# Social and gene interactions to understand the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus

> **NIH NIH R21** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $185,566

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a risk factor for pregnancy complications and long-term morbidities
affecting both women with the condition and their offspring. Asian women are disproportionately impacted by
GDM but tend to have a lower prevalence of obesity, suggesting the possibility of a genetic or lifestyle
predisposition in this group. We have the unique opportunity to use high-quality epidemiological, clinical and
genetic data from a large Japanese cohort of ~22,000 pregnant women that could provide valuable insight
regarding the etiology of GDM, including the interaction of lifestyle and genetic factors that play important roles
in pregnancy-induced adaptation of glucose physiology. Independent of genetics, lifestyle factors (e.g., diet,
physical activity) and social factors (e.g., social support, social capital) have been found to be predictors of
GDM. Estimation of the effects of different levels of social, lifestyle, or behavioral factors in different genotypes
could ultimately inform the personalization of lifestyle interventions to a person’s genetic makeup to prevent
GDM. However, we could find only two studies on the association between genotypes and GDM and none on
interactions between genetics and lifestyle or social determinants on the development of GDM, making this
study highly innovative. To investigate such interactions, we will leverage already collected single nucleotide
polymorphism (SNP) data from the Tohoku Medical Megabank Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study: 1) to
examine how genotypes of mothers and their fetuses modify the effects of lifestyle/behavioral factors (e.g.,
physical activity, sedentary behavior, dietary quality, sleep patterns, screen time) and anthropometry (e.g.,
BMI, waist circumference) on the risk of developing GDM in pregnant women (Aim 1), and 2) to examine how
particular genotypes of mothers and fetuses modify the effects of social factors (e.g., social support/networks,
social capital, socio-economic status) on the risk of developing GDM among pregnant women (Aim 2). We will
first conduct a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using genome-wide SNP data to assess associations
between each individual SNP and the risk of GDM, while accounting for relatedness between mother-infant
dyads (and mothers and other relatives). We will also develop a novel genome-wide polygenic score for GDM,
based on prior studies and maternal and fetal SNPs we identify (by assessing whether the existing score can
be improved by adding or removing SNPs). Finally, while also taking into account relatedness, we will analyze
associations between genotypes, lifestyle/behavioral and social factors, and GDM risk, specifically by
conducting gene-environment interaction analyses to examine how particular genotypes modify the effects of
specific lifestyle/behavioral and social factors on the risk of GDM. We expect to identify genetic and
environmental risk factors that can inform “precision medi...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10218486
- **Project number:** 1R21HD101778-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Takeo Fujiwara
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $185,566
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-08-06 → 2023-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10218486

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10218486, Social and gene interactions to understand the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (1R21HD101778-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10218486. Licensed CC0.

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