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Lapehn S, Nair S, Firsick EJ, MacDonald J, Thoreson C, Litch JA, Bush NR, Kadam L, Girard S, Myatt L, Prasad B, Sathyanarayana S, Paquette AG. Transcriptomic comparison of in vitro models of the human placenta. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.14.598695. [PMID: 38915703 PMCID: PMC11195179 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.14.598695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Studying the human placenta through in vitro cell culture methods is necessary due to limited access and amenability of human placental tissue to certain experimental methods as well as distinct anatomical and physiological differences between animal and human placentas. Selecting an in vitro culture model of the human placenta is challenging due to representation of different trophoblast cell types with distinct biological roles and limited comparative studies that define key characteristics of these models. Therefore, the aim of this research was to create a comprehensive transcriptomic comparison of common in vitro models of the human placenta compared to bulk placental tissue from the CANDLE and GAPPS cohorts (N=1083). We performed differential gene expression analysis on publicly available RNA sequencing data from 6 common in vitro models of the human placenta (HTR-8/SVneo, BeWo, JEG-3, JAR, Primary Trophoblasts, and Villous Explants) and compared to CANDLE and GAPPS bulk placental tissue or cytotrophoblast, syncytiotrophoblast, and extravillous trophoblast cell types derived from bulk placental tissue. All in vitro placental models had a substantial number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs, FDR<0.01) compared to the CANDLE and GAPPS placentas (Average DEGs=10,873), and the individual trophoblast cell types (Average DEGs=5,346), indicating that there are vast differences in gene expression compared to bulk and cell-type specific human placental tissue. Hierarchical clustering identified 53 gene clusters with distinct expression profiles across placental models, with 22 clusters enriched for specific KEGG pathways, 7 clusters enriched for high-expression placental genes, and 7 clusters enriched for absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion genes. In vitro placental models were classified by fetal sex based on expression of Y-chromosome genes that identified HTR-8/SVneo cells as being of female origin, while JEG-3, JAR, and BeWo cells are of male origin. Overall, none of the models were a close approximation of the transcriptome of bulk human placental tissue, highlighting the challenges with model selection. To enable researchers to select appropriate models, we have compiled data on differential gene expression, clustering, and fetal sex into an accessible web application: "Comparative Transcriptomic Placental Model Atlas (CTPMA)" which can be utilized by researchers to make informed decisions about their selection of in vitro placental models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Lapehn
- Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle Children!s Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98101 United States
| | - Sidharth Nair
- Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle Children!s Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98101 United States
| | - Evan J. Firsick
- Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle Children!s Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98101 United States
| | - James MacDonald
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, WA 98195 United States
| | - Ciara Thoreson
- Global Alliance to Prevent Prematurity and Stillbirth, Lynwood, WA 98036 United States
| | - James A Litch
- Global Alliance to Prevent Prematurity and Stillbirth, Lynwood, WA 98036 United States
| | - Nicole R. Bush
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143 United States
| | - Leena Kadam
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239 United States
| | - Sylvie Girard
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905 United States
| | - Leslie Myatt
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239 United States
| | - Bhagwat Prasad
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Washington State University, Spokane, WA 99202 United States
| | - Sheela Sathyanarayana
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195 United States
- Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development, Seattle Children!s Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98101 United States
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, WA 98101 United States
| | - Alison G. Paquette
- Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle Children!s Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98101 United States
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, WA 98195 United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195 United States
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Elkin ER, Campbell KA, Lapehn S, Harris SM, Padmanabhan V, Bakulski KM, Paquette AG. Placental single cell transcriptomics: Opportunities for endocrine disrupting chemical toxicology. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2023; 578:112066. [PMID: 37690473 PMCID: PMC10591899 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2023.112066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
The placenta performs essential biologic functions for fetal development throughout pregnancy. Placental dysfunction is at the root of multiple adverse birth outcomes such as intrauterine growth restriction, preeclampsia, and preterm birth. Exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals during pregnancy can cause placental dysfunction, and many prior human studies have examined molecular changes in bulk placental tissues. Placenta-specific cell types, including cytotrophoblasts, syncytiotrophoblasts, extravillous trophoblasts, and placental resident macrophage Hofbauer cells play unique roles in placental development, structure, and function. Toxicant-induced changes in relative abundance and/or impairment of these cell types likely contribute to placental pathogenesis. Although gene expression insights gained from bulk placental tissue RNA-sequencing data are useful, their interpretation is limited because bulk analysis can mask the effects of a chemical on individual populations of placental cells. Cutting-edge single cell RNA-sequencing technologies are enabling the investigation of placental cell-type specific responses to endocrine disrupting chemicals. Moreover, in situ bioinformatic cell deconvolution enables the estimation of cell type proportions in bulk placental tissue gene expression data. These emerging technologies have tremendous potential to provide novel mechanistic insights in a complex heterogeneous tissue with implications for toxicant contributions to adverse pregnancy outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elana R Elkin
- School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
| | - Kyle A Campbell
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Samantha Lapehn
- Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sean M Harris
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Vasantha Padmanabhan
- Department of Pediatrics, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Kelly M Bakulski
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Alison G Paquette
- Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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Capinha L, Jennings P, Commandeur JNM. Exposure to Cis- and Trans-regioisomers of S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine and S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-glutathione result in quantitatively and qualitatively different cellular effects in RPTEC/TERT1 cells. Toxicol Lett 2023:S0378-4274(23)00205-9. [PMID: 37353095 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2023.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
Bioactivation of trichloroethylene (TCE) via glutathione conjugation is associated with several adverse effects in the kidney and other extrahepatic tissues. Of the three regioisomeric conjugates formed, S-(1,2-trans-dichlorovinyl)-glutathione (1,2-trans-DCVG), S-(1,2-cis-dichlorovinyl)-glutathione and S-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-glutathione, only 1,2-trans-DCVG and its corresponding cysteine-conjugate, 1,2-trans-DCVC, have been subject to extensive mechanistic studies. In the present study, the metabolism and cellular effects of 1,2-cis-DCVG, the major regioisomer formed by rat liver fractions, and 1,2-cis-DCVC were investigated for the first time using RPTEC/TERT1-cells as in vitro renal model. In contrast to 1,2-trans-DCVG/C, the cis-regioisomers showed minimal effects on cell viability and mitochondrial respiration. Transcriptomics analysis showed that both 1,2-cis-DCVC and 1,2-trans-DCVC caused Nrf2-mediated antioxidant responses, with 3µM as lowest effective concentration. An ATF4-mediated integrated stress response and p53-mediated responses were observed starting from 30µM for 1,2-trans-DCVC and 125µM for 1,2-cis-DCVC. Comparison of the metabolism of the DCVG regioisomers by LC/MS showed comparable rates of processing to their corresponding DCVC. No detectable N-acetylation was observed in RPTEC/TERT1 cells. Instead, N-glutamylation of DCVC to form N-γ-glutamyl-S-(dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine was identified as a novel route of metabolism. The results suggest that 1,2-cis-DCVC may be of less toxicological concern for humans than 1,2-trans-DCVC, considering its lower intrinsic toxicity and lower rate of formation by human liver fractions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana Capinha
- Division of Molecular and Computational Toxicology, Amsterdam Institute for Molecules, Medicines and Systems (AIMMS), Faculty of Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Paul Jennings
- Division of Molecular and Computational Toxicology, Amsterdam Institute for Molecules, Medicines and Systems (AIMMS), Faculty of Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Jan N M Commandeur
- Division of Molecular and Computational Toxicology, Amsterdam Institute for Molecules, Medicines and Systems (AIMMS), Faculty of Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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Elkin ER, Su AL, Dou JF, Colacino JA, Bridges D, Padmanabhan V, Harris SM, Boldenow E, Loch-Caruso R, Bakulski KM. Sexually concordant and dimorphic transcriptional responses to maternal trichloroethylene and/or N-acetyl cysteine exposure in Wistar rat placental tissue. Toxicology 2023; 483:153371. [PMID: 36396003 PMCID: PMC10078828 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2022.153371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Numerous Superfund sites are contaminated with the volatile organic chemical trichloroethylene (TCE). In women, exposure to TCE in pregnancy is associated with reduced birth weight. Our previous study reported that TCE exposure in pregnant rats decreased fetal weight and elevated oxidative stress biomarkers in placentae, suggesting placental injury as a potential mechanism of TCE-induced adverse birth outcomes. In this study, we investigated if co-exposure with the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) attenuates TCE exposure effects on RNA expression. Timed-pregnant Wistar rats were exposed orally to 480 mg TCE/kg/day on gestation days 6-16. Exposure of 200 mg NAC/kg/day alone or as a pre/co-exposure with TCE occurred on gestation days 5-16 to stimulate antioxidant genes prior to TCE exposure. Tissue was collected on gestation day 16. In male and female placentae, we evaluated TCE- and/or NAC-induced changes to gene expression and pathway enrichment analyses using false discovery rate (FDR) and fold-change criteria. In female placentae, exposure to TCE caused significant differential expression 129 genes while the TCE+NAC altered 125 genes, compared with controls (FDR< 0.05 + fold-change >1). In contrast, in male placentae TCE exposure differentially expressed 9 genes and TCE+NAC differentially expressed 35 genes, compared with controls (FDR< 0.05 + fold-change >1). NAC alone did not significantly alter gene expression in either sex. Differentially expressed genes observed with TCE exposure were enriched in mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative phosphorylation pathways in females whereas immune system pathways and endoplasmic reticulum stress pathways were differentially expressed in both sexes (FDR<0.05). TCE treatment was differentially enriched for genes regulated by the transcription factors ATF6 (both sexes) and ATF4 (males only), indicating a cellular condition triggered by misfolded proteins during endoplasmic reticulum stress. This study demonstrates novel genes and pathways involved in TCE-induced placental injury and showed antioxidant co-treatment largely did not attenuate TCE exposure effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elana R Elkin
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Anthony L Su
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - John F Dou
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Justin A Colacino
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Dave Bridges
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Vasantha Padmanabhan
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Sean M Harris
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Erica Boldenow
- Department of Biology, Calvin University, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Rita Loch-Caruso
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Kelly M Bakulski
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Transcriptomic-based evaluation of trichloroethylene glutathione and cysteine conjugates demonstrate phenotype-dependent stress responses in a panel of human in vitro models. Arch Toxicol 2023; 97:523-545. [PMID: 36576512 PMCID: PMC9859926 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-022-03436-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Environmental or occupational exposure of humans to trichloroethylene (TCE) has been associated with different extrahepatic toxic effects, including nephrotoxicity and neurotoxicity. Bioactivation of TCE via the glutathione (GSH) conjugation pathway has been proposed as underlying mechanism, although only few mechanistic studies have used cell models of human origin. In this study, six human derived cell models were evaluated as in vitro models representing potential target tissues of TCE-conjugates: RPTEC/TERT1 (kidney), HepaRG (liver), HUVEC/TERT2 (vascular endothelial), LUHMES (neuronal, dopaminergic), human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) derived peripheral neurons (UKN5) and hiPSC-derived differentiated brain cortical cultures containing all subtypes of neurons and astrocytes (BCC42). A high throughput transcriptomic screening, utilizing mRNA templated oligo-sequencing (TempO-Seq), was used to study transcriptomic effects after exposure to TCE-conjugates. Cells were exposed to a wide range of concentrations of S-(1,2-trans-dichlorovinyl)glutathione (1,2-DCVG), S-(1,2-trans-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine (1,2-DCVC), S-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)glutathione (2,2-DCVG), and S-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine (2,2-DCVC). 1,2-DCVC caused stress responses belonging to the Nrf2 pathway and Unfolded protein response in all the tested models but to different extents. The renal model was the most sensitive model to both 1,2-DCVC and 1,2-DCVG, with an early Nrf2-response at 3 µM and hundreds of differentially expressed genes at higher concentrations. Exposure to 2,2-DCVG and 2,2-DCVC also resulted in the upregulation of Nrf2 pathway genes in RPTEC/TERT1 although at higher concentrations. Of the three neuronal models, both the LUHMES and BCC42 showed significant Nrf2-responses and at higher concentration UPR-responses, supporting recent hypotheses that 1,2-DCVC may be involved in neurotoxic effects of TCE. The cell models with the highest expression of γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) enzymes, showed cellular responses to both 1,2-DCVG and 1,2-DCVC. Little to no effects were found in the neuronal models from 1,2-DCVG exposure due to their low GGT-expression. This study expands our knowledge on tissue specificity of TCE S-conjugates and emphasizes the value of human cell models together with transcriptomics for such mechanistic studies.
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Wang F, Huang M, Wang Y, Hong Y, Zang D, Yang C, Wu C, Zhu Q. Membrane Attack Complex C5b-9 Promotes Renal Tubular Epithelial Cell Pyroptosis in Trichloroethylene-Sensitized Mice. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:877988. [PMID: 35656289 PMCID: PMC9152256 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.877988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Trichloroethylene (TCE), a commonly used organic solvent, is known to cause trichloroethylene hypersensitivity syndrome (THS), also called occupational medicamentosa-like dermatitis due to TCE (OMDT) in China. OMDT patients presented with severe inflammatory kidney damage, and we have previously shown that the renal damage is related to the terminal complement complex C5b-9. Here, we sought to determine whether C5b-9 participated in TCE-induced immune kidney injury by promoting pyroptosis, a new form of programed cell death linked to inflammatory response, with underlying molecular mechanisms involving the NLRP3 inflammasome. A BALB/c mouse-based model of OMDT was established by dermal TCE sensitization in the presence or absence of C5b-9 inhibitor (sCD59-Cys, 25μg/mouse) and NLRP3 antagonist (MCC950, 10 mg/kg). Kidney histopathology, renal function, expression of inflammatory mediators and the pyroptosis executive protein gasdermin D (GSDMD), and the activation of pyroptosis canonical NLRP3/caspase-1 pathway were examined in the mouse model. Renal tubular damage was observed in TCE-sensitized mice. GSDMD was mainly expressed on renal tubular epithelial cells (RTECs). The caspase-1-dependent canonical pathway of pyroptosis was activated in TCE-induced renal damage. Pharmacological inhibition of C5b-9 could restrain the caspase-1-dependent canonical pathway and rescued the renal tubular damage. Taken together, our results demonstrated that complement C5b-9 plays a central role in TCE-induced immune kidney damage, and the underlying mechanisms involve NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Wang
- Department of Dermatology, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Meng Huang
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yican Wang
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yiting Hong
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Dandan Zang
- Center for Scientific Research and Experiment, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Chunjun Yang
- Department of Dermatology, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Changhao Wu
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Qixing Zhu
- Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Key Laboratory of Dermatology, Ministry of Education, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
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