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Yue T, Guo Y, Qi X, Zheng W, Zhang H, Wang B, Liu K, Zhou B, Zeng X, Ouzhuluobu, He Y, Su B. Sex-biased regulatory changes in the placenta of native highlanders contribute to adaptive fetal development. eLife 2024; 12:RP89004. [PMID: 38869160 PMCID: PMC11175615 DOI: 10.7554/elife.89004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Compared with lowlander migrants, native Tibetans have a higher reproductive success at high altitude though the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we compared the transcriptome and histology of full-term placentas between native Tibetans and Han migrants. We found that the placental trophoblast shows the largest expression divergence between Tibetans and Han, and Tibetans show decreased immune response and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Remarkably, we detected a sex-biased expression divergence, where the male-infant placentas show a greater between-population difference than the female-infant placentas. The umbilical cord plays a key role in the sex-biased expression divergence, which is associated with the higher birth weight of the male newborns of Tibetans. We also identified adaptive histological changes in the male-infant placentas of Tibetans, including larger umbilical artery wall and umbilical artery intima and media, and fewer syncytial knots. These findings provide valuable insights into the sex-biased adaptation of human populations, with significant implications for medical and genetic studies of human reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Yue
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Yongbo Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Xuebin Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
- Fukang Obstetrics, Gynecology and Children Branch Hospital, Tibetan Fukang HospitalKunmingChina
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and TechnologyKunmingChina
| | - Wangshan Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
| | - Hui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and TechnologyKunmingChina
| | - Bin Wang
- Fukang Obstetrics, Gynecology and Children Branch Hospital, Tibetan Fukang HospitalKunmingChina
| | - Kai Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
| | - Bin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Xuerui Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Ouzhuluobu
- Fukang Obstetrics, Gynecology and Children Branch Hospital, Tibetan Fukang HospitalKunmingChina
| | - Yaoxi He
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
| | - Bing Su
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
- Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
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2
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Niclou A, Sarma M, Levy S, Ocobock C. To the extreme! How biological anthropology can inform exercise physiology in extreme environments. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2023; 284:111476. [PMID: 37423419 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.111476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
The fields of biological anthropology and exercise physiology are closely related and can provide mutually beneficial insights into human performance. These fields often use similar methods and are both interested in how humans function, perform, and respond in extreme environments. However, these two fields have different perspectives, ask different questions, and work within different theoretical frameworks and timescales. Biological anthropologists and exercise physiologists can greatly benefit from working together when examining human adaptation, acclimatization, and athletic performance in the extremes of heat, cold, and high-altitude. Here we review the adaptations and acclimatizations in these three different extreme environments. We then examine how this work has informed and built upon exercise physiology research on human performance. Finally, we present an agenda for moving forward, hopefully, with these two fields working more closely together to produce innovative research that improves our holistic understanding of human performance capacities informed by evolutionary theory, modern human acclimatization, and the desire to produce immediate and direct benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Niclou
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA, United States of America. https://twitter.com/fiat_luxandra
| | - Mallika Sarma
- Human Space Flight Lab, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America. https://twitter.com/skyy_mal
| | - Stephanie Levy
- Department of Anthropology, CUNY Hunter College, New York, NY, United States of America; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, United States of America. https://twitter.com/slevyscience
| | - Cara Ocobock
- University of Notre Dame Department of Anthropology, Notre Dame, IN, United States of America; Eck Institute for Global Health, Institute for Educational Initiatives, University of Notre Dame, United States of America.
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3
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Karner E, Muin DA, Klebermass-Schrehof K, Waldhoer T, Yang L. Altitude Modifies the Effect of Parity on Birth Weight/Length Ratio: A Study Comprising 2,057,702 Newborns between 1984 and 2020 in Austria. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:1718. [PMID: 37629575 PMCID: PMC10455113 DOI: 10.3390/life13081718] [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: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Lower birth weight among newborns in higher altitudes has been well documented in previous literature. Several possible causes for this phenomenon have been investigated, including biophysiological adaptation, epigenetic or genetic mechanisms or lifestyle changes. This is the first study to show the effect modification of altitude and parity on the birth weight length ratio (BWLR) in women resident in moderate altitudes compared to a low sea level.; (2) Methods: This population-based study obtained data on altitude (0-300, 300-500, 500-700,700-900, >900 m), parity (1, 2, …, 7, 8/9), birth weight and length on all births in Austria between 1984 and 2020 from birth certificates provided by Statistics Austria. The BWLR was calculated, and the effect of moderate altitude and parity was estimated using multivariable linear mixed models adjusting for predefined variables. Sub-group regression analyses were conducted by altitude group. (3) Results: Data on 2,057,702 newborns from 1,280,272 mothers were analyzed. The effect of parity on BWLR, as indicated by the difference of BWLR between the first- and second-born infants, ranged between 1.87 to 2.09 g per centimeter across all altitude groups. Our analyses found that the effect of parity on BWLR diminished from parity three onwards at altitude 0-300, whilst the effect of parity on BWLR continued to increase at higher than 300 m and was most notable in the highest altitude group >900 m. (4) Conclusions: Findings from our study indicated that the negative effect of increasing altitude on BWLR was deprived for newborns of higher parity. It shows that the residential altitude can modify the effect of parity on BWLR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Karner
- Division of Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (E.K.); (D.A.M.)
| | - Dana A. Muin
- Division of Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (E.K.); (D.A.M.)
| | - Katrin Klebermass-Schrehof
- Division of Neonatology, Pediatric Intensive Care and Neuropediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria;
| | - Thomas Waldhoer
- Department of Epidemiology, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Lin Yang
- Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB T2S 3C3, Canada;
- Departments of Oncology and Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2S 3C3, Canada
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4
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Patrician A, Willie C, Hoiland RL, Gasho C, Subedi P, Anholm JD, Tymko MM, Ainslie PN. Manipulation of iron status on cerebral blood flow at high altitude in lowlanders and adapted highlanders. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2023; 43:1166-1179. [PMID: 36883428 PMCID: PMC10291452 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x231152734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Cerebral blood flow (CBF) increases during hypoxia to counteract the reduction in arterial oxygen content. The onset of tissue hypoxemia coincides with the stabilization of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) and transcription of downstream HIF-mediated processes. It has yet to be determined, whether HIF down- or upregulation can modulate hypoxic vasodilation of the cerebral vasculature. Therefore, we examined whether: 1) CBF would increase with iron depletion (via chelation) and decrease with repletion (via iron infusion) at high-altitude, and 2) explore whether genotypic advantages of highlanders extend to HIF-mediated regulation of CBF. In a double-blinded and block-randomized design, CBF was assessed in 82 healthy participants (38 lowlanders, 20 Sherpas and 24 Andeans), before and after the infusion of either: iron(III)-hydroxide sucrose, desferrioxamine or saline. Across both lowlanders and highlanders, baseline iron levels contributed to the variability in cerebral hypoxic reactivity at high altitude (R2 = 0.174, P < 0.001). At 5,050 m, CBF in lowlanders and Sherpa were unaltered by desferrioxamine or iron. At 4,300 m, iron infusion led to 4 ± 10% reduction in CBF (main effect of time p = 0.043) in lowlanders and Andeans. Iron status may provide a novel, albeit subtle, influence on CBF that is potentially dependent on the severity and length-of-stay at high altitude.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Patrician
- Centre for Heart, Lung, & Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia – Okanagan, Kelowna, BC, Canada
| | - Christopher Willie
- Centre for Heart, Lung, & Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia – Okanagan, Kelowna, BC, Canada
| | - Ryan L Hoiland
- Centre for Heart, Lung, & Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia – Okanagan, Kelowna, BC, Canada
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, Vancouver General Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Christopher Gasho
- Pulmonary/Critical Care Section, VA Loma Linda Healthcare System and Department of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Prajan Subedi
- Pulmonary/Critical Care Section, VA Loma Linda Healthcare System and Department of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - James D Anholm
- Pulmonary/Critical Care Section, VA Loma Linda Healthcare System and Department of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Michael M Tymko
- Centre for Heart, Lung, & Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia – Okanagan, Kelowna, BC, Canada
| | - Philip N Ainslie
- Centre for Heart, Lung, & Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia – Okanagan, Kelowna, BC, Canada
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5
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Mata-Greenwood E, Westenburg HCA, Zamudio S, Illsley NP, Zhang L. Decreased Vitamin D Levels and Altered Placental Vitamin D Gene Expression at High Altitude: Role of Genetic Ancestry. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:3389. [PMID: 36834800 PMCID: PMC9967090 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
High-altitude hypoxia challenges reproduction; particularly in non-native populations. Although high-altitude residence is associated with vitamin D deficiency, the homeostasis and metabolism of vitamin D in natives and migrants remain unknown. We report that high altitude (3600 m residence) negatively impacted vitamin D levels, with the high-altitude Andeans having the lowest 25-OH-D levels and the high-altitude Europeans having the lowest 1α,25-(OH)2-D levels. There was a significant interaction of genetic ancestry with altitude in the ratio of 1α,25-(OH)2-D to 25-OH-D; with the ratio being significantly lower in Europeans compared to Andeans living at high altitude. Placental gene expression accounted for as much as 50% of circulating vitamin D levels, with CYP2R1 (25-hydroxylase), CYP27B1 (1α-hydroxylase), CYP24A1 (24-hydroxylase), and LRP2 (megalin) as the major determinants of vitamin D levels. High-altitude residents had a greater correlation between circulating vitamin D levels and placental gene expression than low-altitude residents. Placental 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase and vitamin D receptor were upregulated at high altitude in both genetic-ancestry groups, while megalin and 24-hydroxylase were upregulated only in Europeans. Given that vitamin D deficiency and decreased 1α,25-(OH)2-D to 25-OH-D ratios are associated with pregnancy complications, our data support a role for high-altitude-induced vitamin D dysregulation impacting reproductive outcomes, particularly in migrants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenia Mata-Greenwood
- Lawrence D. Longo Center for Perinatal Biology, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
| | - Hans C. A. Westenburg
- Lawrence D. Longo Center for Perinatal Biology, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
| | - Stacy Zamudio
- Placental Research Group LLC, Maplewood, NJ 07040, USA
| | | | - Lubo Zhang
- Lawrence D. Longo Center for Perinatal Biology, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
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6
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Salinas-Salmon CE, Murillo-Jauregui C, Gonzales-Isidro M, Espinoza-Pinto V, Mendoza SV, Ruiz R, Vargas R, Perez Y, Montaño J, Toledo L, Badner A, Jimenez J, Peñaranda J, Romero C, Aguilar M, Riveros-Gonzales L, Arana I, Villamor E. Elevation of Pulmonary Artery Pressure in Newborns from High-Altitude Pregnancies Complicated by Preeclampsia. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:347. [PMID: 36829907 PMCID: PMC9952561 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12020347] [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: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
We hypothesized that fetal exposure to the oxidative stress induced by the combined challenge of preeclampsia (PE) and high altitude would induce a significant impairment in the development of pulmonary circulation. We conducted a prospective study in La Paz (Bolivia, mean altitude 3625 m) in which newborns from singleton pregnancies with and without PE were compared (PE group n = 69, control n = 70). We conducted an echocardiographic study in these infants at the median age of two days. The percentage of cesarean deliveries and small for gestational age (SGA) infants was significantly higher in the PE group. Heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation did not vary significantly between groups. Estimated pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance were 30% higher in newborns exposed to PE and high altitude compared with those exposed only to high altitude. We also detected signs of right ventricular hypertrophy in infants subjected to both exposures. In conclusion, this study provides evidence that the combination of PE and pregnancy at high altitude induces subclinical alterations in the pulmonary circulation of the newborn. Follow-up of this cohort may provide us with valuable information on the potential increased susceptibility to developing pulmonary hypertension or other pulmonary and cardiovascular disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jesús Jimenez
- Instituto Boliviano de Biología de Altura (IBBA), UMSA, La Paz, Bolivia
| | | | - Catherine Romero
- Instituto Boliviano de Biología de Altura (IBBA), UMSA, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Martha Aguilar
- Instituto Boliviano de Biología de Altura (IBBA), UMSA, La Paz, Bolivia
| | | | | | - Eduardo Villamor
- Maastricht University Medical Center (MUMC+), School for Oncology and Reproduction (GROW), 6202AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands
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7
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Williams AM, Levine BD, Stembridge M. A change of heart: Mechanisms of cardiac adaptation to acute and chronic hypoxia. J Physiol 2022; 600:4089-4104. [PMID: 35930370 PMCID: PMC9544656 DOI: 10.1113/jp281724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the last 100 years, high-altitude researchers have amassed a comprehensive understanding of the global cardiac responses to acute, prolonged and lifelong hypoxia. When lowlanders are exposed to hypoxia, the drop in arterial oxygen content demands an increase in cardiac output, which is facilitated by an elevated heart rate at the same time as ventricular volumes are maintained. As exposure is prolonged, haemoconcentration restores arterial oxygen content, whereas left ventricular filling and stroke volume are lowered as a result of a combination of reduced blood volume and hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction. Populations native to high-altitude, such as the Sherpa in Asia, exhibit unique lifelong or generational adaptations to hypoxia. For example, they have smaller left ventricular volumes compared to lowlanders despite having larger total blood volume. More recent investigations have begun to explore the mechanisms underlying such adaptive responses by combining novel imaging techniques with interventions that manipulate cardiac preload, afterload, and/or contractility. This work has revealed the contributions and interactions of (i) plasma volume constriction; (ii) sympathoexcitation; and (iii) hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction with respect to altering cardiac loading, or otherwise preserving or enhancing biventricular systolic and diastolic function even amongst high altitude natives with excessive erythrocytosis. Despite these advances, various areas of investigation remain understudied, including potential sex-related differences in response to high altitude. Collectively, the available evidence supports the conclusion that the human heart successfully adapts to hypoxia over the short- and long-term, without signs of myocardial dysfunction in healthy humans, except in very rare cases of maladaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra M. Williams
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of MedicineUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBCCanada
- International Collaboration on Repair DiscoveriesUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBCCanada
| | - Benjamin D. Levine
- Institute for Exercise and Environmental MedicineThe University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallasTXUSA
| | - Mike Stembridge
- Cardiff School of Sport and Health SciencesCardiff Metropolitan UniversityCardiffUK
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8
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Devaux CA, Raoult D. The impact of COVID-19 on populations living at high altitude: Role of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) signaling pathway in SARS-CoV-2 infection and replication. Front Physiol 2022; 13:960308. [PMID: 36091390 PMCID: PMC9454615 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.960308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been reported worldwide. However, one epidemiological report has claimed a lower incidence of the disease in people living at high altitude (>2,500 m), proposing the hypothesis that adaptation to hypoxia may prove to be advantageous with respect to SARS-CoV-2 infection. This publication was initially greeted with skepticism, because social, genetic, or environmental parametric variables could underlie a difference in susceptibility to the virus for people living in chronic hypobaric hypoxia atmospheres. Moreover, in some patients positive for SARS-CoV-2, early post-infection ‘happy hypoxia” requires immediate ventilation, since it is associated with poor clinical outcome. If, however, we accept to consider the hypothesis according to which the adaptation to hypoxia may prove to be advantageous with respect to SARS-CoV-2 infection, identification of the molecular rational behind it is needed. Among several possibilities, HIF-1 regulation appears to be a molecular hub from which different signaling pathways linking hypoxia and COVID-19 are controlled. Interestingly, HIF-1α was reported to inhibit the infection of lung cells by SARS-CoV-2 by reducing ACE2 viral receptor expression. Moreover, an association of the rs11549465 variant of HIF-1α with COVID-19 susceptibility was recently discovered. Here, we review the evidence for a link between HIF-1α, ACE2 and AT1R expression, and the incidence/severity of COVID-19. We highlight the central role played by the HIF-1α signaling pathway in the pathophysiology of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Albert Devaux
- Aix-Marseille University, IRD, APHM, MEPHI, Marseille, France
- IHU-Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Marseille, France
- *Correspondence: Christian Albert Devaux,
| | - Didier Raoult
- Aix-Marseille University, IRD, APHM, MEPHI, Marseille, France
- IHU-Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
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9
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Nieves-Colón MA, Badillo Rivera KM, Sandoval K, Villanueva Dávalos V, Enriquez Lencinas LE, Mendoza-Revilla J, Adhikari K, González-Buenfil R, Chen JW, Zhang ET, Sockell A, Ortiz-Tello P, Hurtado GM, Condori Salas R, Cebrecos R, Manzaneda Choque JC, Manzaneda Choque FP, Yábar Pilco GP, Rawls E, Eng C, Huntsman S, Burchard E, Ruiz-Linares A, González-José R, Bedoya G, Rothhammer F, Bortolini MC, Poletti G, Gallo C, Bustamante CD, Baker JC, Gignoux CR, Wojcik GL, Moreno-Estrada A. Clotting factor genes are associated with preeclampsia in high-altitude pregnant women in the Peruvian Andes. Am J Hum Genet 2022; 109:1117-1139. [PMID: 35588731 PMCID: PMC9247825 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2022.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Preeclampsia is a multi-organ complication of pregnancy characterized by sudden hypertension and proteinuria that is among the leading causes of preterm delivery and maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. The heterogeneity of preeclampsia poses a challenge for understanding its etiology and molecular basis. Intriguingly, risk for the condition increases in high-altitude regions such as the Peruvian Andes. To investigate the genetic basis of preeclampsia in a population living at high altitude, we characterized genome-wide variation in a cohort of preeclamptic and healthy Andean families (n = 883) from Puno, Peru, a city located above 3,800 meters of altitude. Our study collected genomic DNA and medical records from case-control trios and duos in local hospital settings. We generated genotype data for 439,314 SNPs, determined global ancestry patterns, and mapped associations between genetic variants and preeclampsia phenotypes. A transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) revealed variants near genes of biological importance for placental and blood vessel function. The top candidate region was found on chromosome 13 of the fetal genome and contains clotting factor genes PROZ, F7, and F10. These findings provide supporting evidence that common genetic variants within coagulation genes play an important role in preeclampsia. A selection scan revealed a potential adaptive signal around the ADAM12 locus on chromosome 10, implicated in pregnancy disorders. Our discovery of an association in a functional pathway relevant to pregnancy physiology in an understudied population of Native American origin demonstrates the increased power of family-based study design and underscores the importance of conducting genetic research in diverse populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A Nieves-Colón
- Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad (UGA-LANGEBIO), CINVESTAV, Irapuato, Guanajuato 36821, México; School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA; Department of Anthropology, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
| | | | - Karla Sandoval
- Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad (UGA-LANGEBIO), CINVESTAV, Irapuato, Guanajuato 36821, México
| | | | | | - Javier Mendoza-Revilla
- Laboratorios de Investigación y Desarrollo, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima 15102, Peru; Human Evolutionary Genetics Unit, Institut Pasteur, UMR 2000, CNRS, Paris 75015, France
| | - Kaustubh Adhikari
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, The Open University, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK; Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, and UCL Genetics Institute, University College London, WC1E 6BT London, UK
| | - Ram González-Buenfil
- Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad (UGA-LANGEBIO), CINVESTAV, Irapuato, Guanajuato 36821, México
| | - Jessica W Chen
- Department of Genetics, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Elisa T Zhang
- Department of Genetics, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Alexandra Sockell
- Department of Genetics, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | | | - Gloria Malena Hurtado
- Laboratorios de Investigación y Desarrollo, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima 15102, Peru
| | - Ramiro Condori Salas
- Laboratorios de Investigación y Desarrollo, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima 15102, Peru
| | - Ricardo Cebrecos
- Laboratorios de Investigación y Desarrollo, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima 15102, Peru
| | | | | | | | - Erin Rawls
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - Celeste Eng
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Scott Huntsman
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Esteban Burchard
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Andrés Ruiz-Linares
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, and UCL Genetics Institute, University College London, WC1E 6BT London, UK; Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, EFS, ADES, 13005 Marseille, France; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology and Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, School of Life Sciences and Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Yangpu District, Shanghai, China
| | - Rolando González-José
- Instituto Patagónico de Ciencias Sociales y Humanas, Centro Nacional Patagónico-CONICET y Programa Nacional de Referencia y Biobanco Genómico de la Población Argentina (PoblAr), Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
| | - Gabriel Bedoya
- Genética Molecular (GENMOL), Universidad de Antioquía, Medellin, Colombia
| | - Francisco Rothhammer
- Instituto de Alta Investigación Universidad de Tarapacá, Tarapacá, Chile; Programa de Genética Humana, ICBM Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Maria Cátira Bortolini
- Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Caixa Postal 15053, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Giovanni Poletti
- Laboratorios de Investigación y Desarrollo, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima 15102, Peru
| | - Carla Gallo
- Laboratorios de Investigación y Desarrollo, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima 15102, Peru
| | - Carlos D Bustamante
- Department of Genetics, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Julie C Baker
- Department of Genetics, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | | | - Genevieve L Wojcik
- Department of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Andrés Moreno-Estrada
- Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad (UGA-LANGEBIO), CINVESTAV, Irapuato, Guanajuato 36821, México.
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10
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Klebermass-Schrehof K, Waldhoer T, Yang L. The Effect of Altitude on Birthweight/Length Ratio: A Population-Based Study Over 36 Years in an Altitude Range from Sea Level to 1,700 m. High Alt Med Biol 2022; 23:90-95. [PMID: 35290747 DOI: 10.1089/ham.2021.0153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Klebermass-Schrehof Katrin, Thomas Waldhoer, and Lin Yang. The effect of altitude on birthweight/length ratio: a population-based study over 36 years in an altitude range from sea level to 1,700 m. High Alt Med Biol. 23:90-95, 2022. Objective: The negative effect of altitude on fetal growth has been documented, but it is unknown whether this effect changes over time. We investigated the effect of altitude on infant birthweight/length ratio as well as its potential dependence on gestational age and year of birth in the range from sea level up to 1,700 m (Austria). Materials and Methods: Data on maternal characteristics, infant birthweights, and infant lengths were extracted from all Austrian birth certificates between 1984 and 2019. Results: A total of 2,240,439 birth certificates were identified and analyzed. The effect of altitude on birthweight/length ratio was -2.66 g/cm (95% confidence interval [CI]: -2.77 to -2. 54) per 1,000 m increased altitude in 1984-1986, which decreased to -1.96 g/cm (95% CI: -2.09 to -1.82) in 2017-2019. The effect of altitude on birthweight/length ratio remained constant for preterm infants, which fluctuated around -1.5 g/cm. For term infants, the negative effect of altitude on birthweight/length ratio attenuated from -3 to -1.9 g/cm over time with a stronger decrease for infants born between 41 and 42 compared with those between 37 and 40 weeks of gestation. Conclusion: In summary, our data demonstrate a strong effect of altitude on birthweight/length ratio over 36 years with a smaller effect in recent years and a stronger effect in infants born around term age compared with preterm infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Klebermass-Schrehof
- Division of Neonatology, Pediatric Intensive Care and Neuropediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Waldhoer
- Department of Epidemiology, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Lin Yang
- Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Canada.,Departments of Oncology and Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
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11
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Siegmund AS, Pieper PG, Bilardo CM, Gordijn SJ, Khong TY, Gyselaers W, van Veldhuisen DJ, Dickinson MG. Cardiovascular determinants of impaired placental function in women with cardiac dysfunction. Am Heart J 2022; 245:126-135. [PMID: 34902313 DOI: 10.1016/j.ahj.2021.11.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Female heart disease has for a long time been an underrecognized problem in the field of cardiology. With an ever-growing number of these patients getting pregnant, cardiac dysfunction during pregnancy is an increasingly large medical problem. Previous work has shown that maternal heart disease may have an adverse effect on pregnancy outcome in both mother and child. The placenta forms the connection and it is postulated that cardiac dysfunction negatively affects the placenta, and consequently, neonatal outcome. Given the paucity of data in this field, more research on the influence of cardiac (mal)function on placental (mal)function is needed. The present review describes placental function in women with various types of cardiac dysfunction, thereby aiming to provide more insight into possible underlying mechanisms of placental malfunction. Organ dysfunction in patients with heart failure is for an important part based on reduced perfusion and venous congestion. This has been shown in other organs such as kidneys, liver and brain. In pregnant women with cardiac dysfunction, placental dysfunction may follow similar patterns. Moreover, other factors, such as pre-existing hypertension and chronic hypoxia may lead to further impairment of placental function, through abnormal vascular remodeling of the uterine spiral arteries. The pathophysiology of placental dysfunction in pregnant women with cardiac dysfunction may thus be multifactorial. It is therefore important to monitor closely cardiac and placental function in such high-risk pregnancies. Gaining a better understanding of the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms may have important clinical implications in terms of pregnancy counseling, monitoring and outcome.
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12
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Dunietz GL, Hao W, Shedden K, Holzman C, Chervin RD, Lisabeth LD, Treadwell MC, O’Brien LM. Maternal habitual snoring and blood pressure trajectories in pregnancy. J Clin Sleep Med 2022; 18:31-38. [PMID: 34170225 PMCID: PMC8807914 DOI: 10.5664/jcsm.9474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVES Habitual snoring has been associated with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. However, exactly when blood pressure (BP) trajectories diverge between pregnant women with and without habitual snoring is unknown. Moreover, the potentially differential impact of chronic vs pregnancy-onset habitual snoring on maternal BP trajectories during pregnancy has not been examined. This study compared patterns of BP across pregnancy in 3 groups of women: those with chronic habitual snoring, those with pregnancy-onset habitual snoring, and nonhabitual snoring "controls." METHODS In a cohort study of 1,305 pregnant women from a large medical center, participants were asked about habitual snoring (≥ 3 nights/week) and whether their symptoms began prior to or during pregnancy. Demographic, health, and BP data throughout pregnancy were abstracted from medical charts. Linear mixed models were used to examine associations between habitual snoring-onset and pregnancy BP trajectories. RESULTS A third of women reported snoring prior to pregnancy (chronic snoring) and an additional 23% reported pregnancy-onset snoring. Mean maternal age (SD) was 29.5 (5.6), 30 (6), and 30.5 (5.7) years in controls, chronic, and pregnancy-onset snoring, respectively. Overall, women with pregnancy-onset snoring had higher mean systolic BP and diastolic BP compared to those with chronic habitual snoring or nonhabitual snoring. In gestational week-specific comparisons with controls, systolic BP became significantly higher around 18 weeks' gestation among women with pregnancy-onset snoring and in the third trimester among women with chronic snoring. These differences became detectable at 1 mm Hg and increased thereafter, reaching 3 mm Hg-BP difference at 40 weeks' gestation in women with pregnancy-onset snoring relative to controls. Pairwise mean differences in diastolic BP were significant only among women with pregnancy-onset snoring relative to controls, after 15 weeks' gestation. CONCLUSIONS Pregnancy-onset and chronic maternal snoring are associated with higher BPs beginning in the second and third trimester, respectively. Pregnancy BP trajectories could identify critical windows for enhanced BP surveillance; the divergent BP trajectories suggest that the 2 groups of women with habitual snoring in pregnancy may need to be considered separately when gestational time intervals are evaluated for increased BP monitoring. CITATION Dunietz GL, Hao W, Shedden K, et al. Maternal habitual snoring and blood pressure trajectories in pregnancy. J Clin Sleep Med. 2022;18(1):31-38.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galit Levi Dunietz
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan,Address correspondence to: Galit Levi Dunietz, MPH, PhD, Division of Sleep Medicine, Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5845; Tel: (734) 647-9241; Fax: (734) 647-9065;
| | - Wei Hao
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Kerby Shedden
- Department of Statistics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Claudia Holzman
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
| | - Ronald D. Chervin
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Lynda D. Lisabeth
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Marjorie C. Treadwell
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Louise M. O’Brien
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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13
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Gonzalez-Candia A, Herrera EA. High Altitude Pregnancies and Vascular Dysfunction: Observations From Latin American Studies. Front Physiol 2021; 12:786038. [PMID: 34950057 PMCID: PMC8688922 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.786038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
An estimated human population of 170 million inhabit at high-altitude (HA, above 2,500 m). The potential pathological effects of HA hypobaric hypoxia during gestation have been the focus of several researchers around the world. The studies based on the Himalayan and Central/South American mountains are particularly interesting as these areas account for nearly 70% of the HA world population. At present, studies in human and animal models revealed important alterations in fetal development and growth at HA. Moreover, vascular responses to chronic hypobaria in the pregnant mother and her fetus may induce marked cardiovascular impairments during pregnancy or in the neonatal period. In addition, recent studies have shown potential long-lasting postnatal effects that may increase cardiovascular risk in individuals gestated under chronic hypobaria. Hence, the maternal and fetal adaptive responses to hypoxia, influenced by HA ancestry, are vital for a better developmental and cardiovascular outcome of the offspring. This mini-review exposes and discusses the main determinants of vascular dysfunction due to developmental hypoxia at HA, such as the Andean Mountains, at the maternal and fetal/neonatal levels. Although significant advances have been made from Latin American studies, this area still needs further investigations to reveal the mechanisms involved in vascular dysfunction, to estimate complications of pregnancy and postnatal life adequately, and most importantly, to determine potential treatments to prevent or treat the pathological effects of being developed under chronic hypobaric hypoxia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Gonzalez-Candia
- Laboratorio de Función y Reactividad Vascular, Programa de Fisiopatología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de O'Higgins, Rancagua, Chile
| | - Emilio A Herrera
- Laboratorio de Función y Reactividad Vascular, Programa de Fisiopatología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,International Center for Andean Studies (INCAS), Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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14
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Gonzaléz-Candia A, Arias PV, Aguilar SA, Figueroa EG, Reyes RV, Ebensperger G, Llanos AJ, Herrera EA. Melatonin Reduces Oxidative Stress in the Right Ventricle of Newborn Sheep Gestated under Chronic Hypoxia. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:antiox10111658. [PMID: 34829529 PMCID: PMC8614843 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10111658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary arterial hypertension of newborns (PAHN) constitutes a critical condition involving both severe cardiac remodeling and right ventricle dysfunction. One main cause of this condition is perinatal hypoxia and oxidative stress. Thus, it is a public health concern for populations living above 2500 m and in cases of intrauterine chronic hypoxia in lowlands. Still, pulmonary and cardiac impairments in PAHN lack effective treatments. Previously we have shown the beneficial effects of neonatal melatonin treatment on pulmonary circulation. However, the cardiac effects of this treatment are unknown. In this study, we assessed whether melatonin improves cardiac function and modulates right ventricle (RV) oxidative stress. Ten lambs were gestated, born, and raised at 3600 m. Lambs were divided in two groups. One received daily vehicle as control, and another received daily melatonin (1 mg·kg-1·d-1) for 21 days. Daily cardiovascular measurements were recorded and, at 29 days old, cardiac tissue was collected. Melatonin decreased pulmonary arterial pressure at the end of the experimental period. In addition, melatonin enhanced manganese superoxide dismutase and catalase (CAT) expression, while increasing CAT activity in RV. This was associated with a decrease in superoxide anion generation at the mitochondria and NADPH oxidases in RV. Finally, these effects were associated with a marked decrease of oxidative stress markers in RV. These findings support the cardioprotective effects of an oral administration of melatonin in newborns that suffer from developmental chronic hypoxia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Gonzaléz-Candia
- Laboratory of Vascular Function and Reactivity, Pathophysiology Program, ICBM, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Av. Salvador 486, Santiago 7500922, Chile; (A.G.-C.); (P.V.A.); (S.A.A.); (E.G.F.)
- Institute of Health Sciences, University of O’Higgins, Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins 611, Rancagua 2820000, Chile
| | - Pamela V. Arias
- Laboratory of Vascular Function and Reactivity, Pathophysiology Program, ICBM, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Av. Salvador 486, Santiago 7500922, Chile; (A.G.-C.); (P.V.A.); (S.A.A.); (E.G.F.)
| | - Simón A. Aguilar
- Laboratory of Vascular Function and Reactivity, Pathophysiology Program, ICBM, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Av. Salvador 486, Santiago 7500922, Chile; (A.G.-C.); (P.V.A.); (S.A.A.); (E.G.F.)
| | - Esteban G. Figueroa
- Laboratory of Vascular Function and Reactivity, Pathophysiology Program, ICBM, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Av. Salvador 486, Santiago 7500922, Chile; (A.G.-C.); (P.V.A.); (S.A.A.); (E.G.F.)
| | - Roberto V. Reyes
- Pathophysiology Program, ICBM, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Av. Salvador 486, Santiago 7500922, Chile; (R.V.R.); (G.E.); (A.J.L.)
| | - Germán Ebensperger
- Pathophysiology Program, ICBM, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Av. Salvador 486, Santiago 7500922, Chile; (R.V.R.); (G.E.); (A.J.L.)
| | - Aníbal J. Llanos
- Pathophysiology Program, ICBM, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Av. Salvador 486, Santiago 7500922, Chile; (R.V.R.); (G.E.); (A.J.L.)
- International Center for Andean Studies (INCAS), Universidad de Chile, Baquedano s/n, Putre 1070000, Chile
| | - Emilio A. Herrera
- Laboratory of Vascular Function and Reactivity, Pathophysiology Program, ICBM, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Av. Salvador 486, Santiago 7500922, Chile; (A.G.-C.); (P.V.A.); (S.A.A.); (E.G.F.)
- International Center for Andean Studies (INCAS), Universidad de Chile, Baquedano s/n, Putre 1070000, Chile
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +56-2-2977-0543
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15
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Patrician A, Dawkins T, Coombs GB, Stacey B, Gasho C, Gibbons T, Howe CA, Tremblay JC, Stone R, Tymko K, Tymko C, Akins JD, Hoiland RL, Vizcardo-Galindo GA, Figueroa-Mujíca R, Villafuerte FC, Bailey DM, Stembridge M, Anholm JD, Tymko MM, Ainslie PN. GLOBAL REACH 2018: Iron infusion at high altitude reduces hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction equally in both lowlanders and healthy Andean highlanders. Chest 2021; 161:1022-1035. [PMID: 34508740 DOI: 10.1016/j.chest.2021.08.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increasing iron bioavailability attenuates hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction in both lowlanders and Sherpa at high altitude. In contrast, the pulmonary vasculature of Andeans suffering with chronic mountain sickness is resistant to iron administration. While pulmonary vascular remodeling and hypertension are characteristic features of chronic mountain sickness, the impact of iron administration in healthy Andeans has not been investigated. If the interplay between iron status and pulmonary vascular tone in healthy Andeans remains intact, this could provide valuable clinical insight into the role of iron regulation at high altitude. RESEARCH QUESTION Is the pulmonary vasculature in healthy Andeans responsive to iron infusion? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS In a double-blinded, block-randomized design, 24 healthy high-altitude Andeans and 22 partially acclimatized lowlanders at 4300 m (Cerro de Pasco, Peru), received an i.v. infusion of either iron [iron (III)-hydroxide sucrose; 200mg] or saline. Markers of iron status were collected at baseline and 4 hours after infusion. Echocardiography was performed during room-air breathing (PIO2=∼96 mmHg) and during exaggerated hypoxia (PIO2=∼73 mmHg), at baseline, and at 2 and 4 hours following the infusion. RESULTS Iron infusion reduced pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) by ∼2.5 mmHg in room air (main effect P<0.001), and by ∼7 mmHg during exaggerated hypoxia (main effect P<0.001) in both lowlanders and healthy Andean highlanders. There was no change in PASP following the infusion of saline. Iron metrics were comparable between groups, except for serum ferritin, which was 1.8-fold higher at baseline in the Andeans when compared to lowlanders [95% confidence interval (CI) 74-121 ng/ml vs. 37-70 ng/ml, respectively; P=0.003]. INTERPRETATION The pulmonary vasculature of healthy Andeans and lowlanders remains sensitive to iron infusion and this response seems to differ from the pathological characteristics of chronic mountain sickness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Patrician
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada.
| | - Tony Dawkins
- Cardiff School of Sport and Health Sciences, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Geoff B Coombs
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Benjamin Stacey
- Neurovascular Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences and Education, University of South Wales, Glamorgan, UK
| | - Christopher Gasho
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Travis Gibbons
- School of Physical Education, Sport & Exercise Science, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Connor A Howe
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Joshua C Tremblay
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Rachel Stone
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Kaitlyn Tymko
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Courtney Tymko
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - John D Akins
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Texas, Arlington, TX, USA
| | - Ryan L Hoiland
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Gustavo A Vizcardo-Galindo
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada; Laboratorio de Fisiología Comparada/Fisiología del Transporte de Oxígeno, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú
| | - Rómulo Figueroa-Mujíca
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Comparada/Fisiología del Transporte de Oxígeno, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú
| | - Francisco C Villafuerte
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Comparada/Fisiología del Transporte de Oxígeno, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú
| | - Damian M Bailey
- Neurovascular Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences and Education, University of South Wales, Glamorgan, UK
| | - Michael Stembridge
- Cardiff School of Sport and Health Sciences, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, UK
| | - James D Anholm
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Michael M Tymko
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada; Neurovascular Health Lab, Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, & Recreation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Philip N Ainslie
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
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16
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The newborn sheep translational model for pulmonary arterial hypertension of the neonate at high altitude. J Dev Orig Health Dis 2021; 11:452-463. [PMID: 32705972 DOI: 10.1017/s2040174420000616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Chronic hypoxia during gestation induces greater occurrence of perinatal complications such as intrauterine growth restriction, fetal hypoxia, newborn asphyxia, and respiratory distress, among others. This condition may also cause a failure in the transition of the fetal to neonatal circulation, inducing pulmonary arterial hypertension of the neonate (PAHN), a syndrome that involves pulmonary vascular dysfunction, increased vasoconstrictor tone and pathological remodeling. As this syndrome has a relatively low prevalence in lowlands (~7 per 1000 live births) and very little is known about its prevalence and clinical evolution in highlands (above 2500 meters), our understanding is very limited. Therefore, studies on appropriate animal models have been crucial to comprehend the mechanisms underlying this pathology. Considering the strengths and weaknesses of any animal model of human disease is fundamental to achieve an effective and meaningful translation to clinical practice. The sheep model has been used to study the normal and abnormal cardiovascular development of the fetus and the neonate for almost a century. The aim of this review is to highlight the advances in our knowledge on the programming of cardiopulmonary function with the use of high-altitude newborn sheep as a translational model of PAHN.
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Abstract
Recent studies suggest that admixture with archaic hominins played an important role in facilitating biological adaptations to new environments. For example, interbreeding with Denisovans facilitated the adaptation to high-altitude environments on the Tibetan Plateau. Specifically, the EPAS1 gene, a transcription factor that regulates the response to hypoxia, exhibits strong signatures of both positive selection and introgression from Denisovans in Tibetan individuals. Interestingly, despite being geographically closer to the Denisova Cave, East Asian populations do not harbor as much Denisovan ancestry as populations from Melanesia. Recently, two studies have suggested two independent waves of Denisovan admixture into East Asians, one of which is shared with South Asians and Oceanians. Here, we leverage data from EPAS1 in 78 Tibetan individuals to interrogate which of these two introgression events introduced the EPAS1 beneficial sequence into the ancestral population of Tibetans, and we use the distribution of introgressed segment lengths at this locus to infer the timing of the introgression and selection event. We find that the introgression event unique to East Asians most likely introduced the beneficial haplotype into the ancestral population of Tibetans around 48,700 (16,000-59,500) y ago, and selection started around 9,000 (2,500-42,000) y ago. Our estimates suggest that one of the most convincing examples of adaptive introgression is in fact selection acting on standing archaic variation.
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18
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Salazar-Petres ER, Sferruzzi-Perri AN. Pregnancy-induced changes in β-cell function: what are the key players? J Physiol 2021; 600:1089-1117. [PMID: 33704799 DOI: 10.1113/jp281082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal metabolic adaptations during pregnancy ensure appropriate nutrient supply to the developing fetus. This is facilitated by reductions in maternal peripheral insulin sensitivity, which enables glucose to be available in the maternal circulation for transfer to the fetus for growth. To balance this process and avoid excessive hyperglycaemia and glucose intolerance in the mother during pregnancy, maternal pancreatic β-cells undergo remarkable changes in their function including increasing their proliferation and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. In this review we examine how placental and maternal hormones work cooperatively to activate several signalling pathways, transcription factors and epigenetic regulators to drive adaptations in β-cell function during pregnancy. We also explore how adverse maternal environmental conditions, including malnutrition, obesity, circadian rhythm disruption and environmental pollutants, may impact the endocrine and molecular mechanisms controlling β-cell adaptations during pregnancy. The available data from human and experimental animal studies highlight the need to better understand how maternal β-cells integrate the various environmental, metabolic and endocrine cues and thereby determine appropriate β-cell adaptation during gestation. In doing so, these studies may identify targetable pathways that could be used to prevent not only the development of pregnancy complications like gestational diabetes that impact maternal and fetal wellbeing, but also more generally the pathogenesis of other metabolic conditions like type 2 diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esteban Roberto Salazar-Petres
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
| | - Amanda Nancy Sferruzzi-Perri
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
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19
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Colson A, Sonveaux P, Debiève F, Sferruzzi-Perri AN. Adaptations of the human placenta to hypoxia: opportunities for interventions in fetal growth restriction. Hum Reprod Update 2020; 27:531-569. [PMID: 33377492 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmaa053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The placenta is the functional interface between the mother and the fetus during pregnancy, and a critical determinant of fetal growth and life-long health. In the first trimester, it develops under a low-oxygen environment, which is essential for the conceptus who has little defense against reactive oxygen species produced during oxidative metabolism. However, failure of invasive trophoblasts to sufficiently remodel uterine arteries toward dilated vessels by the end of the first trimester can lead to reduced/intermittent blood flow, persistent hypoxia and oxidative stress in the placenta with consequences for fetal growth. Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is observed in ∼10% of pregnancies and is frequently seen in association with other pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia (PE). FGR is one of the main challenges for obstetricians and pediatricians, as smaller fetuses have greater perinatal risks of morbidity and mortality and postnatal risks of neurodevelopmental and cardio-metabolic disorders. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE The aim of this review was to examine the importance of placental responses to changing oxygen environments during abnormal pregnancy in terms of cellular, molecular and functional changes in order to highlight new therapeutic pathways, and to pinpoint approaches aimed at enhancing oxygen supply and/or mitigating oxidative stress in the placenta as a mean of optimizing fetal growth. SEARCH METHODS An extensive online search of peer-reviewed articles using PubMed was performed with combinations of search terms including pregnancy, placenta, trophoblast, oxygen, hypoxia, high altitude, FGR and PE (last updated in May 2020). OUTCOMES Trophoblast differentiation and placental establishment are governed by oxygen availability/hypoxia in early pregnancy. The placental response to late gestational hypoxia includes changes in syncytialization, mitochondrial functions, endoplasmic reticulum stress, hormone production, nutrient handling and angiogenic factor secretion. The nature of these changes depends on the extent of hypoxia, with some responses appearing adaptive and others appearing detrimental to the placental support of fetal growth. Emerging approaches that aim to increase placental oxygen supply and/or reduce the impacts of excessive oxidative stress are promising for their potential to prevent/treat FGR. WIDER IMPLICATIONS There are many risks and challenges of intervening during pregnancy that must be considered. The establishment of human trophoblast stem cell lines and organoids will allow further mechanistic studies of the effects of hypoxia and may lead to advanced screening of drugs for use in pregnancies complicated by placental insufficiency/hypoxia. Since no treatments are currently available, a better understanding of placental adaptations to hypoxia would help to develop therapies or repurpose drugs to optimize placental function and fetal growth, with life-long benefits to human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Colson
- Pole of Obstetrics, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.,Pole of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.,Department of Obstetrics, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Pierre Sonveaux
- Pole of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Frédéric Debiève
- Pole of Obstetrics, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.,Department of Obstetrics, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Amanda N Sferruzzi-Perri
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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20
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Maternal altitude and risk of low birthweight: A systematic review and meta-analyses. Placenta 2020; 101:124-131. [DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2020.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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21
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Bailey BA, Donnelly M, Bol K, Moore LG, Julian CG. High Altitude Continues to Reduce Birth Weights in Colorado. Matern Child Health J 2020; 23:1573-1580. [PMID: 31243627 DOI: 10.1007/s10995-019-02788-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Objectives Colorado's relatively high altitudes have been reported to lower birth weight but the most recent studies were conducted 20 years ago. Since then, the accuracy for assigning altitude of residence has been improved with the use of geocoding, and recommendations for pregnancy weight gain have changed. We therefore sought to determine whether currently, residence at high altitude (≥ 2500 m, 8250 ft) lowers birth weight in Colorado. Methods Birth certificate data for all live births (n = 670,017) to Colorado residents from 2007 to 2016 were obtained from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Geocoded altitude of maternal residence for the current birth was assigned to each birth record. Linear and logistic regression models were used to examine the effects of altitude on birth weight or low birth weight (< 2500 g) while controlling for other factors affecting birth weight, including pregnancy weight gain. Results Compared to low altitude, infants born at high altitude weighed 118 g less and were more often low birth weight (8.8% vs. 11.7%, p < 0.05). After accounting for other factors influencing birth weight, high altitude reduced birth weight by 101 g and increased the risk of low birth weight by 27%. The only factors with larger impacts on birth weight were hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and cigarette use during pregnancy. Conclusions for Practice High altitude remains an important determinant of elevated LBW rates in Colorado, and likely contributes to Colorado's comparative resistance towards meeting the Healthy People 2010/2020 nationwide goal to reduce the low birth weight rate to 7.2% by 2020.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beth A Bailey
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Meghan Donnelly
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,Denver Health and Hospital Authority, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Kirk Bol
- Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Center for Health and Environmental Data, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Lorna G Moore
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Colleen G Julian
- Division of Biomedical Informatics and Personalized Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
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22
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Ertl R, Waldhoer T, Yang L. Moderate altitude impacts birth weight: 30 years retrospective sibling analyses using record linkage data. Pediatr Res 2019; 86:403-407. [PMID: 31112991 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-019-0434-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2018] [Revised: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We investigated the effect of a change of altitude of maternal living address on infant birth weight. METHOD Data on infant birth weights of the first and second pregnancies from same women were extracted from all Austrian birth certificates between 1984 and 2016. RESULTS A total of 544,624 pair pregnancies were identified and analyzed. We observed a statistically significant interaction (p < .0001) between altitudes of two births and birth weight. Among women having first birth at low altitude (200 m), the estimated second mean birth weight was 3567 g for those remained at low altitudes, and reduced to 3536 g for those ascended (1200 m). In contrast, among women having first births at high altitudes, the estimated birth weight of second birth at high altitude was 3414 g, yet increased to 3499 g compared to those descended to lower altitudes. CONCLUSION We demonstrated a longitudinal negative effect of altitude on birth weight within the same mother from first and second birth. This association is likely to be casual. Relocation of mothers within low-to-medium altitude level may have profound effects on infants' birth weight.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thomas Waldhoer
- Department of Epidemiology, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Lin Yang
- Department of Epidemiology, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research, CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AL, Canada.,Departments of Oncology & Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AL, Canada
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23
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Witt KE, Huerta-Sánchez E. Convergent evolution in human and domesticate adaptation to high-altitude environments. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 374:20180235. [PMID: 31154977 PMCID: PMC6560271 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans and their domestic animals have lived and thrived in high-altitude environments worldwide for thousands of years. These populations have developed a number of adaptations to survive in a hypoxic environment, and several genomic studies have been conducted to identify the genes that drive these adaptations. Here, we discuss the various adaptations and genetic variants that have been identified as adaptive in human and domestic animal populations and the ways in which convergent evolution has occurred as these populations have adapted to high-altitude environments. We found that human and domesticate populations have adapted to hypoxic environments in similar ways. Specific genes and biological pathways have been involved in high-altitude adaptation for multiple populations, although the specific variants differ between populations. Additionally, we found that the gene EPAS1 is often a target of selection in hypoxic environments and has been involved in multiple adaptive introgression events. High-altitude environments exert strong selective pressures, and human and animal populations have evolved in convergent ways to cope with a chronic lack of oxygen. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Convergent evolution in the genomics era: new insights and directions'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey E Witt
- 1 Cell and Molecular Biology, University of California-Merced , 5200 Lake Road., Merced, CA 95340 , USA
| | - Emilia Huerta-Sánchez
- 1 Cell and Molecular Biology, University of California-Merced , 5200 Lake Road., Merced, CA 95340 , USA.,2 Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University , Box G-W, 80 Waterman Street, Providence, RI 02912 , USA.,3 Center for Computational Biology, Brown University , Box G-W, 115 Waterman Street., Providence, RI 02912 , USA
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24
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Abstract
Complications of pregnancy remain key drivers of morbidity and mortality, affecting the health of both the mother and her offspring in the short and long term. There is lack of detailed understanding of the pathways involved in the pathology and pathogenesis of compromised pregnancy, as well as a shortfall of effective prognostic, diagnostic and treatment options. In many complications of pregnancy, such as in preeclampsia, there is an increase in uteroplacental vascular resistance. However, the cause and effect relationship between placental dysfunction and adverse outcomes in the mother and her offspring remains uncertain. In this review, we aim to highlight the value of gestational hypoxia-induced complications of pregnancy in elucidating underlying molecular pathways and in assessing candidate therapeutic options for these complex disorders. Chronic maternal hypoxia not only mimics the placental pathology associated with obstetric syndromes like gestational hypertension at morphological, molecular and functional levels, but also recapitulates key symptoms that occur as maternal and fetal clinical manifestations of these pregnancy disorders. We propose that gestational hypoxia provides a useful model to study the inter-relationship between placental dysfunction and adverse outcomes in the mother and her offspring in a wide array of examples of complicated pregnancy, such as in preeclampsia.
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25
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Gonzalez-Candia A, Veliz M, Carrasco-Pozo C, Castillo RL, Cárdenas JC, Ebensperger G, Reyes RV, Llanos AJ, Herrera EA. Antenatal melatonin modulates an enhanced antioxidant/pro-oxidant ratio in pulmonary hypertensive newborn sheep. Redox Biol 2019; 22:101128. [PMID: 30771751 PMCID: PMC6375064 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2019.101128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2018] [Revised: 01/27/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic hypobaric hypoxia during fetal and neonatal life induces neonatal pulmonary hypertension. Hypoxia and oxidative stress are driving this condition, which implies an increase generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and/or decreased antioxidant capacity. Melatonin has antioxidant properties that decrease oxidative stress and improves pulmonary vascular function when administered postnatally. However, the effects of an antenatal treatment with melatonin in the neonatal pulmonary function and oxidative status are unknown. Therefore, we hypothesized that an antenatal therapy with melatonin improves the pulmonary arterial pressure and antioxidant status in high altitude pulmonary hypertensive neonates. Twelve ewes were bred at high altitude (3600 m); 6 of them were used as a control group (vehicle 1.4% ethanol) and 6 as a melatonin treated group (10 mg d-1 melatonin in vehicle). Treatments were given once daily during the last third of gestation (100-150 days). Lambs were born and raised with their mothers until 12 days old, and neonatal pulmonary arterial pressure and resistance, plasma antioxidant capacity and the lung oxidative status were determined. Furthermore, we measured the pulmonary expression and activity for the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase, and the oxidative stress markers 8-isoprostanes, 4HNE and nitrotyrosine. Finally, we assessed pulmonary pro-oxidant sources by the expression and function of NADPH oxidase, mitochondria and xanthine oxidase. Melatonin decreased the birth weight. However, melatonin enhanced the plasma antioxidant capacity and decreased the pulmonary antioxidant activity, associated with a diminished oxidative stress during postnatal life. Interestingly, melatonin also decreased ROS generation at the main pro-oxidant sources. Our findings suggest that antenatal administration of melatonin programs an enhanced antioxidant/pro-oxidant status, modulating ROS sources in the postnatal lung.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Gonzalez-Candia
- Programa de Fisiopatología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas (ICBM), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Av. Salvador 486, Providencia 7500922, Santiago, Chile
| | - Marcelino Veliz
- Programa de Fisiopatología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas (ICBM), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Av. Salvador 486, Providencia 7500922, Santiago, Chile
| | - Catalina Carrasco-Pozo
- Departamento de Nutrición, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Av. Independencia 1027, Independencia, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rodrigo L Castillo
- Programa de Fisiopatología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas (ICBM), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Av. Salvador 486, Providencia 7500922, Santiago, Chile; Departamento de Medicina Interna Oriente, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - J Cesar Cárdenas
- Programa de Anatomía y Biología del Desarrollo, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas (ICBM), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Geroscience Center for Brain Health and Metabolism, Santiago, Chile
| | - Germán Ebensperger
- Programa de Fisiopatología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas (ICBM), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Av. Salvador 486, Providencia 7500922, Santiago, Chile
| | - Roberto V Reyes
- Programa de Fisiopatología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas (ICBM), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Av. Salvador 486, Providencia 7500922, Santiago, Chile
| | - Aníbal J Llanos
- Programa de Fisiopatología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas (ICBM), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Av. Salvador 486, Providencia 7500922, Santiago, Chile; International Center for Andean Studies (INCAS), Universidad de Chile, Baquedano s/n, Putre, Chile
| | - Emilio A Herrera
- Programa de Fisiopatología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas (ICBM), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Av. Salvador 486, Providencia 7500922, Santiago, Chile; International Center for Andean Studies (INCAS), Universidad de Chile, Baquedano s/n, Putre, Chile.
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26
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Human Genetic Adaptation to High Altitude: Evidence from the Andes. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:genes10020150. [PMID: 30781443 PMCID: PMC6410003 DOI: 10.3390/genes10020150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2018] [Revised: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Whether Andean populations are genetically adapted to high altitudes has long been of interest. Initial studies focused on physiological changes in the O₂ transport system that occur with acclimatization in newcomers and their comparison with those of long-resident Andeans. These as well as more recent studies indicate that Andeans have somewhat larger lung volumes, narrower alveolar to arterial O₂ gradients, slightly less hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstrictor response, greater uterine artery blood flow during pregnancy, and increased cardiac O2 utilization, which overall suggests greater efficiency of O₂ transfer and utilization. More recent single nucleotide polymorphism and whole-genome sequencing studies indicate that multiple gene regions have undergone recent positive selection in Andeans. These include genes involved in the regulation of vascular control, metabolic hemostasis, and erythropoiesis. However, fundamental questions remain regarding the functional links between these adaptive genomic signals and the unique physiological attributes of highland Andeans. Well-designed physiological and genome association studies are needed to address such questions. It will be especially important to incorporate the role of epigenetic processes (i.e.; non-sequence-based features of the genome) that are vital for transcriptional responses to hypoxia and are potentially heritable across generations. In short, further exploration of the interaction among genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors in shaping patterns of adaptation to high altitude promises to improve the understanding of the mechanisms underlying human adaptive potential and clarify its implications for human health.
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27
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Chen D, Liu X, Li J. Mechanical Ventilation in Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome at High Altitude: A Retrospective Study From Tibet. Front Pediatr 2019; 7:476. [PMID: 31803698 PMCID: PMC6877749 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2019.00476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: To explore the characteristics of mechanical ventilation parameters and the arterial partial pressure of oxygen in neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) at high altitude. Methods: From the 1st May 2017 to the 31st December 2018, we recruited 33 neonates with severe RDS who were undergoing mechanical ventilation in the NICU of Naqu People's Hospital in Tibet (4,580 m above sea level); these neonates formed a plateau observation group. We also recruited a non-plateau control group: 66 neonates with severe RDS undergoing mechanical ventilation of Shengjing Hospital in Liaoning (51 m above sea level). Various ventilation parameters and the arterial partial pressure of oxygen were then compared between the two groups, between the survivors of the two groups, and between those who died and survived in the plateau group. Results: In terms of initial ventilator parameters, peak inspiratory pressure (PIP), positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP), and the fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) in the plateau group were significantly higher than those in the non-plateau group (P < 0.01). PIP, PEEP, and FiO2 in the survivors from the plateau group were also significantly higher than those in the non-plateau group (P < 0.01). In addition, the arterial partial pressure of oxygen in the non-plateau group was higher (P < 0.05) than that in the plateau group during the early postnatal period, and the arterial partial pressure of oxygen at 6 and 12 h was lower than that in the plateau group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Mechanical ventilation can effectively improve the arterial oxygen partial pressure and reduce the mortality of newborns with RDS in a plateau environment. It was clearly evident that ventilation parameters are closely related to altitude. It is therefore not advisable to apply mechanical ventilation parameters used in a non-plateau area as a guide for the treatment of newborns with RDS in plateau areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Chen
- Department of Neonatology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xiuxiu Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, Naqu People's Hospital, Naqu, China
| | - Jiujun Li
- Plateau Medical Research Center of China Medical University, Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
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28
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Levine RS, Salemi JL, Mejia de Grubb MC, Wood SK, Gittner L, Khan H, Langston MA, Husaini BA, Rust G, Hennekens CH. Altitude and Variable Effects on Infant Mortality in the United States. High Alt Med Biol 2018; 19:265-271. [PMID: 30153042 DOI: 10.1089/ham.2018.0018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Levine, Robert S., Jason L. Salemi, Maria C. Mejia de Grubb, Sarah K. Wood, Lisa Gittner, Hafiz Khan, Michael A. Langston, Baqar A. Husaini, George Rust, and Charles H. Hennekens. Altitude and variable effects on infant mortality in the United States. High Alt Med Biol. 19:265-271, 2018. AIMS To explore whether altitude has different effects on infant mortality from newborn respiratory distress, nontraumatic intracranial hemorrhage, and necrotizing enterocolitis. RESULTS Infants born in the US Mountain Census Division (AR, CO, ID, NV, NM, UT, and WY) had lower mortality from newborn respiratory distress (p < 0.001, mortality rate ratios [MRR] = 0.5 for non-Hispanic blacks and non-Hispanic whites and 0.6 for Hispanic whites) relative to infants born elsewhere in the United States, while Mountain Division non-Hispanic white infants had significantly higher mortality from nontraumatic intracranial hemorrhage (MRR = 1.3 [1.1, 1.6] p < 0.001). After adjustment for state average birth weight, gestational age, and income inequality, a statistically significant, inverse association remained between state average altitude and non-Hispanic white infant mortality from newborn respiratory distress. County altitude (3058 counties in 9 categories from ≤0 to ≥7000 feet) was negatively correlated with newborn respiratory distress (r = -0.91, p < 0.001) and necrotizing enterocolitis (r = -0.81, p = 0.006) at ≤0 to ≥7000 feet and positively correlated with nontraumatic intracranial hemorrhage at ≤0 to 6000-6999 feet (r = 0.78, p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS These data show variable cause-specific effects of altitude on infant mortality. Analytic epidemiologic research is needed to confirm or refute the hypotheses generated by these descriptive data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert S Levine
- 1 Department of Family and Community Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston, Texas
| | - Jason L Salemi
- 1 Department of Family and Community Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston, Texas
| | - Maria C Mejia de Grubb
- 1 Department of Family and Community Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston, Texas
| | - Sarah K Wood
- 2 Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University , Boca Raton, Florida
| | | | - Hafiz Khan
- 3 Texas Tech University , Lubbock, Texas
| | | | - Baqar A Husaini
- 5 Center for Prevention Research, Tennessee State University , Nashville, Tennessee
| | - George Rust
- 6 Center for Medicine and Public Health, Florida State University School of Medicine , Tallahassee, Florida
| | - Charles H Hennekens
- 2 Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University , Boca Raton, Florida
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29
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Ducsay CA, Goyal R, Pearce WJ, Wilson S, Hu XQ, Zhang L. Gestational Hypoxia and Developmental Plasticity. Physiol Rev 2018; 98:1241-1334. [PMID: 29717932 PMCID: PMC6088145 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00043.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Hypoxia is one of the most common and severe challenges to the maintenance of homeostasis. Oxygen sensing is a property of all tissues, and the response to hypoxia is multidimensional involving complicated intracellular networks concerned with the transduction of hypoxia-induced responses. Of all the stresses to which the fetus and newborn infant are subjected, perhaps the most important and clinically relevant is that of hypoxia. Hypoxia during gestation impacts both the mother and fetal development through interactions with an individual's genetic traits acquired over multiple generations by natural selection and changes in gene expression patterns by altering the epigenetic code. Changes in the epigenome determine "genomic plasticity," i.e., the ability of genes to be differentially expressed according to environmental cues. The genomic plasticity defined by epigenomic mechanisms including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and noncoding RNAs during development is the mechanistic substrate for phenotypic programming that determines physiological response and risk for healthy or deleterious outcomes. This review explores the impact of gestational hypoxia on maternal health and fetal development, and epigenetic mechanisms of developmental plasticity with emphasis on the uteroplacental circulation, heart development, cerebral circulation, pulmonary development, and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and adipose tissue. The complex molecular and epigenetic interactions that may impact an individual's physiology and developmental programming of health and disease later in life are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles A. Ducsay
- The Lawrence D. Longo, MD Center for Perinatal Biology, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California
| | - Ravi Goyal
- The Lawrence D. Longo, MD Center for Perinatal Biology, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California
| | - William J. Pearce
- The Lawrence D. Longo, MD Center for Perinatal Biology, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California
| | - Sean Wilson
- The Lawrence D. Longo, MD Center for Perinatal Biology, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California
| | - Xiang-Qun Hu
- The Lawrence D. Longo, MD Center for Perinatal Biology, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California
| | - Lubo Zhang
- The Lawrence D. Longo, MD Center for Perinatal Biology, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California
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30
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Soares MJ, Iqbal K, Kozai K. Hypoxia and Placental Development. Birth Defects Res 2018; 109:1309-1329. [PMID: 29105383 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2017] [Accepted: 09/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Hemochorial placentation is orchestrated through highly regulated temporal and spatial decisions governing the fate of trophoblast stem/progenitor cells. Trophoblast cell acquisition of specializations facilitating invasion and uterine spiral artery remodeling is a labile process, sensitive to the environment, and represents a process that is vulnerable to dysmorphogenesis in pathologic states. Hypoxia is a signal guiding placental development, and molecular mechanisms directing cellular adaptations to low oxygen tension are integral to trophoblast cell differentiation and placentation. Hypoxia can also be used as an experimental tool to investigate regulatory processes controlling hemochorial placentation. These developmental processes are conserved in mouse, rat, and human placentation. Consequently, elements of these developmental events can be modeled and hypotheses tested in trophoblast stem cells and in genetically manipulated rodents. Hypoxia is also a consequence of a failed placenta, yielding pathologies that can adversely affect maternal adjustments to pregnancy, fetal health, and susceptibility to adult disease. The capacity of the placenta for adaptation to environmental challenges highlights the importance of its plasticity in safeguarding a healthy pregnancy. Birth Defects Research 109:1309-1329, 2017.© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Soares
- Institute for Reproduction and Perinatal Research, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas.,Fetal Health Research, Children's Research Institute, Children's Mercy, Kansas City, Missouri
| | - Khursheed Iqbal
- Institute for Reproduction and Perinatal Research, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Keisuke Kozai
- Institute for Reproduction and Perinatal Research, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
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31
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Kamei H, Yoneyama Y, Hakuno F, Sawada R, Shimizu T, Duan C, Takahashi SI. Catch-Up Growth in Zebrafish Embryo Requires Neural Crest Cells Sustained by Irs1 Signaling. Endocrinology 2018; 159:1547-1560. [PMID: 29390112 DOI: 10.1210/en.2017-00847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2017] [Accepted: 01/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Most animals display retarded growth in adverse conditions; however, upon the removal of unfavorable factors, they often show quick growth restoration, which is known as "catch-up" growth. In zebrafish embryos, hypoxia causes growth arrest, but subsequent reoxygenation induces catch-up growth. Here, we report the role of insulin receptor substrate (Irs)1-mediated insulin/insulinlike growth factor signaling (IIS) and the involvement of stem cells in catch-up growth in reoxygenated zebrafish embryos. Disturbed irs1 expression attenuated IIS, resulting in greater inhibition in catch-up growth than in normal growth and forced IIS activation‒restored catch-up growth. The irs1 knockdown induced noticeable cell death in neural crest cells (NCCs; multipotent stem cells) under hypoxia, and the pharmacological/genetic ablation of NCCs hindered catch-up growth. Furthermore, inhibition of the apoptotic pathway by pan-caspase inhibition or forced activation of Akt signaling in irs1 knocked-down embryos blocked NCC cell death and rescued catch-up growth. Our data indicate that this multipotent stem cell is indispensable for embryonic catch-up growth and that Irs1-mediated IIS is a prerequisite for its survival under severe adverse environments such as prolonged hypoxia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyasu Kamei
- Departments of Animal Sciences and Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Faculty of Natural System, Institute of Science and Engineering, Kanazawa University, Noto Marine Laboratory, Noto, Japan
| | - Yosuke Yoneyama
- Departments of Animal Sciences and Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Fumihiko Hakuno
- Departments of Animal Sciences and Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Rie Sawada
- Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Cunming Duan
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Shin-Ichiro Takahashi
- Departments of Animal Sciences and Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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32
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Abstract
Zebrafish has emerged as an informative animal model to study the biological impact and molecular mechanisms of hypoxia. Here we describe a simple method to induce hypoxia in zebrafish embryos and larvae. This protocol is easy and reproducible and does not require expensive equipment or specialized devices. It can be adapted in large, medium, and small scales. This protocol is also well-suited for experiments requiring chemical drug treatment and can be applied to other fish and amphibian species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyasu Kamei
- Noto Marine Laboratory, Faculty of Natural System, Institute of Science and Engineering, Kanazawa University, Noto, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Cunming Duan
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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33
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Moore LG. Human Genetic Adaptation to High Altitudes: Current Status and Future Prospects. QUATERNARY INTERNATIONAL : THE JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR QUATERNARY RESEARCH 2017; 461:4-13. [PMID: 29375239 PMCID: PMC5784843 DOI: 10.1016/j.quaint.2016.09.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The question of whether human populations have adapted genetically to high altitude has been of interest since studies began there in the early 1900s. Initially there was debate as to whether genetic adaptation to high altitude has taken place based, in part, on disciplinary orientation and the sources of evidence being considered. Studies centered on short-term responses, termed acclimatization, and the developmental changes occurring across lifetimes. A paradigm shift occurred with the advent of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) technologies and statistical methods for detecting evidence of natural selection, resulting in an exponential rise in the number of publications reporting genetic adaptation. Reviewed here are the various kinds of evidence by which adaptation to high altitude has been assessed and which have led to widespread acceptance of the idea that genetic adaptation to high altitude has occurred. While methodological and other challenges remain for determining the specific gene or genes involved and the physiological mechanisms by which they are exerting their effects, considerable progress has been realized as shown by recent studies in Tibetans, Andeans and Ethiopians. Further advances are anticipated with the advent of new statistical methods, whole-genome sequencing and other molecular techniques for finer-scale genetic mapping, and greater intradisciplinary and interdisciplinary collaboration to identify the functional consequences of the genes or gene regions implicated and the time scales involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorna G Moore
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora CO (formerly of the Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver CO)
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Itani N, Salinas CE, Villena M, Skeffington KL, Beck C, Villamor E, Blanco CE, Giussani DA. The highs and lows of programmed cardiovascular disease by developmental hypoxia: studies in the chicken embryo. J Physiol 2017; 596:2991-3006. [PMID: 28983923 DOI: 10.1113/jp274111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
It is now established that adverse conditions during pregnancy can trigger a fetal origin of cardiovascular dysfunction and/or increase the risk of heart disease in later life. Suboptimal environmental conditions during early life that may promote the development of cardiovascular dysfunction in the offspring include alterations in fetal oxygenation and nutrition as well as fetal exposure to stress hormones, such as glucocorticoids. There has been growing interest in identifying the partial contributions of each of these stressors to programming of cardiovascular dysfunction. However, in humans and in many animal models this is difficult, as the challenges cannot be disentangled. By using the chicken embryo as an animal model, science has been able to circumvent a number of problems. In contrast to mammals, in the chicken embryo the effects on the developing cardiovascular system of changes in oxygenation, nutrition or stress hormones can be isolated and determined directly, independent of changes in the maternal or placental physiology. In this review, we summarise studies that have exploited the chicken embryo model to determine the effects on prenatal growth, cardiovascular development and pituitary-adrenal function of isolated chronic developmental hypoxia.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Itani
- Department of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK.,Cambridge Cardiovascular Strategic Research Initiative, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - C E Salinas
- Instituto Boliviano de Biología de Altura, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - M Villena
- Department of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
| | - K L Skeffington
- Department of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
| | - C Beck
- Department of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
| | - E Villamor
- Department of Pediatrics, Maastricht University Medical Center (MUMC+), School for Oncology and Developmental Biology (GROW), Universiteitssingel 40, 6229, ER Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - C E Blanco
- Department of Neonatology, The National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street, Dublin, D02 YH21, Ireland
| | - D A Giussani
- Department of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK.,Cambridge Cardiovascular Strategic Research Initiative, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK
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Cahill LS, Rennie MY, Hoggarth J, Yu LX, Rahman A, Kingdom JC, Seed M, Macgowan CK, Sled JG. Feto- and utero-placental vascular adaptations to chronic maternal hypoxia in the mouse. J Physiol 2017; 596:3285-3297. [PMID: 28861917 DOI: 10.1113/jp274845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2017] [Accepted: 08/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS Chronic fetal hypoxia is one of the most common complications of pregnancy and is known to cause fetal growth restriction. The structural adaptations of the placental vasculature responsible for growth restriction with chronic hypoxia are not well elucidated. Using a mouse model of chronic maternal hypoxia in combination with micro-computed tomography and scanning electron microscopy, we found several placental adaptations that were beneficial to fetal growth including capillary expansion, thinning of the interhaemal membrane and increased radial artery diameters, resulting in a large drop in total utero-placental vascular resistance. One of the mechanisms used to achieve the rapid increase in capillaries was intussusceptive angiogenesis, a strategy used in human placental development to form terminal gas-exchanging villi. These results contribute to our understanding of the structural mechanisms of the placental vasculature responsible for fetal growth restriction and provide a baseline for understanding adaptive physiological responses of the placenta to chronic hypoxia. ABSTRACT The fetus and the placenta in eutherian mammals have a unique set of compensatory mechanisms to respond to several pregnancy complications including chronic maternal hypoxia. This study examined the structural adaptations of the feto- and utero-placental vasculature in an experimental mouse model of chronic maternal hypoxia (11% O2 from embryonic day (E) 14.5-E17.5). While placental weights were unaffected by exposure to chronic hypoxia, using micro-computed tomography, we found a 44% decrease in the absolute feto-placental arterial vascular volume and a 30% decrease in total vessel segments in the chronic hypoxia group compared to control group. Scanning electron microscopy imaging showed significant expansion of the capillary network; consequently, the interhaemal membrane was 11% thinner to facilitate maternal-fetal exchange in the chronic hypoxia placentas. One of the mechanisms for the rapid capillary expansion was intussusceptive angiogenesis. Analysis of the utero-placental arterial tree showed significant increases (24%) in the diameter of the radial arteries, resulting in a decrease in the total utero-placental resistance by 2.6-fold in the mice exposed to chronic maternal hypoxia. Together these adaptations acted to preserve placental weight whereas fetal weight was decreased.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay S Cahill
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Monique Y Rennie
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Johnathan Hoggarth
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lisa X Yu
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anum Rahman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - John C Kingdom
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mike Seed
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christopher K Macgowan
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Translational Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - John G Sled
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Translational Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Moore LG. Measuring high-altitude adaptation. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2017; 123:1371-1385. [PMID: 28860167 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00321.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2017] [Revised: 08/15/2017] [Accepted: 08/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
High altitudes (>8,000 ft or 2,500 m) provide an experiment of nature for measuring adaptation and the physiological processes involved. Studies conducted over the past ~25 years in Andeans, Tibetans, and, less often, Ethiopians show varied but distinct O2 transport traits from those of acclimatized newcomers, providing indirect evidence for genetic adaptation to high altitude. Short-term (acclimatization, developmental) and long-term (genetic) responses to high altitude exhibit a temporal gradient such that, although all influence O2 content, the latter also improve O2 delivery and metabolism. Much has been learned concerning the underlying physiological processes, but additional studies are needed on the regulation of blood flow and O2 utilization. Direct evidence of genetic adaptation comes from single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based genome scans and whole genome sequencing studies that have identified gene regions acted upon by natural selection. Efforts have begun to understand the connections between the two with Andean studies on the genetic factors raising uterine blood flow, fetal growth, and susceptibility to Chronic Mountain Sickness and Tibetan studies on genes serving to lower hemoglobin and pulmonary arterial pressure. Critical for future studies will be the selection of phenotypes with demonstrable effects on reproductive success, the calculation of actual fitness costs, and greater inclusion of women among the subjects being studied. The well-characterized nature of the O2 transport system, the presence of multiple long-resident populations, and relevance for understanding hypoxic disorders in all persons underscore the importance of understanding how evolutionary adaptation to high altitude has occurred.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Variation in O2 transport characteristics among Andean, Tibetan, and, when available, Ethiopian high-altitude residents supports the existence of genetic adaptations that improve the distribution of blood flow to vital organs and the efficiency of O2 utilization. Genome scans and whole genome sequencing studies implicate a broad range of gene regions. Future studies are needed using phenotypes of clear relevance for reproductive success for determining the mechanisms by which naturally selected genes are acting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorna G Moore
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Colorado Denver-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
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Waters WF, Ehlers J, Ortega F, Kuhlmann AS. Physically Demanding Labor and Health Among Indigenous Women in the Ecuadorian Highlands. J Community Health 2017; 43:220-226. [PMID: 28730542 DOI: 10.1007/s10900-017-0407-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Physically demanding work carried out during long workdays affects women's health. In rural and agrarian societies, women perform a variety of domestic and productive tasks, often from dawn to dusk, with little or no leisure time. This paper presents the results of a survey of indigenous women in six rural communities in the Ecuadorian highlands. It was conducted to measure the amount of time women spend on physically demanding work in the context of food security, parity outcomes, and access to prenatal health care. The findings demonstrate that these women work very long workdays and also experience food insecurity and poor access to prenatal health care.
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Affiliation(s)
- William F Waters
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito, P.O. Box 17-12-841, Quito, Ecuador.
| | - Jessica Ehlers
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito, P.O. Box 17-12-841, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Fernando Ortega
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito, P.O. Box 17-12-841, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Anne Sebert Kuhlmann
- Salus Center, St. Louis University, 309, 3545 Lafayette Ave, St. Louis, MO, 63104, USA
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Persson PB, Bondke Persson A. Altitude sickness and altitude adaptation. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2017; 220:303-306. [PMID: 28498559 DOI: 10.1111/apha.12894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- P. B. Persson
- Institute of Vegetative Physiology; Charité-Universitaetsmedizin Berlin; Berlin Germany
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Abstract
Epidemiological evidence links an individual's susceptibility to chronic disease in adult life to events during their intrauterine phase of development. Biologically this should not be unexpected, for organ systems are at their most plastic when progenitor cells are proliferating and differentiating. Influences operating at this time can permanently affect their structure and functional capacity, and the activity of enzyme systems and endocrine axes. It is now appreciated that such effects lay the foundations for a diverse array of diseases that become manifest many years later, often in response to secondary environmental stressors. Fetal development is underpinned by the placenta, the organ that forms the interface between the fetus and its mother. All nutrients and oxygen reaching the fetus must pass through this organ. The placenta also has major endocrine functions, orchestrating maternal adaptations to pregnancy and mobilizing resources for fetal use. In addition, it acts as a selective barrier, creating a protective milieu by minimizing exposure of the fetus to maternal hormones, such as glucocorticoids, xenobiotics, pathogens, and parasites. The placenta shows a remarkable capacity to adapt to adverse environmental cues and lessen their impact on the fetus. However, if placental function is impaired, or its capacity to adapt is exceeded, then fetal development may be compromised. Here, we explore the complex relationships between the placental phenotype and developmental programming of chronic disease in the offspring. Ensuring optimal placentation offers a new approach to the prevention of disorders such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity, which are reaching epidemic proportions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham J Burton
- Centre for Trophoblast Research and Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; and Department of Medicine, Knight Cardiovascular Institute, and Moore Institute for Nutrition and Wellness, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Abigail L Fowden
- Centre for Trophoblast Research and Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; and Department of Medicine, Knight Cardiovascular Institute, and Moore Institute for Nutrition and Wellness, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Kent L Thornburg
- Centre for Trophoblast Research and Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; and Department of Medicine, Knight Cardiovascular Institute, and Moore Institute for Nutrition and Wellness, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
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Van Twisk D, Murphy SP, Thakar J. Optimized logic rules reveal interferon-γ-induced modes regulated by histone deacetylases and protein tyrosine phosphatases. Immunology 2017; 151:71-80. [PMID: 28054346 DOI: 10.1111/imm.12707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2016] [Revised: 11/16/2016] [Accepted: 11/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The pro-inflammatory cytokine interferon-γ (IFN-γ) is critical for activating innate and adaptive immunity against tumours and intracellular pathogens. Interferon-γ is secreted at the fetal-maternal interface in pregnant women and mice. The outer layer of the placenta in contact with maternal blood is composed of semi-allogeneic trophoblast cells, which constitute the fetal component of the fetal-maternal interface. The simultaneous presence of pro-inflammatory IFN-γ and trophoblast cells at the fetal-maternal interface appears to represent an immunological paradox, for trophoblastic responses to IFN-γ could potentially lead to activation of maternal immunity and subsequent attack of the placenta. However, our previous studies demonstrate that IFN-γ responsive gene (IRG) expression is negatively regulated in human and mouse trophoblast cells. In human cytotrophoblast and trophoblast-derived choriocarcinoma cells, janus kinase signalling is blocked by protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs), whereas in mouse trophoblast, histone deacetylases (HDACs) inhibit IRG expression. Here, we used genome-wide transcriptional profiling to investigate the collective roles of PTPs and HDACs on regulation of IRG expression in human choriocarcinoma cells. Logic-rules were optimized to derive regulatory modes governing gene expression patterns observed upon different combinations of treatment with PTP and HDAC inhibitors. The results demonstrate that IRGs can be divided into several categories in human choriocarcinoma cells, each of which is subject to distinct mechanisms of repression. Hence, the regulatory modes identified in this study suggest that human trophoblast and choriocarcinoma cells may evade the potentially deleterious consequences of exposure to IFN-γ by using several overlapping mechanisms to block IRG expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Van Twisk
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Shawn P Murphy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Juilee Thakar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA.,Biostatistics and Computational Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
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Tanaka K, Sakai K, Matsushima M, Matsuzawa Y, Izawa T, Kobayashi Y, Iwashita M. Non-essential and branched-chain amino acids differentially regulate insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 production and phosphorylation in HepG2 cells. Growth Factors 2017; 35:19-28. [PMID: 28468523 DOI: 10.1080/08977194.2017.1319827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Deprivation of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) induces insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) production in HepG2 cells, while the role of non-essential amino acids (NEAAs) remains unknown. We investigated changes in IGFBP-1 production and phosphorylation induced by NEAAs and also examined its significance on IGF-I activity in HepG2 cells. We demonstrated that decreased BCAAs and increased NEAAs stimulated phosphorylated IGFBP-1 secretion. We also revealed that decreased BCAA-to-NEAA ratios enhanced phosphorylated IGFBP-1 secretion, while changes in the total amount of amino acids (AAs) had no effect. Phosphorylation of IGF-I receptor β-subunits mediated by exogenous IGF-I in HepG2 cells was inhibited by decreased BCAAs, increased NEAAs, and decreased BCAA-to-NEAA ratios, while the total amount of AAs had no effect. In addition to BCAAs, NEAAs are also responsible for the regulation of IGFBP-1 secretion and phosphorylation in HepG2 cells. Moreover, the balance of BCAAs and NEAAs regulated IGFBP-1 secretion and phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kei Tanaka
- a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Kyorin University School of Medicine , Mitaka , Tokyo , Japan
| | - Keiji Sakai
- a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Kyorin University School of Medicine , Mitaka , Tokyo , Japan
| | - Miho Matsushima
- a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Kyorin University School of Medicine , Mitaka , Tokyo , Japan
| | - Yukiko Matsuzawa
- a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Kyorin University School of Medicine , Mitaka , Tokyo , Japan
| | - Tomoko Izawa
- a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Kyorin University School of Medicine , Mitaka , Tokyo , Japan
| | - Yoichi Kobayashi
- a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Kyorin University School of Medicine , Mitaka , Tokyo , Japan
| | - Mitsutoshi Iwashita
- a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Kyorin University School of Medicine , Mitaka , Tokyo , Japan
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Thompson LP, Pence L, Pinkas G, Song H, Telugu BP. Placental Hypoxia During Early Pregnancy Causes Maternal Hypertension and Placental Insufficiency in the Hypoxic Guinea Pig Model. Biol Reprod 2016; 95:128. [PMID: 27806942 PMCID: PMC5315426 DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.116.142273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2016] [Revised: 06/21/2016] [Accepted: 10/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic placental hypoxia is one of the root causes of placental insufficiencies that result in pre-eclampsia and maternal hypertension. Chronic hypoxia causes disruption of trophoblast (TB) development, invasion into maternal decidua, and remodeling of maternal spiral arteries. The pregnant guinea pig shares several characteristics with humans such as hemomonochorial placenta, villous subplacenta, deep TB invasion, and remodeling of maternal arteries, and is an ideal animal model to study placental development. We hypothesized that chronic placental hypoxia of the pregnant guinea pig inhibits TB invasion and alters spiral artery remodeling. Time-mated pregnant guinea pigs were exposed to either normoxia (NMX) or three levels of hypoxia (HPX: 16%, 12%, or 10.5% O2) from 20 day gestation until midterm (39-40 days) or term (60-65 days). At term, HPX (10.5% O2) increased maternal arterial blood pressure (HPX 57.9 ± 2.3 vs. NMX 40.4 ± 2.3, P < 0.001), decreased fetal weight by 16.1% (P < 0.05), and increased both absolute and relative placenta weights by 10.1% and 31.8%, respectively (P < 0.05). At midterm, there was a significant increase in TB proliferation in HPX placentas as confirmed by increased PCNA and KRT7 staining and elevated ESX1 (TB marker) gene expression (P < 0.05). Additionally, quantitative image analysis revealed decreased invasion of maternal blood vessels by TB cells. In summary, this animal model of placental HPX identifies several aspects of abnormal placental development, including increased TB proliferation and decreased migration and invasion of TBs into the spiral arteries, the consequences of which are associated with maternal hypertension and fetal growth restriction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loren P Thompson
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Laramie Pence
- Animal Biosciences and Biotechnology Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, Maryland
- Animal and Avian Science, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Gerald Pinkas
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Hong Song
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Bhanu P Telugu
- Animal Biosciences and Biotechnology Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, Maryland
- Animal and Avian Science, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
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Maron BA, Machado RF, Shimoda L. Pulmonary vascular and ventricular dysfunction in the susceptible patient (2015 Grover Conference series). Pulm Circ 2016; 6:426-438. [PMID: 28090285 PMCID: PMC5210067 DOI: 10.1086/688315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2016] [Accepted: 06/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary blood vessel structure and tone are maintained by a complex interplay between endogenous vasoactive factors and oxygen-sensing intermediaries. Under physiological conditions, these signaling networks function as an adaptive interface between the pulmonary circulation and environmental or acquired perturbations to preserve oxygenation and maintain systemic delivery of oxygen-rich hemoglobin. Chronic exposure to hypoxia, however, triggers a range of pathogenetic mechanisms that include hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α)-dependent upregulation of the vasoconstrictor peptide endothelin 1 in pulmonary endothelial cells. In pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells, chronic hypoxia induces HIF-1α-mediated upregulation of canonical transient receptor potential proteins, as well as increased Rho kinase-Ca2+ signaling and pulmonary arteriole synthesis of the profibrotic hormone aldosterone. Collectively, these mechanisms contribute to a contractile or hypertrophic pulmonary vascular phenotype. Genetically inherited disorders in hemoglobin structure are also an important etiology of abnormal pulmonary vasoreactivity. In sickle cell anemia, for example, consumption of the vasodilator and antimitogenic molecule nitric oxide by cell-free hemoglobin is an important mechanism underpinning pulmonary hypertension. Contemporary genomic and transcriptomic analytic methods have also allowed for the discovery of novel risk factors relevant to sickle cell disease, including GALNT13 gene variants. In this report, we review cutting-edge observations characterizing these and other pathobiological mechanisms that contribute to pulmonary vascular and right ventricular vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley A. Maron
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; and Department of Cardiology, Boston Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Roberto F. Machado
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care Medicine, Sleep and Allergy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Larissa Shimoda
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Asthma and Allergy Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Cervar-Zivkovic M, Hu C, Barton A, Sadovsky Y, Desoye G, Lang U, Nelson DM. Endothelin-1 Attenuates Apoptosis in Cultured Trophoblasts From Term Human Placentas. Reprod Sci 2016; 14:430-9. [PMID: 17913962 DOI: 10.1177/1933719107305801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
The authors test the hypothesis that endothelin-1 (ET-1) modulates apoptosis in human term trophoblasts. Primary cultures of cytotrophoblasts from term human placentas (n = 5) were cultured for 16 hours total or 24 hours prior to harvest at 72 hours in atmospheres of <1%, 8%, and 20% oxygen, in the presence of 10% serum, ET-1 (1-100 pmol/mL), both, or neither. The apoptotic cleavage products of poly-ADP-ribose polymerase and cytokeratin 18 filaments were quantified by Western analysis and immunocytochemistry. The expression of BAD, pBAD-serine 112, p53, and 2 isoforms of MDM2 were quantified by immunoblotting, and endothelin A and B receptors were analyzed by immunocytochemistry. Compared to vehicle control, increasing concentrations of ET-1 reduce by 3- to 6-fold the level of apoptosis in cytotrophoblasts exposed to serum-free conditions at 20% oxygen. Similarly, syncytiotrophoblast cultures grown for 24 hours without serum in 100 pmol/mL ET-1 show a 3-fold lower level of apoptosis compared with vehicle control. ET-1 significantly reduces apoptosis in cultures exposed to 20% oxygen but not in cultures exposed to 8% or 1% oxygen. The effect of ET-1 on apoptosis in 20% oxygen is accompanied by reduced p53 expression and is correlated with enhanced expression of endothelin B receptor, compared to cultures in 8% or 1% oxygen. ET-1 reduces apoptosis in cultured human trophoblasts, and this finding suggests a role for ET-1 in protecting trophoblasts against injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Cervar-Zivkovic
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, USA.
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Bairagi S, Quinn K, Crane A, Ashley R, Borowicz P, Caton J, Redden R, Grazul-Bilska A, Reynolds L. Maternal environment and placental vascularization in small ruminants. Theriogenology 2016; 86:288-305. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2016.04.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2015] [Revised: 01/21/2016] [Accepted: 03/23/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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Goyal R, Billings TL, Mansour T, Martin C, Baylink DJ, Longo LD, Pearce WJ, Mata-Greenwood E. Vitamin D status and metabolism in an ovine pregnancy model: effect of long-term, high-altitude hypoxia. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2016; 310:E1062-71. [PMID: 27143557 PMCID: PMC4935137 DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00494.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2015] [Accepted: 04/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Vitamin D status increases during healthy mammalian pregnancy, but the molecular determinants remain uncharacterized. The first objective of this study was to determine the effects of pregnancy, and the second objective was to examine the role of chronic hypoxia on vitamin D status and metabolism in an ovine model. We analyzed the plasma levels of cholecalciferol, 25-OH-D, and 1α,25-(OH)2D in nonpregnant ewes, near-term pregnant ewes, and their fetuses exposed to normoxia (low altitude) or hypoxia (high-altitude) for 100 days. Hypoxic sheep had increased circulating levels of 25-OH-D and 1α,25-(OH)2D compared with normoxic sheep. Hypoxia increases in 25-OH-D were associated with increased expression of renal 25-hydroxylases CYP2R1 and CYP2J. Pregnancy did not increase further the plasma levels of 25-OH-D, but it significantly increased those of the active metabolite, 1α,25-(OH)2D, in both normoxic and hypoxic ewes. Increased bioactivation of vitamin D correlated with increased expression of the vitamin D-activating enzyme CYP27b1 and decreased expression of the inactivating enzyme CYP24a1 in maternal kidneys and placentas. Hypoxia increased parathyroid hormone levels and further increased renal CYP27b1. Pregnancy and hypoxia decreased the expression of vitamin D receptor (VDR) in maternal kidney and lung, with opposite effects on placental VDR. We conclude that ovine pregnancy is a model of increased vitamin D status, and long-term hypoxia further improves vitamin D status due to pregnancy- and hypoxia-specific regulation of VDR and metabolic enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - David J Baylink
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California
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Morton JS, Cooke CL, Davidge ST. In Utero Origins of Hypertension: Mechanisms and Targets for Therapy. Physiol Rev 2016; 96:549-603. [DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00015.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The developmental origins of health and disease theory is based on evidence that a suboptimal environment during fetal and neonatal development can significantly impact the evolution of adult-onset disease. Abundant evidence exists that a compromised prenatal (and early postnatal) environment leads to an increased risk of hypertension later in life. Hypertension is a silent, chronic, and progressive disease defined by elevated blood pressure (>140/90 mmHg) and is strongly correlated with cardiovascular morbidity/mortality. The pathophysiological mechanisms, however, are complex and poorly understood, and hypertension continues to be one of the most resilient health problems in modern society. Research into the programming of hypertension has proposed pharmacological treatment strategies to reverse and/or prevent disease. In addition, modifications to the lifestyle of pregnant women might impart far-reaching benefits to the health of their children. As more information is discovered, more successful management of hypertension can be expected to follow; however, while pregnancy complications such as fetal growth restriction, preeclampsia, preterm birth, etc., continue to occur, their offspring will be at increased risk for hypertension. This article reviews the current knowledge surrounding the developmental origins of hypertension, with a focus on mechanistic pathways and targets for therapeutic and pharmacologic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jude S. Morton
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and of Physiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada; Women and Children's Health Research Institute, Edmonton, Canada; and Cardiovascular Research Centre, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Christy-Lynn Cooke
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and of Physiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada; Women and Children's Health Research Institute, Edmonton, Canada; and Cardiovascular Research Centre, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Sandra T. Davidge
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and of Physiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada; Women and Children's Health Research Institute, Edmonton, Canada; and Cardiovascular Research Centre, Edmonton, Canada
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48
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Ancient DNA reveals selection acting on genes associated with hypoxia response in pre-Columbian Peruvian Highlanders in the last 8500 years. Sci Rep 2016; 6:23485. [PMID: 26996763 PMCID: PMC4800713 DOI: 10.1038/srep23485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2015] [Accepted: 03/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Archaeological evidence shows that humans began living in the high altitude Andes approximately 12,000 years ago. Andean highlanders are known to have developed the most complex societies of pre-Columbian South America despite challenges to their health and reproductive success resulting from chronic exposure to hypoxia. While the physiological adaptations to this environmental stressor are well studied in contemporary Andean highlanders, the molecular evolutionary processes associated with such adaptations remain unclear. We aim to better understand how humans managed to demographically establish in this harsh environment by addressing a central question: did exposure to hypoxia drive adaptation via natural selection within Andean populations or did an existing phenotype –characterized by reduced susceptibility to hypoxic stress–enable human settlement of the Andes? We genotyped three variable loci within the NOS3 and EGLN1 genes previously associated with adaptation to high altitude in 150 ancient human DNA samples from Peruvian high altitude and coastal low altitude sites in a time frame between ~8500–560 BP. We compare the data of 109 successful samples to forward simulations of genetic drift with natural selection and find that selection, rather than drift, explains the gradual frequency changes observed in the highland populations for two of the three SNPs.
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Jha AR, Zhou D, Brown CD, Kreitman M, Haddad GG, White KP. Shared Genetic Signals of Hypoxia Adaptation in Drosophila and in High-Altitude Human Populations. Mol Biol Evol 2015; 33:501-17. [PMID: 26576852 PMCID: PMC4866538 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msv248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability to withstand low oxygen (hypoxia tolerance) is a polygenic and mechanistically conserved trait that has important implications for both human health and evolution. However, little is known about the diversity of genetic mechanisms involved in hypoxia adaptation in evolving populations. We used experimental evolution and whole-genome sequencing in Drosophila melanogaster to investigate the role of natural variation in adaptation to hypoxia. Using a generalized linear mixed model we identified significant allele frequency differences between three independently evolved hypoxia-tolerant populations and normoxic control populations for approximately 3,800 single nucleotide polymorphisms. Around 50% of these variants are clustered in 66 distinct genomic regions. These regions contain genes that are differentially expressed between hypoxia-tolerant and normoxic populations and several of the differentially expressed genes are associated with metabolic processes. Additional genes associated with respiratory and open tracheal system development also show evidence of directional selection. RNAi-mediated knockdown of several candidate genes’ expression significantly enhanced survival in severe hypoxia. Using genomewide single nucleotide polymorphism data from four high-altitude human populations—Sherpas, Tibetans, Ethiopians, and Andeans, we found that several human orthologs of the genes under selection in flies are also likely under positive selection in all four high-altitude human populations. Thus, our results indicate that selection for hypoxia tolerance can act on standing genetic variation in similar genes and pathways present in organisms diverged by hundreds of millions of years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aashish R Jha
- Institute for Genomics and Systems Biology, The University of Chicago Department of Human Genetics, The University of Chicago Department of Ecology and Evolution, The University of Chicago
| | - Dan Zhou
- Division of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of California at San Diego
| | - Christopher D Brown
- Institute for Genomics and Systems Biology, The University of Chicago Department of Human Genetics, The University of Chicago
| | - Martin Kreitman
- Institute for Genomics and Systems Biology, The University of Chicago Department of Ecology and Evolution, The University of Chicago Committee on Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology, The University of Chicago
| | - Gabriel G Haddad
- Division of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of California at San Diego Department of Neurosciences, University of California at San Diego Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA
| | - Kevin P White
- Institute for Genomics and Systems Biology, The University of Chicago Department of Human Genetics, The University of Chicago Department of Ecology and Evolution, The University of Chicago Committee on Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology, The University of Chicago
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Parraguez VH, Mamani S, Cofré E, Castellaro G, Urquieta B, De los Reyes M, Astiz S, Gonzalez-Bulnes A. Disturbances in Maternal Steroidogenesis and Appearance of Intrauterine Growth Retardation at High-Altitude Environments Are Established from Early Pregnancy. Effects of Treatment with Antioxidant Vitamins. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0140902. [PMID: 26560325 PMCID: PMC4641609 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2015] [Accepted: 10/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Pregnancies at high-altitudes are influenced by hypoxia and oxidative stress and frequently affected by IUGR. However, a common thought is that early pregnant women visiting altitude have no major complications for gestation development, since IUGR is developed during the second half of pregnancy. Thus, using a well-characterized sheep-model, we aimed to determine whether long- and/or short-term exposure to high-altitude may affect maternal steroidogenesis and therefore embryo-fetal growth from conception. The second aim was to differentiate the relative role of hypoxia and oxidative stress by assessing the effects of supplementation with antioxidant agents during this early-pregnancy stage, which were previously found to be useful to prevent IUGR. The results indicate that both long- and short-term exposure to high-altitude causes disturbances in maternal ovarian steroidogenesis and negatively affects embryo-fetal growth already during the very early stages of gestation, with the consequences being even worsened in newcomers to high-altitude. The supply of antioxidant during this period only showed discrete effects for preventing IUGR. In conclusion, the present study gives a warning for clinicians about the risks for early-pregnant women when visiting high-altitude regions and suggests the need for further studies on the effects of the length of exposure and on the interaction of the exposure with the pregnancy stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor H. Parraguez
- Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Chile, Casilla 2, Correo 15, La Granja, Santiago, Chile
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Chile, Casilla 2, Correo 15, La Granja, Santiago, Chile
- International Centre for Andean Studies, University of Chile, Casilla 2, Correo 15, La Granja, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sandra Mamani
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Chile, Casilla 2, Correo 15, La Granja, Santiago, Chile
| | - Eileen Cofré
- Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Chile, Casilla 2, Correo 15, La Granja, Santiago, Chile
| | - Giorgio Castellaro
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Chile, Casilla 2, Correo 15, La Granja, Santiago, Chile
| | - Bessie Urquieta
- Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Chile, Casilla 2, Correo 15, La Granja, Santiago, Chile
| | - Mónica De los Reyes
- Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Chile, Casilla 2, Correo 15, La Granja, Santiago, Chile
| | - Susana Astiz
- Comparative Physiology Lab, SGIT-INIA, Av. Puerta de Hierro s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes
- Comparative Physiology Lab, SGIT-INIA, Av. Puerta de Hierro s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Via Vienna 2, 07100, Sassari, Italy
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