavior at 8 years, ß = -0.027 [95% CI, -0.040 to -0.014]; Conners Parent Rating Scale-Revised [Short Form] at 5 years, ß = -0.041 [95% CI, -0.054 to -0.028]; motor scores: Ages and Stages Questionnaire-Motor Difficulty [ASQ-MOTOR] at 18 months, ß = -0.025 [95% CI, -0.035 to -0.015]; ASQ-MOTOR at 3 years, ß = -0.029 [95% CI, -0.040 to -0.018]; and Child Development Inventory-Gross and Fine Motor Skills at 5 years, ß = -0.028 [95% CI, -0.042 to -0.015]). Mendelian randomization analyses did not find any evidence for an association between maternal allele scores for birth weight and offspring neurodevelopmental difficulties. Conclusions and Relevance: This study found that the maternal intrauterine environment, as proxied by maternal birth weight genetic variants, is unlikely to be a major determinant of offspring neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Impaired glucose tolerance and cardiovascular risk factors in relation to infertility: a Mendelian randomization analysis in the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study.

STUDY QUESTION: Are impaired glucose tolerance (as measured by fasting glucose, glycated hemoglobin, and fasting insulin) and cardiovascular disease risk (as measured by low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure) causally related to infertility? SUMMARY ANSWER: Genetic instruments suggest that higher fasting insulin may increase infertility in women. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Observational evidence suggests a shared etiology between impaired glucose tolerance, cardiovascular risk, and fertility problems. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: This study included two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses, in which we used genome-wide association summary data that were publicly available for the biomarkers of impaired glucose tolerance and cardiovascular disease, and sex-specific genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of infertility conducted in the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: There were 68 882 women (average age 30, involved in 81 682 pregnancies) and 47 474 of their male partners (average age 33, 55 744 pregnancies) who had available genotype data and who provided self-reported information on time-to-pregnancy and use of ARTs. Of couples, 12% were infertile (having tried to conceive for ≥12 months or used ARTs to conceive). We applied the inverse variance weighted method with random effects to pool data across variants and a series of sensitivity analyses to explore genetic instrument validity. (We checked the robustness of genetic instruments and the lack of unbalanced horizontal pleiotropy, and we used methods that are robust to population stratification.) Findings were corrected for multiple comparisons by the Bonferroni method (eight exposures: P-value < 0.00625). MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: In women, increases in genetically determined fasting insulin levels were associated with greater odds of infertility (+1 log(pmol/l): odds ratio 1.60, 95% CI 1.17 to 2.18, P-value = 0.003). The results were robust in the sensitivity analyses exploring the validity of MR assumptions and the role of pleiotropy of other cardiometabolic risk factors. There was also evidence of higher glucose and glycated hemoglobin causing infertility in women, but the findings were imprecise and did not pass our P-value threshold for multiple testing. The results for lipids and blood pressure were close to the null, suggesting that these did not cause infertility. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: We did not know if underlying causes of infertility were in the woman, man, or both. Our analyses only involved couples who had conceived. We did not have data on circulating levels of cardiometabolic risk factors, and we opted to conduct an MR analysis using GWAS summary statistics. No sex-specific genetic instruments on cardiometabolic risk factors were available. Our results may be affected by selection and misclassification bias. Finally, the characteristics of our study sample limit the generalizability of our results to populations of non-European ancestry. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Treatments for lower fasting insulin levels may reduce the risk of infertility in women. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): The MoBa Cohort Study is supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services and the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research. This work was supported by the European Research Council [grant numbers 947684, 101071773, 293574, 101021566], the Research Council of Norway [grant numbers 262700, 320656, 274611], the South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority [grant numbers 2020022, 2021045], and the British Heart Foundation [grant numbers CH/F/20/90003, AA/18/1/34219]. Open Access funding was provided by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. The funders had no role in the study design; the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; the writing of the report; or the decision to submit the article for publication. D.A.L. has received research support from National and International government and charitable bodies, Roche Diagnostics and Medtronic for research unrelated to the current work. O.A.A. has been a consultant to HealthLytix. The rest of the authors declare that no competing interests exist. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: N/A.

Rectal sensitivity correlated with gastrointestinal-mediated glucose disposal, but not the incretin effect.

OBJECTIVE: The mechanisms behind the diminished incretin effect in type 2 diabetes are uncertain, but impaired vagal transmission has been suggested. We aimed to investigate the association between the incretin effect and autonomic neuropathy, and the degree of dysglycaemia and duration of diabetes. DESIGN AND METHODS: For a cross-sectional study, we included participants with either longstanding type 2 diabetes, recent onset, untreated diabetes and controls without diabetes matched for age, sex and body mass index. Autonomic nerve function was assessed with cardiovascular reflex tests, heart rate variability and sudomotor function. Visceral afferent nerves in the gut were tested performing rapid rectal balloon distention. An oral glucose tolerance test and an intravenous isoglycaemic glucose infusion were performed to calculate the incretin effect and gastrointestinal-mediated glucose disposal (GIGD). RESULTS: Sixty-five participants were recruited. Participants with diabetes had rectal hyposensitivity for earliest sensation (3.7 ± 1.1 kPa in longstanding, 4.0 ± 1.3 in early), compared to controls (3.0 ± 0.9 kPa), p = .005. Rectal hyposensitivity for earliest sensation was not associated with the incretin effect (rho = -0.204, p = .106), but an association was found with GIGD (rho -0.341, p = .005). Incretin effect and GIGD were correlated with all glucose values, HbA1c and duration of diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: Rectal hyposensitivity was uncovered in both longstanding and early type 2 diabetes, and was not associated with the incretin effect, but with GIGD, implying a potential link between visceral neuropathy and gastrointestinal handling of glucose. Both the incretin effect and GIGD were associated with the degree of dysglycaemia and the duration of diabetes. PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED: Some of the data have previously been published and presented as a poster on the American Diabetes Association 83rd Scientific Sessions: Meling et al; 1658-P: Rectal Hyposensitivity, a Potential Marker of Enteric Autonomic Nerve Dysfunction, Is Significantly Associated with Gastrointestinally Mediated Glucose Disposal in Persons with Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes 20 June 2023; 72 (Supplement_1): 1658-P. https://doi.org/10.2337/db23-1658-P.

Maternal Fiber Intake During Pregnancy and Development of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms Across Childhood: The Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies suggest that maternal diet quality during pregnancy may influence the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring. Here, we investigated associations between maternal intake of dietary fiber and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in early childhood. METHODS: We used longitudinal data of up to 21,852 mother-father-child trios (49.2% female offspring) from MoBa (the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study). The relationships between maternal fiber intake during pregnancy and offspring ADHD symptoms at ages 3, 5, and 8 years were examined using 1) multivariate regression (overall levels of ADHD symptoms), 2) latent class analysis (subclasses of ADHD symptoms by sex at each age), and 3) latent growth curves (longitudinal change in offspring ADHD symptoms). Covariates were ADHD polygenic scores in child and parents, total energy intake and energy-adjusted sugar intake, parental ages at birth of the child, and sociodemographic factors. RESULTS: Higher maternal prenatal fiber intake was associated with lower offspring ADHD symptom scores at all ages (Bage3 = -0.14 [95% CI, -0.18 to -0.10]; Bage5 = -0.14 [95% CI, -0.19 to -0.09]; Bage8 = -0.14 [95% CI, -0.20 to -0.09]). Of the derived low/middle/high subclasses of ADHD symptoms, fiber was associated with lower risk of belonging to the middle subclass for boys and girls and to the high subclass for girls only (middle: odds ratioboys 0.91 [95% CI, 0.86 to 0.97]/odds ratiogirls 0.86 [95% CI, 0.81 to 0.91]; high: odds ratiogirls 0.82 [95% CI, 0.72 to 0.94]). Maternal fiber intake and rate of change in child ADHD symptoms across ages were not associated. CONCLUSIONS: Low prenatal maternal fiber intake may increase symptom levels of ADHD in offspring during childhood, independently of genetic predisposition to ADHD, unhealthy dietary exposures, and sociodemographic factors.

Congenital hyperinsulinism. / Medfødt hyperinsulinisme.

This clinical review will give doctors who work with children and neonates an introduction to the diagnosis and treatment of congenital hyperinsulinism, the most common cause of persistent neonatal hypoglycaemia. The condition is a rare monogenic disorder characterised by elevated insulin secretion and is a result of mutations in genes that regulate insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells. The anabolic effect of insulin induces systemic glucose uptake and inhibits gluconeogenesis, glycogenolysis, ketogenesis and lipolysis. Low levels of glucose and ketone bodies in the blood are harmful to the central nervous system and can lead to brain damage or death. Early diagnosis and treatment of congenital hyperinsulinism are therefore crucial for a good prognosis.

Structural properties of the HNF-1A transactivation domain.

Hepatocyte nuclear factor 1α (HNF-1A) is a transcription factor with important gene regulatory roles in pancreatic ß-cells. HNF1A gene variants are associated with a monogenic form of diabetes (HNF1A-MODY) or an increased risk for type 2 diabetes. While several pancreatic target genes of HNF-1A have been described, a lack of knowledge regarding the structure-function relationships in HNF-1A prohibits a detailed understanding of HNF-1A-mediated gene transcription, which is important for precision medicine and improved patient care. Therefore, we aimed to characterize the understudied transactivation domain (TAD) of HNF-1A in vitro. We present a bioinformatic approach to dissect the TAD sequence, analyzing protein structure, sequence composition, sequence conservation, and the existence of protein interaction motifs. Moreover, we developed the first protocol for the recombinant expression and purification of the HNF-1A TAD. Small-angle X-ray scattering and synchrotron radiation circular dichroism suggested a disordered conformation for the TAD. Furthermore, we present functional data on HNF-1A undergoing liquid-liquid phase separation, which is in line with in silico predictions and may be of biological relevance for gene transcriptional processes in pancreatic ß-cells.

European and multi-ancestry genome-wide association meta-analysis of atopic dermatitis highlights importance of systemic immune regulation.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory skin condition and prior genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified 71 associated loci. In the current study we conducted the largest AD GWAS to date (discovery N = 1,086,394, replication N = 3,604,027), combining previously reported cohorts with additional available data. We identified 81 loci (29 novel) in the European-only analysis (which all replicated in a separate European analysis) and 10 additional loci in the multi-ancestry analysis (3 novel). Eight variants from the multi-ancestry analysis replicated in at least one of the populations tested (European, Latino or African), while two may be specific to individuals of Japanese ancestry. AD loci showed enrichment for DNAse I hypersensitivity and eQTL associations in blood. At each locus we prioritised candidate genes by integrating multi-omic data. The implicated genes are predominantly in immune pathways of relevance to atopic inflammation and some offer drug repurposing opportunities.