Its core mechanism involves the interplay between insulin resistance and pancreatic β-cell dysfunction: Hormones secreted by the placenta during pregnancy (such as human placental lactogen and estrogen) induce insulin resistance in peripheral tissues (skeletal muscle and adipose tissue), while placenta-derived inflammatory cytokines (e.g., TNF-α) disrupt insulin signaling (Szmuilowicz et al., 2019). The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is Insulin resistance.