Infection and
inflammation, through their ability to increase pro-inflammatory
cytokines and
chemokines and adhesion molecules, are thought to play a central role in the pathophysiology of
insulin resistance and
type 2 diabetes. Recent studies have shown that
glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) plays a central role in regulating this
inflammation. There are, however, no studies on the role of GSK3 in pregnancies complicated by
gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Thus, the aims of this study were (i) to determine whether GSK3 is increased in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle from women with GDM; and (ii) to investigate the effect of GSK3 inhibition on
inflammation in the presence of
inflammation induced by bacterial
endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or the pro-inflammatory
cytokine IL-1β. Human omental adipose tissue and skeletal muscle were obtained from normal
glucose tolerant (NGT) women and BMI-matched women with diet-control GDM at the time of
Caesarean section. Western blotting was performed to determine GSK3
protein expression. Tissue explants were performed to determine the effect of the GSK3 inhibitor
CHIR99021 on markers of
inflammation. When compared to women with NGT, omental adipose tissue and skeletal muscle obtained from women with diet-controlled GDM had significantly higher GSK3β activity as evidenced by a decrease in the expression of GSK3β phosphorylated at
serine 9. The GSK3 inhibitor
CHIR99021 significantly reduced the gene expression and secretion of the pro-inflammatory
cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6; the pro-inflammatory
chemokines IL-8 and MCP-1; and the adhesion molecules
ICAM-1 and
VCAM-1 in tissues stimulated with LPS or IL-1β. In conclusion, GSK3 activity is increased in GDM adipose tissue and skeletal muscle and regulates
infection- and
inflammation-induced pro-inflammatory mediators.