Human placental extract mediated inhibition of proteinase K: implications of heparin and glycoproteins in wound physiology

No evidence for a placental microbiome in human pregnancies at term

BACKGROUND

The placenta plays an important role in the modulation of pregnancy immunity; however, there is no consensus regarding the existence of a placental microbiome in healthy full-term pregnancies.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the existence and origin of a placental microbiome.

STUDY DESIGN

A cross-sectional study comparing samples (3 layers of placental tissue, amniotic fluid, vernix caseosa, and saliva, vaginal, and rectal samples) from 2 groups of full-term births: 50 women not in labor with elective cesarean deliveries and 26 with vaginal deliveries. The comparisons were performed using polymerase chain reaction amplification and DNA sequencing techniques and bacterial culture experiments.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences regarding background characteristics between women who delivered by elective cesarean and those who delivered vaginally. Quantitative measurements of bacterial content in all 3 placental layers (quantitative polymerase chain reaction of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene) did not show any significant difference among any of the sample types and the negative controls. Here, 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing of the maternal side of the placenta could not differentiate between bacteria in the placental tissue and contamination of the laboratory reagents with bacterial DNA. Probe-specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction for bacterial taxa suspected to be present in the placenta could not detect any statistically significant difference between the 2 groups. In bacterial cultures, substantially more bacteria were observed in the placenta layers from vaginal deliveries than those from cesarean deliveries. In addition, 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing of bacterial colonies revealed that most of the bacteria that grew on the plates were genera typically found in human skin; moreover, it revealed that placentas delivered vaginally contained a high prevalence of common vaginal bacteria. Bacterial growth inhibition experiments indicated that placental tissue may facilitate the inhibition of bacterial growth.

CONCLUSION

We found no evidence to support the existence of a placental microbiome in our study of 76 term pregnancies, which used polymerase chain reaction amplification and sequencing techniques and bacterial culture experiments. Incidental findings of bacterial species could be due to contamination or to low-grade bacterial presence in some locations; such bacteria do not represent a placental microbiome per se.

Effect of human placental extract in the management of biofilm mediated drug resistance - A focus on wound management

Management of infectious wounds, particularly chronic wounds and burn injuries, is a matter of global concern. Worldwide estimates reveal that, billions of dollars are being spent annually for the management of such chronic ailments. Evidently, bacterial biofilms pose a greater problem in the effective management of infection in chronic wounds, since most of the currently available antibiotics are unable to act on the microorganisms residing inside the protected environment of the biofilms. Accordingly, in the present study, we have attempted to evaluate the anti-biofilm properties of human placental extract (PLX) and also other virulence factors that are mediated via the quorum sensing (QS) signalling system. PLX is well known for its anti inflammatory action and it has been shown earlier some anti microbial and enzymatic activity also. PLX was found to produce significant inhibition of biofilm formation and also decreased the levels of pyoverdin and pyocyanin. The microscopic analysis (both light microscopy and atomic force microscopy) of biofilms was also used for substantiating the findings from spectrophotometric (crystal violet estimation) and fluorescence analysis (resazurin uptake). PLX pre-treatment decreased the hydrophobicity of gram-positive and gram negative cells, indicating the effect of placental extract on adherence property of planktonic cell, serving as an indicator for its antibiofilm effect on microorganisms. The reduced extracellular DNA (eDNA) content in biofilm matrix following treatment with PLX also indicates the effectiveness of placenta extract on bacterial adherence, which in turn serves as evidence substantiating the antibiofilm effects of the PLX. Furthermore, PLX was also found to be significantly effective in the in vitro wound biofilm model. Thus the present study, the first of its kind with PLX, establishes the therapeutic benefit of the same particularly in infected wounds, opening up newer avenue for further exploration.

Biochemical and functional analysis of corticotropin releasing factor purified from an aqueous extract of human placenta used as wound healer

Human placental extract constitutes of innumerable therapeutically important components mostly used in wound healing arising from the skin and burn injuries. However, there is still some bioactive present in the placental extracts yet to be characterized to better under the complex process of wound healing mediated by the placental extract. In this study, the presence of corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) in an aqueous extract of human placenta was detected and quantified by dot blot and CRF-ELISA immunoassay kit respectively. Subsequently, it was purified by immuno-affinity chromatography and quantified as 0.45±0.05μg of CRF per ml of placental extract where its molecular weight found to be 4.78kDa by MALDI-TOF. To study functional analysis of CRF, an in vitro WI-38 lung fibroblast cell scratch wound model was used which indicated proliferation, motility of cells after treatment with purified CRF. Moreover, reduction in apoptosis rate of cells during closure of wound was observed from microscopy studies and FACS analysis. Also, Antalarmin, an antagonist of CRF type 1 receptor inhibited the wound closure potency of the purified component. Faster healing of wound with an elevation of IL-6 and TGF-β during early stages of repair by placental CRF was observed on excision rat model. The process of healing was accompanied by the decrease in the level of TNF-α and IFN-γ.

Hominis Placenta facilitates hair re-growth by upregulating cellular proliferation and expression of fibroblast growth factor-7

Background

Hominis Placenta (HP) known as a restorative medicine in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), has been widely applied in the clinics of Korea and China as an anti-aging agent to enhance the regeneration of tissue. This study was conducted to investigate whether topical treatment of HP promotes hair regrowth in the animal model.

Methods

The dorsal hairs of 8-week-old C57BL/6 mice were depilated to synchronize hair follicles to the anagen phase. HP was applied topically once a day for 15 days. Hair growth was evaluated visually and microscopically. The incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), fibroblast growth factor-7 (FGF-7) in dorsal skin tissue was examined by immunohistochemical analysis. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to measure the mRNA expression of FGF-7.

Results

HP exhibited potent hair growth-promoting activity in C57BL/6 mice. Gross examination indicated that HP markedly increased hair regrowth as well as hair density and diameter. Histologic analysis showed that HP treatment enhanced the anagen induction of hair follicles.

Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that BrdU incorporation and the expressions of PCNA were increased by treatment of HP. HP treatment significantly increased the expression of FGF-7, which plays pivotal roles to maintain anagen phase both protein and mRNA levels.

Conclusions

Taken together, our results indicate that HP has a potent hair growth-promoting activity; therefore, it may be a good candidate for the treatment of alopecia.

Immunoglobulin isotype isolated from human placental extract does not interfere in complement-mediated bacterial opsonization within the wound milieu

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Human placental extract has many applications as a wound healer.

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Immunoglobulin G is a key glycoprotein present in human placental extract.

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Placental IgG (25.2 ± 3.97 μg/ml) did not exert anti-complementary effects.

The wound healing potency of an aqueous extract of placenta can be evaluated through the presence of numerous regulatory components. The presence of glycans was detected by thin layer chromatography and fluorophore-assisted carbohydrate electrophoresis. Mass spectrometric analysis revealed the existence of multiple fragments of immunoglobulin G (IgG). IgG was present in the extract at a concentration of 25.2 ± 3.97 μg/ml. IgG possesses anti-complementary activity by diverting the complement activation from target surface. Thus, effect of placental IgG on complement–bacteria interaction was investigated through classical and alternative pathway and the preparation was ascertained to be safe with respect to their interference in the process of bacterial opsonization.