Maternal B12 deficiency during pregnancy dysregulates fatty acid metabolism and induces inflammation in human adipose tissue
Abstract
Background: Adipose tissue (AT) responds to excess calorie intake; however, the deficit in micronutrients accompanied by the modern lifestyle is often overlooked. Micronutrient deficiency in pregnancy, particularly vitamin B12 (B12), is commonly associated with higher adiposity, dyslipidemia, and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Studies have demonstrated that dyslipidemia can trigger pro-inflammatory status. However, the release of the pro-inflammatory factors in a tissue-specific micronutrient deficient environment is unexplored. Therefore, we investigated the role of B12 deficiency on lipid metabolism and inflammatory mediators in both in vitro and ex vivo models including human pre-adipocytes, primary adipocytes, mature human white AT (WAT), and its association with metabolic risk.
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Date
2025-04-23
Type
Article
Subject
Citation
Samavat J, Boachie J, McTernan PG, Christian M, Saravanan P, Adaikalakoteswari A. Maternal B12 deficiency during pregnancy dysregulates fatty acid metabolism and induces inflammation in human adipose tissue. BMC Med. 2025 Apr 23;23(1):232. doi: 10.1186/s12916-025-04056-4. PMID: 40264186; PMCID: PMC12016209.
Journal / Source Title
BMC Med
DOI
PMID
Publisher
BMC Medicine
Publisher’s URL
doi: 10.1186/s12916-025-04056-4