November 26, 2025 – Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) alters the placenta at the molecular level in ways never previously revealed, according to new research led by Prof. Maayan Salton and Dr. Tal Schiller from the Faculty of Medicine at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, together with Ph.D. students Eden Engal and Adi Gershon. 

Published in Diabetes, the study found that GDM, which forms during pregnancy, changes how the placenta processes its genetic messages. Using advanced RNA sequencing data from both European and Chinese pregnancy cohorts, the team discovered hundreds of alterations in how RNA molecules are “spliced,” the step that determines which protein instructions are ultimately produced. These changes were strongly linked to genes involved in metabolism and diabetes-related pathways. 

GDM is increasing worldwide and causes a disrupted metabolic environment for the fetus, including elevated blood glucose levels from the mother. This may result in immediate complications for the newborns, such as being born too large or too small for gestational age, caesarean deliveries, pre-term deliveries, and more. It also has long-lasting effects on the offspring, with higher risks for obesity and diabetes later in life.  

 The research found a key finding centered on SRSF10, a protein that helps control RNA splicing. When researchers reduced the activity of SRSF10 in placental cells, the same molecular disruptions seen in GDM appeared. This suggests that SRSF10 may be a master regulator of placental function, and potentially a new therapeutic target for preventing pregnancy complications. 

“By understanding how gestational diabetes disrupts the placenta at the molecular level, we can begin to imagine new ways to protect the offspring,” said Prof. Salton. “Our findings bring us a step closer to that goal,” added Dr. Schiller. “By pinpointing the specific molecular players involved, like the SRSF10 protein, we can start thinking about how to translate this knowledge into real-world strategies to improve pregnancy outcomes.” 

Gestational diabetes is typically managed through diet, exercise, and insulin, but its underlying biology has remained poorly understood. This research sheds light on how the metabolic changes observed in GDM can alter how genes are processed, opening new avenues for intervention. 

The research paper titled “Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Alters Placental Pre-mRNA Splicing” is now available in Diabetes,  and can be accessed here.

Researchers:

Eden Engal1, Adi Gershon1, Shiri Melamed1, Aveksha Sharma1, Hadas Ner-Gaon2, Shiri Jaffe-Herman1, Yuval Nevo3, Alena Kirzhner4, Oren Barak5, Edi Vaisbuch5, Gillian Kay1, Anne Cathrine Staff6,7, Ralf Dechend8, 9, 10, Florian Herse8, 9, Tal Shay2, Maayan Salton1 and Tal Schiller11, 12

Institutions:

  1. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Institute for Medical Research Israel–Canada, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem
  2. Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
  3. Info-CORE, Bioinformatics Unit of the I-CORE Computation Center, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  4. Department of Internal Medicine A, Kaplan Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  5. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kaplan Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  6. Institute for Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo
  7. Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Oslo University Hospital
  8. Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a cooperation between the Max‐Delbrück‐Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association and the Charité ‐ Universitätsmedizin Berlin
  9. Max‐Delbrück‐Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin
  10. HELIOS Clinic, Department of Cardiology and Nephrology, Berlin
  11. Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kaplan Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  12. Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology, The Edith Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel, Affiliated to the Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University