Experts don't fully understand what triggers gestational diabetes, but Dr. Vern Dolinsky and his team are working to change that.
Dolinsky, a professor of pharmacology and therapeutics at the Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, said that gestational diabetes is the most common complication in pregnancy and affects about one in 10 expectant mothers.
Dolinsky's research focuses on uncovering what goes wrong in the body during gestational diabetes, especially in the cells that produce insulin. Called beta cells, they help control blood sugar levels and rely on mitochondria to function properly.
"Mitochondria are like batteries for the cell. They turn food into energy," said Dolinsky, an executive member of the Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba's Diabetes Research Envisioned and Accomplished in Manitoba (DREAM) program.
Dolinsky and his team discovered that a protein called SIRT3 plays a key role in keeping mitochondria healthy. It acts like a manager, he said, ensuring the energy-making process runs smoothly.
"In women with gestational diabetes, SIRT3 levels are often low. We believe that this storage of SIRT3 in beta cells may be a major reason why blood sugar control breaks down during pregnancy," he said.
Next step in research
Dolinsky has received $450,000 over three years from Diabetes Canada to fund the next phase of his research. He will be studying mice that lack SIRT3 in their beta cells.
His team will be tracking how this affects the mice's blood sugar levels, insulin production and overall energy use during pregnancy. They will also be testing a natural supplement called nicotinamide riboside, a form of vitamin B3, which boosts SIRT3 activity to determine whether it can improve blood sugar control during pregnancy.
"This research could lead to new and safer treatments for gestational diabetes. With rates of the disease rising alongside obesity, understanding what causes it and how to fix it is more important than ever," Dolinsky said.
If we put a focus on maternal and child health, it really benefits society as a whole.
Dr. Vern Dolinsky, professor of pharmacology and therapeutics, Max Rady College of Medicine
For most people, blood sugar goes back to its normal level soon after the baby is born, but the problem is not over. Dolinsky said that a person who has had gestational diabetes has a higher risk of getting type 2 diabetes, and so does their child.
"If we can improve maternal health, it has benefits for child health as well. If we put a focus on maternal and child health, it really benefits society as a whole," he said.
Dolinsky believes his lab is the only one in the world working on SIRT3 and pregnancy.
"It's a little bit niche. Not a lot of people study pregnancy. It's a hard thing to study, so that's probably why a lot of people aren't working in this space," he said.
"That motivates us even more to develop better ways to protect the health of mothers and their babies by targeting the root causes of gestational diabetes."
Learn more about Dr. Vern Dolinsky and his research.
