The brown-fat-secreted adipokine neuregulin 4 is decreased in gestational diabetes mellitus.

Women with GDM have significantly lower circulating neuregulin 4 levels compared with healthy pregnant controls, and the AUC is negatively and independently associated with neuregulin 4 during pregnancy. Neuregulin 4 is positively correlated with irisin during pregnancy, as well as in a longitudinal fashion. Future studies are now needed to better elucidate the precise pathomechanisms of the regulation of BAT-secreted adipokines during pregnancy.