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Horvat Mercnik M, Schliefsteiner C, Sanchez-Duffhues G, Wadsack C. TGFβ signalling: a nexus between inflammation, placental health and preeclampsia throughout pregnancy. Hum Reprod Update 2024; 30:442-471. [PMID: 38519450 PMCID: PMC11215164 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmae007] [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] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The placenta is a unique and pivotal organ in reproduction, controlling crucial growth and cell differentiation processes that ensure a successful pregnancy. Placental development is a tightly regulated and dynamic process, in which the transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) superfamily plays a central role. This family of pleiotropic growth factors is heavily involved in regulating various aspects of reproductive biology, particularly in trophoblast differentiation during the first trimester of pregnancy. TGFβ signalling precisely regulates trophoblast invasion and the cell transition from cytotrophoblasts to extravillous trophoblasts, which is an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition-like process. Later in pregnancy, TGFβ signalling ensures proper vascularization and angiogenesis in placental endothelial cells. Beyond its role in trophoblasts and endothelial cells, TGFβ signalling contributes to the polarization and function of placental and decidual macrophages by promoting maternal tolerance of the semi-allogeneic foetus. Disturbances in early placental development have been associated with several pregnancy complications, including preeclampsia (PE) which is one of the severe complications. Emerging evidence suggests that TGFβ is involved in the pathogenesis of PE, thereby offering a potential target for intervention in the human placenta. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE This comprehensive review aims to explore and elucidate the roles of the major members of the TGFβ superfamily, including TGFβs, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), activins, inhibins, nodals, and growth differentiation factors (GDFs), in the context of placental development and function. The review focusses on their interactions within the major cell types of the placenta, namely trophoblasts, endothelial cells, and immune cells, in both normal pregnancies and pregnancies complicated by PE throughout pregnancy. SEARCH METHODS A literature search was carried out using PubMed and Google Scholar, searching terms: 'TGF signalling preeclampsia', 'pregnancy TGF signalling', 'preeclampsia tgfβ', 'preeclampsia bmp', 'preeclampsia gdf', 'preeclampsia activin', 'endoglin preeclampsia', 'endoglin pregnancy', 'tgfβ signalling pregnancy', 'bmp signalling pregnancy', 'gdf signalling pregnancy', 'activin signalling pregnancy', 'Hofbauer cell tgfβ signalling', 'placental macrophages tgfβ', 'endothelial cells tgfβ', 'endothelium tgfβ signalling', 'trophoblast invasion tgfβ signalling', 'trophoblast invasion Smad', 'trophoblast invasion bmp', 'trophoblast invasion tgfβ', 'tgfβ preeclampsia', 'tgfβ placental development', 'TGFβ placental function', 'endothelial dysfunction preeclampsia tgfβ signalling', 'vascular remodelling placenta TGFβ', 'inflammation pregnancy tgfβ', 'immune response pregnancy tgfβ', 'immune tolerance pregnancy tgfβ', 'TGFβ pregnancy NK cells', 'bmp pregnancy NK cells', 'bmp pregnancy tregs', 'tgfβ pregnancy tregs', 'TGFβ placenta NK cells', 'TGFβ placenta tregs', 'NK cells preeclampsia', 'Tregs preeclampsia'. Only articles published in English until 2023 were used. OUTCOMES A comprehensive understanding of TGFβ signalling and its role in regulating interconnected cell functions of the main placental cell types provides valuable insights into the processes essential for successful placental development and growth of the foetus during pregnancy. By orchestrating trophoblast invasion, vascularization, immune tolerance, and tissue remodelling, TGFβ ligands contribute to the proper functioning of a healthy maternal-foetal interface. However, dysregulation of TGFβ signalling has been implicated in the pathogenesis of PE, where the shallow trophoblast invasion, defective vascular remodelling, decreased uteroplacental perfusion, and endothelial cell and immune dysfunction observed in PE, are all affected by an altered TGFβ signalling. WIDER IMPLICATIONS The dysregulation of TGFβ signalling in PE has important implications for research and clinical practice. Further investigation is required to understand the underlying mechanisms, including the role of different ligands and their regulation under pathophysiological conditions, in order to discover new therapeutic targets. Distinguishing between clinically manifested subtypes of PE and studying TGFβ signalling in different placental cell types holistically is an important first step. To put this knowledge into practice, pre-clinical animal models combined with new technologies are needed. This may also lead to improved human research models and identify potential therapeutic targets, ultimately improving outcomes for affected pregnancies and reducing the burden of PE.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Gonzalo Sanchez-Duffhues
- Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology Research Center (CINN-CSIC), Tissue-Specific BMP Signalling ISPA-HUCA, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Christian Wadsack
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed-Graz, Graz, Austria
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Manoharan A, Ballambattu VB, Palani R. Genetic architecture of preeclampsia. Clin Chim Acta 2024; 558:119656. [PMID: 38583550 DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2024.119656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Aarthi Manoharan
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Kirumampakkam, Puducherry 607403, India.
| | | | - Ramya Palani
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aarupadai Veedu Medical College and Hospital, Vinayaka Mission's Research Foundation (DU), Kirumampakkam, Puducherry 607403, India
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Cao Z, Ma L, Cai W, Niu X, Yang N, Ni J, Wang X, Wei M, Chen S, Li Y. Genome-wide association study reveals HSF2, GJA1 and TRIM36 as susceptibility genes for preeclampsia: a community-based population study in Tianjin, China. Hypertens Pregnancy 2023; 42:2256863. [PMID: 37735976 DOI: 10.1080/10641955.2023.2256863] [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: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Preeclampsia (PE) mainly occurs in pregnant women and is hereditary. Several genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on Caucasian samples have reported some gene loci that are associated with preeclampsia. However, these studies have not reached consistent conclusions. No previous GWAS has examined preeclampsia in the Chinese Han population. METHOD This study aimed to identify common genetic variations associated with preeclampsia in the Chinese Han population through two-stage case‒control studies. The discovery cohort included 92 patients with severe preeclampsia and 187 healthy controls. The validation cohort included 52 patients with preeclampsia and 104 controls. A genome-wide association study was performed to identify putative preeclampsia genes in the discovery cohort, with validation in the validation cohort. RESULTS In the discovery cohort, GWAS demonstrated that 19 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were associated with preeclampsia (P < 10-5). The pathway analysis revealed that these 19 SNP representative genes were mainly enriched in the adenylyl cyclase-inhibiting G-protein coupled receptor signaling pathway. After validation in the validation cohort, rs13176432 and rs13210237 remained closely related to preeclampsia (P<0.05). In the combined data set, the frequency of the G allele in rs13176432 was significantly higher in cases with preeclampsia than in controls (P = 5 × 10-6). The frequency of the A allele in rs13210237 was higher in the preeclampsia group (P = 8 × 10-6). The rs13210237 representative genes include HSF2 and GJA1, while the rs13176432 representative gene is TRIM36. There were no differences in genotype distribution between the early-onset and late-onset preeclampsia groups (P > 0.05). Furthermore, rs13210237 and rs13176432 were related to preeclampsia in the adjusted regression model (P < 0.000). CONCLUSION In this study of two independent cohorts, we found that rs13210237 and rs13176432 might be novel preeclampsia-susceptible genetic factors in the Han population in China. However, there was no association between the onset of preeclampsia and these genotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenhua Cao
- Nankai Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
- Department of cardiology, Nankai Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Li Ma
- Department of Obstetrics, The First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Wei Cai
- Institute of Cardiovascular Disease and Heart Center, Characteristic Medical Center of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiulong Niu
- Institute of Cardiovascular Disease and Heart Center, Characteristic Medical Center of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force, Tianjin, China
| | - Ning Yang
- Department of Cardiology, Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA) International Cardiovascular Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Jianmei Ni
- Department of cardiology, Nankai Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiaojing Wang
- Institute of Cardiovascular Disease and Heart Center, Characteristic Medical Center of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force, Tianjin, China
| | - Maoti Wei
- Department of Cardiology, Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA) International Cardiovascular Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Shaobo Chen
- Institute of Cardiovascular Disease and Heart Center, Characteristic Medical Center of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force, Tianjin, China
| | - Yuming Li
- Department of Cardiology, Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA) International Cardiovascular Hospital, Tianjin, China
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Zhang H, Ruan Q, Chen C, Yu H, Guan S, Hu D, Yang C, Lin R, Zhuo C. Activin A/ACVR2A axis inhibits epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in colon cancer by activating SMAD2. Mol Carcinog 2023; 62:1585-1598. [PMID: 37378449 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. Liver metastasis is the major direct cause of colorectal cancer-related deaths. Although radical resection is the most effective treatment for colorectal cancer liver metastasis, several patients are not eligible for surgery. Therefore, there is a need to develop novel treatments based on the understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying liver metastasis in colorectal cancer. This study demonstrated that activin A/ACVR2A inhibits colon cancer cell migration and invasion, as well as suppresses the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of mouse colon cancer cells. This finding has been further validated in animal experiments. Mechanistic studies revealed that activin A binds to Smad2 (instead of Smad3) and activates its transcription. Analysis of the paired clinical samples further confirmed that the expression levels of ACVR2A and SMAD2 were the highest in adjacent healthy tissues, followed by primary colon cancer tissues and liver metastasis tissues, suggesting that ACVR2A downregulation may promote colon cancer metastasis. Bioinformatics analysis and clinical studies demonstrated that ACVR2A downregulation was significantly associated with liver metastasis and poor disease-free and progression-free survival of patients with colon cancer. These results suggest that the activin A/ACVR2A axis promotes colon cancer metastasis by selectively activating SMAD2. Thus, targeting ACVR2A is a potential novel therapeutic strategy to prevent colon cancer metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Zhang
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgical Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiang Ruan
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, People's Republic of China
| | - Changjiang Chen
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgical Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Yu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgical Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, People's Republic of China
| | - Shen Guan
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgical Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, People's Republic of China
| | - Dan Hu
- Department of Pathology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunkang Yang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgical Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, People's Republic of China
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine and Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Biotherapy, Fuzhou, Fujian, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruirong Lin
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgical Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, People's Republic of China
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine and Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Biotherapy, Fuzhou, Fujian, People's Republic of China
| | - Changhua Zhuo
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgical Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, People's Republic of China
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine and Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Biotherapy, Fuzhou, Fujian, People's Republic of China
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Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva and Pregnancy: A Case Series and Review of the Literature. Case Rep Obstet Gynecol 2022; 2022:9857766. [PMID: 36159183 PMCID: PMC9507790 DOI: 10.1155/2022/9857766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To evaluate maternal and fetal outcomes in pregnant patients with fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP; OMIM#135100), an ultrarare genetic disorder characterized by progressive heterotopic ossification of soft tissues and cumulative disability. Methods This is a retrospective case series of three patients with FOP who were admitted to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, from to February 2011 to July 2021. Results Three women delivered preterm infants at our institution. These cases posed unique anesthetic and obstetric technical challenges, particularly when securing the airway and performing cesarean delivery. Importantly, each patient received perioperative glucocorticoids for prevention of further heterotopic ossification. Conclusion FOP is a unique clinical diagnosis encountered by obstetricians and requires multidisciplinary management for optimal outcomes.
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Preeclampsia, Natural History, Genes, and miRNAs Associated with the Syndrome. J Pregnancy 2022; 2022:3851225. [PMID: 35198246 PMCID: PMC8860533 DOI: 10.1155/2022/3851225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Preeclampsia (PE) is a hypertensive disease that affects pregnant women after 20 weeks of gestation. This disease is associated with an important risk of maternal and fetal mortality. PE is described as a placental pathology because, after delivery, most women recover normal arterial pressure. Poor invasion of the spiral arteries is a phenomenon well described in PE; this leads to a hypoxic uterine bed and imbalance of antiangiogenic and proangiogenic factors in the uteroplacental region, which in turn triggers the disease phenotype. The causes of the pathology are unclear; nevertheless, numerous approaches, including next-generation sequencing, association, and case control and miRNA studies, have shed light on the genetic/molecular basis of PE. These studies help us better understand the disease to advance new treatment strategies.
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Miller EC, Wilczek A, Bello NA, Tom S, Wapner R, Suh Y. Pregnancy, preeclampsia and maternal aging: From epidemiology to functional genomics. Ageing Res Rev 2022; 73:101535. [PMID: 34871806 PMCID: PMC8827396 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Women live longer than men but experience greater disability and a longer period of illness as they age. Despite clear sex differences in aging, the impact of pregnancy and its complications, such as preeclampsia, on aging is an underexplored area of geroscience. This review summarizes our current knowledge about the complex links between pregnancy and age-related diseases, including evidence from epidemiology, clinical research, and genetics. We discuss the relationship between normal and pathological pregnancy and maternal aging, using preeclampsia as a primary example. We review the results of human genetics studies of preeclampsia, including genome wide association studies (GWAS), and attempted to catalog genes involved in preeclampsia as a gateway to mechanisms underlying an increased risk of later life cardio- and neuro- vascular events. Lastly, we discuss challenges in interpreting the GWAS of preeclampsia and provide a functional genomics framework for future research needed to fully realize the promise of GWAS in identifying targets for geroprotective prevention and therapeutics against preeclampsia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliza C. Miller
- Department of Neurology, Division of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ashley Wilczek
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Natalie A. Bello
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sarah Tom
- Department of Neurology, Division of Neurology Clinical Outcomes Research and Population Science and the Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ronald Wapner
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Yousin Suh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA; Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
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Whole-exome sequencing in multiplex preeclampsia families identifies novel candidate susceptibility genes. J Hypertens 2020; 37:997-1011. [PMID: 30633125 DOI: 10.1097/hjh.0000000000002023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Preeclampsia is a common and serious heritable disorder of human pregnancy. Although there have been notable successes in identification of maternal susceptibility genes a large proportion of the heritability of preeclampsia remains unaccounted for. It is has been postulated that rare variation may account for some of this missing heritability. In this study, we performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) in multiplex families to identify rare exonic risk variants. METHODS We conducted WES in 244 individuals from 34 Australian/New Zealand multiplex preeclampsia families. Variants were tested for association with preeclampsia using a threshold model and logistic regression. RESULTS We found significant association for two moderately rare missense variants, rs145743393 (Padj = 0.0032, minor allele frequency = 0.016) in the chromosome 1 open reading frame 35 (C1orf35) gene, and rs34270076 (Padj = 0.0128, minor allele frequency = 0.024) in the pyroglutamylated RFamide peptide receptor (QRFPR) gene. To replicate these associations we performed imputation in our Australian genome wide association scan for preeclampsia and found no significant exonic variants in either C1orf35 or QRFPR. However, 11 variants demonstrating nominal significance (P < 0.05) in the genomic region between QRFPR and annexin A5 (ANXA5) were identified. We further leveraged publicly available genome-wide available summary data from the UK Biobank to investigate association of these two variants with the underlying clinical phenotypes of preeclampsia and detected nominal association of the QRFPR variant (rs34270076, P = 0.03) with protein levels in females. CONCLUSION The study represents the first to use WES in multiplex families for preeclampsia and identifies two novel genes (QRFPR and C1orf35) not previously associated with preeclampsia and find nominal association of rs34270076 with protein levels, a key clinical feature of preeclampsia. We find further support for ANXA5 previously associated with pregnancy complications, including preeclampsia.
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Association between ACVR2A gene polymorphisms and risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in the northern Chinese population. Placenta 2020; 90:1-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2019.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2019] [Revised: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Huang X, Li Z, Lei J, Wang D, Zhang Y. Genetic polymorphism in DGCR8 is associated with late onset of preeclampsia. BMC MEDICAL GENETICS 2019; 20:151. [PMID: 31484500 PMCID: PMC6727569 DOI: 10.1186/s12881-019-0887-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Background PE (preeclampsia) is a heterogeneous disorder with early onset PE (EOPE) and late onset PE (LOPE) subtypes. Associations between maternal miRNAs biosynthesis genes polymorphisms and risk of PE have been previously observed. However, the impact of polymorphisms in DGCR8 which is indispensable in miRNA maturing processing on the susceptibility to preeclampsia (PE) has not been elucidated yet. We, therefore, conducted a case-control study to evaluate the impact of polymorphisms in DGCR8 on the risk of EOPE and LOPE. Methods A total of 66 patients diagnosed with EOPE, 206 with LOPE and 330 healthy controls were recruited. Five SNPs in DGCR8 were genotyped including rs1558496, rs1640299, rs720012, rs720014, and rs9606241. Logistic regression was used to estimate the OR and the 95% CI for the associations. Results Increased risk of LOPE has been observed among patients with rs1640299 TG genotype (OR = 1.98 (95%CI: 1.38, 2.87), p = 2.32e-4) and rs720014 TC genotype (OR = 2.49 (95%CI: 1.72, 3.60), p = 1.40e-7). The DGCR8 rs1558496/ rs1640299/ rs720012/ rs720014/ rs9606241 haplotype T-G-A-C-A and T-G-A-C-G were associated with increased risk of LOPE (OR = 2.20 (95%CI: 1.49, 3.25), p = 5.90e-5, and 1.58 (95%CI: 1.06, 2.36), p = 0.024, respectively). And the haplotype T-T-G-T-A was associated with lower risk of LOPE (OR = 0.74 (95%CI: 0.58, 0.95), p = 0.018). These significant associations retained after false-positive discovery rate correction. However, none of the tested SNPs or haplotypes in DGCR8 gene is associated with risk of EOPE (p > 0.05). Conclusions Polymorphisms in DGCR8 might participate in the pathological process of preeclampsia. The rs1640299 T > G and rs720014 T > C polymorphisms are associated with late onset preeclampsia susceptibility. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12881-019-0887-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Huang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, 371 Tongzipo Road, Yuelu District, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Zuodong Li
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, 371 Tongzipo Road, Yuelu District, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Jun Lei
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Dapeng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, China
| | - Yujing Zhang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, 371 Tongzipo Road, Yuelu District, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.
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Ariff A, Melton PE, Brennecke SP, Moses EK. Analysis of the Epigenome in Multiplex Pre-eclampsia Families Identifies SORD, DGKI, and ICA1 as Novel Candidate Risk Genes. Front Genet 2019; 10:227. [PMID: 30941163 PMCID: PMC6434177 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 02/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Pre-eclampsia is a serious heritable disorder that affects 5-8% of pregnancies worldwide. While classical genetic studies have identified several susceptibility genes they do not fully explain the heritability of pre-eclampsia. An additional contribution to risk can be quantified by examining the epigenome, in particular the methylome, which is a representation of interactions between environmental and genetic influences on the phenotype. Current array-based epigenetic studies only examine 2-5% of the methylome. Here, we used whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) to determine the entire methylome of 13 individuals from two multiplex pre-eclampsia families, comprising one woman with eclampsia, six women with pre-eclampsia, four women with uncomplicated normotensive pregnancies and two male relatives. The analysis of WGBS profiles using two bioinformatics platforms, BSmooth and Bismark, revealed 18,909 differentially methylated CpGs and 4157 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) concordant in females. The methylation patterns support the involvement of previously reported candidate genes, including COL4A1, SLC2A4, PER3, FLT1, GPI, LCT, DDAH1, TGFB3, DLX5, and LRP1B. Statistical analysis of DMRs revealed three novel genes significantly correlated with pre-eclampsia: sorbitol dehydrogenase (SORD, p = 9.98 × 10-6), diacylglycerol kinase iota (DGKI, p = 2.52 × 10-5), and islet cell autoantigen 1 (ICA1, 7.54 × 10-3), demonstrating the potential of WGBS in families for elucidating the role of epigenome in pre-eclampsia and other complex diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Ariff
- The Curtin UWA Centre for Genetic Origins of Health and Disease, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Curtin University, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.,School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Phillip E Melton
- The Curtin UWA Centre for Genetic Origins of Health and Disease, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Curtin University, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.,School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Shaun P Brennecke
- Department of Maternal-Fetal Medicine Pregnancy Research Centre, The Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Eric K Moses
- The Curtin UWA Centre for Genetic Origins of Health and Disease, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Curtin University, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.,School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.,School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
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12
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Amosco MD, Tavera GR, Villar VAM, Naniong JMA, David-Bustamante LMG, Williams SM, Jose PA, Palmes-Saloma CP. Non-additive effects of ACVR2A in preeclampsia in a Philippine population. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2019; 19:11. [PMID: 30621627 PMCID: PMC6323705 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-018-2152-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiple interrelated pathways contribute to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia, and variants in susceptibility genes may play a role among Filipinos, an ethnically distinct group with high prevalence of the disease. The objective of this study was to examine the association between variants in maternal candidate genes and the development of preeclampsia in a Philippine population. METHODS A case-control study involving 29 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 21 candidate genes was conducted in 150 patients with preeclampsia (cases) and 175 women with uncomplicated normal pregnancies (controls). Genotyping for the GRK4 and DRD1 gene variants was carried out using the TaqMan Assay, and all other variants were assayed using the Sequenom MassARRAY Iplex Platform. PLINK was used for SNP association testing. Multilocus association analysis was performed using multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR) analysis. RESULTS Among the clinical factors, older age (P < 1 × 10-4), higher BMI (P < 1 × 10-4), having a new partner (P = 0.006), and increased time interval from previous pregnancy (P = 0.018) associated with preeclampsia. The MDR algorithm identified the genetic variant ACVR2A rs1014064 as interacting with age and BMI in association with preeclampsia among Filipino women. CONCLUSIONS The MDR algorithm identified an interaction between age, BMI and ACVR2A rs1014064, indicating that context among genetic variants and demographic/clinical factors may be crucial to understanding the pathogenesis of preeclampsia among Filipino women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa D. Amosco
- National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, National Science Complex, University of the Philippines, Diliman, 1101 Quezon City, Philippines
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Philippine General Hospital - University of the Philippines, Taft Avenue, 1000 Manila, Philippines
| | - Gloria R. Tavera
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106 USA
| | - Van Anthony M. Villar
- Division of Renal Diseases & Hypertension, Department of Medicine, The George Washington University of School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Washington, DC, 20037 USA
| | - Justin Michael A. Naniong
- National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, National Science Complex, University of the Philippines, Diliman, 1101 Quezon City, Philippines
| | - Lara Marie G. David-Bustamante
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Philippine General Hospital - University of the Philippines, Taft Avenue, 1000 Manila, Philippines
| | - Scott M. Williams
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106 USA
| | - Pedro A. Jose
- Division of Renal Diseases & Hypertension, Department of Medicine, The George Washington University of School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Washington, DC, 20037 USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, The George Washington University of School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Washington, DC, 20037 USA
| | - Cynthia P. Palmes-Saloma
- National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, National Science Complex, University of the Philippines, Diliman, 1101 Quezon City, Philippines
- Philippine Genome Center, National Science Complex, University of the Philippines, Diliman, 1101 Quezon City, Philippines
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13
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Michita RT, Kaminski VDL, Chies JAB. Genetic Variants in Preeclampsia: Lessons From Studies in Latin-American Populations. Front Physiol 2018; 9:1771. [PMID: 30618791 PMCID: PMC6302048 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Accepted: 11/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Placental vascularization is a tightly regulated physiological process in which the maternal immune system plays a fundamental role. Vascularization of the maternal-placental interface involves a wide range of mechanisms primarily orchestrated by the fetal extravillous trophoblast and maternal immune cells. In a healthy pregnancy, an immune cross-talk between the mother and fetal cells results in the secretion of immunomodulatory mediators, apoptosis of specific cells, cellular differentiation/proliferation, angiogenesis, and vasculogenesis, altogether favoring a suitable microenvironment for the developing embryo. In the context of vasculopathy underlying common pregnancy disorders, it is believed that inefficient invasion of extravillous trophoblast cells in the endometrium leads to a poor placental blood supply, which, in turn, leads to decreased secretion of angiogenic factors, hypoxia, and inflammation commonly associated with preterm delivery, intrauterine growth restriction, and preeclampsia. In this review, we will focus on studies published by Latin American research groups, providing an extensive review of the role of genetic variants from candidate genes involved in a broad spectrum of biological processes underlying the pathophysiology of preeclampsia. In addition, we will discuss how these studies contribute to fill gaps in the current understanding of preeclampsia. Finally, we discuss some trending topics from important fields associated with pregnancy vascular disorders (e.g., epigenetics, transplantation biology, and non-coding RNAs) and underscore their possible implications in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia. As a result, these efforts are expected to give an overview of the extent of scientific research produced in Latin America and encourage multicentric collaborations by highlighted regional research groups involved in preeclampsia investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Tomoya Michita
- Immunogenetics Laboratory, Department of Genetics, Biosciences Institute, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Valéria de Lima Kaminski
- Immunogenetics Laboratory, Department of Genetics, Biosciences Institute, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - José Artur Bogo Chies
- Immunogenetics Laboratory, Department of Genetics, Biosciences Institute, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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14
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Glotov AS, Kazakov SV, Vashukova ES, Pakin VS, Danilova MM, Nasykhova YA, Masharsky AE, Mozgovaya EV, Eremeeva DR, Zainullina MS, Baranov VS. Targeted sequencing analysis of ACVR2A gene identifies novel risk variants associated with preeclampsia. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2018; 32:2790-2796. [DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2018.1449204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrey S. Glotov
- Laboratory of Prenatal Diagnostics of Hereditary Diseases, FSBSI “The Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductology named after D.O. Ott”, St. Petersburg, Russia
- Biobank of the Research Park, Saint Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Sergey V. Kazakov
- Computer Technologies Laboratory, ITMO University, St. Petersburg, Russia
- JetBrains Research, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Elena S. Vashukova
- Laboratory of Prenatal Diagnostics of Hereditary Diseases, FSBSI “The Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductology named after D.O. Ott”, St. Petersburg, Russia
- Biobank of the Research Park, Saint Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Vladimir S. Pakin
- Laboratory of Prenatal Diagnostics of Hereditary Diseases, FSBSI “The Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductology named after D.O. Ott”, St. Petersburg, Russia
- Biobank of the Research Park, Saint Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Maria M. Danilova
- Laboratory of Prenatal Diagnostics of Hereditary Diseases, FSBSI “The Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductology named after D.O. Ott”, St. Petersburg, Russia
- Biobank of the Research Park, Saint Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Yulia A. Nasykhova
- Laboratory of Prenatal Diagnostics of Hereditary Diseases, FSBSI “The Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductology named after D.O. Ott”, St. Petersburg, Russia
- Biobank of the Research Park, Saint Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Aleksey E. Masharsky
- Research Resource Centre for Molecular and Cell Technologies, Saint Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Elena V. Mozgovaya
- Laboratory of Prenatal Diagnostics of Hereditary Diseases, FSBSI “The Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductology named after D.O. Ott”, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | | | | | - Vladislav S. Baranov
- Laboratory of Prenatal Diagnostics of Hereditary Diseases, FSBSI “The Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductology named after D.O. Ott”, St. Petersburg, Russia
- Biobank of the Research Park, Saint Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
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15
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Abstract
Preeclampsia (PE) is a serious hypertensive disorder that affects up to 8% of all pregnancies annually. An established risk factor for PE is family history, clearly demonstrating an underlying genetic component to the disorder. To date, numerous genetic studies, using both the candidate gene and genome-wide approach, have been undertaken to tease out the genetic basis of PE and understand its origins. Such studies have identified some promising candidate genes such as STOX1 and ACVR2A. Nevertheless, researchers face ongoing challenges of replicating these genetic associations in different populations and performing the functional validation of identified genetic variants to determine their causality in the disorder. This chapter will review the genetic approaches used in the study of PE, discuss their limitations and possible confounders, and describe current strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah E J Yong
- Department of Maternal-Fetal Medicine Pregnancy Research Centre, The Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, The University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Padma Murthi
- Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Shaun P Brennecke
- Department of Maternal-Fetal Medicine Pregnancy Research Centre, The Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Eric K Moses
- Centre for Genetic Origins of Health and Disease, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
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16
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Yong HEJ, Murthi P, Kalionis B, Keogh RJ, Brennecke SP. Decidual ACVR2A regulates extravillous trophoblast functions of adhesion, proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro. Pregnancy Hypertens 2017; 12:189-193. [PMID: 29203340 DOI: 10.1016/j.preghy.2017.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Revised: 08/11/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Decidual stromal cells form the largest proportion of maternal cells at the maternal-fetal interface. Our aim was to investigate the role of the pre-eclampsia associated decidual activin receptor, ACVR2A, in regulating trophoblast functions at this interface. St-T1b and HTR-8/SVneo cell lines were used to model decidual stromal and trophoblast cells respectively. St-T1b conditioned medium inhibited HTR-8/SVneo adhesion, proliferation, migration and invasion; all effects that were attenuated by decidual ACVR2A siRNA transfection. These findings suggest that altered decidual ACVR2A expression perturbs the maternal-fetal crosstalk involved in regulating trophoblast function at the interface, which may affect placentation and lead to pre-eclampsia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah E J Yong
- The University of Melbourne, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Department of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Pregnancy Research Centre, The Royal Women's Hospital, Locked Bag 300, Corner Grattan Street and Flemington Road, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Padma Murthi
- The University of Melbourne, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Department of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Pregnancy Research Centre, The Royal Women's Hospital, Locked Bag 300, Corner Grattan Street and Flemington Road, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bill Kalionis
- The University of Melbourne, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Department of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Pregnancy Research Centre, The Royal Women's Hospital, Locked Bag 300, Corner Grattan Street and Flemington Road, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rosemary J Keogh
- The University of Melbourne, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Department of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Pregnancy Research Centre, The Royal Women's Hospital, Locked Bag 300, Corner Grattan Street and Flemington Road, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia
| | - Shaun P Brennecke
- The University of Melbourne, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Department of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Pregnancy Research Centre, The Royal Women's Hospital, Locked Bag 300, Corner Grattan Street and Flemington Road, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia
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17
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Yong HE, Murthi P, Wong MH, Kalionis B, Cartwright JE, Brennecke SP, Keogh RJ. Effects of normal and high circulating concentrations of activin A on vascular endothelial cell functions and vasoactive factor production. Pregnancy Hypertens 2015; 5:346-53. [DOI: 10.1016/j.preghy.2015.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2015] [Revised: 08/12/2015] [Accepted: 09/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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18
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ACVR2A promoter polymorphism rs1424954 in the Activin-A signaling pathway in trophoblasts. Placenta 2015; 36:345-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2015.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2014] [Revised: 01/14/2015] [Accepted: 01/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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