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Raja Xavier JP, Okumura T, Apweiler M, Chacko NA, Singh Y, Brucker SY, Takeda S, Lang F, Salker MS. Placental growth factor mediates pathological uterine angiogenesis by activating the NFAT5-SGK1 signaling axis in the endometrium: implications for preeclampsia development. Biol Res 2024; 57:55. [PMID: 39152497 PMCID: PMC11330076 DOI: 10.1186/s40659-024-00526-w] [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: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024] Open
Abstract
After menstruation the uterine spiral arteries are repaired through angiogenesis. This process is tightly regulated by the paracrine communication between endometrial stromal cells (EnSCs) and endothelial cells. Any molecular aberration in these processes can lead to complications in pregnancy including miscarriage or preeclampsia (PE). Placental growth factor (PlGF) is a known contributing factor for pathological angiogenesis but the mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated whether PlGF contributes to pathological uterine angiogenesis by disrupting EnSCs and endothelial paracrine communication. We observed that PlGF mediates a tonicity-independent activation of nuclear factor of activated T cells 5 (NFAT5) in EnSCs. NFAT5 activated downstream targets including SGK1, HIF-1α and VEGF-A. In depth characterization of PlGF - conditioned medium (CM) from EnSCs using mass spectrometry and ELISA methods revealed low VEGF-A and an abundance of extracellular matrix organization associated proteins. Secreted factors in PlGF-CM impeded normal angiogenic cues in endothelial cells (HUVECs) by downregulating Notch-VEGF signaling. Interestingly, PlGF-CM failed to support human placental (BeWo) cell invasion through HUVEC monolayer. Inhibition of SGK1 in EnSCs improved angiogenic effects in HUVECs and promoted BeWo invasion, revealing SGK1 as a key intermediate player modulating PlGF mediated anti-angiogenic signaling. Taken together, perturbed PlGF-NFAT5-SGK1 signaling in the endometrium can contribute to pathological uterine angiogenesis by negatively regulating EnSCs-endothelial crosstalk resulting in poor quality vessels in the uterine microenvironment. Taken together the signaling may impact on normal trophoblast invasion and thus placentation and, may be associated with an increased risk of complications such as PE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet P Raja Xavier
- Department of Women's Health, University of Tübingen, 72076, Calwerstraße 7/6, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Toshiyuki Okumura
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Melina Apweiler
- Department of Women's Health, University of Tübingen, 72076, Calwerstraße 7/6, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Nirzari A Chacko
- Department of Women's Health, University of Tübingen, 72076, Calwerstraße 7/6, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Yogesh Singh
- Department of Women's Health, University of Tübingen, 72076, Calwerstraße 7/6, Tübingen, Germany
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sara Y Brucker
- Department of Women's Health, University of Tübingen, 72076, Calwerstraße 7/6, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Satoru Takeda
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Florian Lang
- Department of Physiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Madhuri S Salker
- Department of Women's Health, University of Tübingen, 72076, Calwerstraße 7/6, Tübingen, Germany.
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Zhang T, Li H, Jiang E, Liu L, Zhang C. The downregulation of NSUN5 may contribute to preeclampsia. Biol Reprod 2024:ioae096. [PMID: 38924712 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioae096] [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: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Preeclampsia (PE) is a complication of pregnancy characterized by the new onset of hypertension after 20 weeks of gestation. The incidence of PE is steadily rising, posing a significant threat to the lives of both the pregnant woman and the fetus. Most studies on PE pathogenesis currently focus on the placenta, but maternal decidualization forms the foundation for placental growth and development. Recent studies have shown that impaired decidualization is also a cause of PE. Decidualization is a process where endometrial stromal cells gradually transform into secretory decidual cells during early pregnancy. While NSUN5 encodes a member of a conserved family of proteins, its role in pregnancy remains unknown. In this study, we conducted experiments and observed a significant downregulation of NSUN5 expression in severe preeclampsia decidual tissues compared to those of normal pregnant women. When inducing decidualization in vitro, we found an increase in NSUN5 expression. However, when we used siRNA to knockdown NSUN5 expression, the process of decidualization was prevented. Moreover, we observed a decrease in ATP content during both cell decidualization and after knockdown of NSUN5. Finally, through immunoprecipitation combined with mass spectrometry, we discovered that the protein ATP5B interacts with NSUN5. Furthermore, after knocking down ATP5B using siRNA, we observed impaired decidualization. Moreover, transfection with siRNA to suppress NSUN5 resulted in a decrease in ATP5B expression. These significant findings provide strong evidence that NSUN5 plays a crucial role in decidualization and is closely associated with the development of PE through its interaction with ATP5B.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianying Zhang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, Shandong, 250014, China
| | - Hua Li
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Ji'nan Maternity and Child Care Hospital, Jinan, Shandong 250001, China
| | - Enhui Jiang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, Shandong, 250014, China
| | - Lisheng Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, 250117, China
| | - Cong Zhang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, Shandong, 250014, China
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200135, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai, 200135, China
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Chemerinski A, Shen M, Valero-Pacheco N, Zhao Q, Murphy T, George L, Lemenze A, Sherman L, Heller D, Chen X, Wu T, McGovern PG, Morelli SS, Arora R, Beaulieu AM, Douglas NC. The impact of ovarian stimulation on the human endometrial microenvironment. Hum Reprod 2024; 39:1023-1041. [PMID: 38511208 PMCID: PMC11063567 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deae048] [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: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION How does ovarian stimulation (OS), which is used to mature multiple oocytes for ART procedures, impact the principal cellular compartments and transcriptome of the human endometrium in the periovulatory and mid-secretory phases? SUMMARY ANSWER During the mid-secretory window of implantation, OS alters the abundance of endometrial immune cells, whereas during the periovulatory period, OS substantially changes the endometrial transcriptome and impacts both endometrial glandular and immune cells. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Pregnancies conceived in an OS cycle are at risk of complications reflective of abnormal placentation and placental function. OS can alter endometrial gene expression and immune cell populations. How OS impacts the glandular, stromal, immune, and vascular compartments of the endometrium, in the periovulatory period as compared to the window of implantation, is unknown. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION This prospective cohort study carried out between 2020 and 2022 included 25 subjects undergoing OS and 25 subjects in natural menstrual cycles. Endometrial biopsies were performed in the proliferative, periovulatory, and mid-secretory phases. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Blood samples were processed to determine serum estradiol and progesterone levels. Both the endometrial transcriptome and the principal cellular compartments of the endometrium, including glands, stroma, immune, and vasculature, were evaluated by examining endometrial dating, differential gene expression, protein expression, cell populations, and the three-dimensional structure in endometrial tissue. Mann-Whitney U tests, unpaired t-tests or one-way ANOVA and pairwise multiple comparison tests were used to statistically evaluate differences. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE In the periovulatory period, OS induced high levels of differential gene expression, glandular-stromal dyssynchrony, and an increase in both glandular epithelial volume and the frequency of endometrial monocytes/macrophages. In the window of implantation during the mid-secretory phase, OS induced changes in endometrial immune cells, with a greater frequency of B cells and a lower frequency of CD4 effector T cells. LARGE SCALE DATA The data underlying this article have been uploaded to the Genome Expression Omnibus/National Center for Biotechnology Information with accession number GSE220044. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION A limited number of subjects were included in this study, although the subjects within each group, natural cycle or OS, were homogenous in their clinical characteristics. The number of subjects utilized was sufficient to identify significant differences; however, with a larger number of subjects and additional power, we may detect additional differences. Another limitation of the study is that proliferative phase biopsies were collected in natural cycles, but not in OS cycles. Given that the OS cycle subjects did not have known endometrial factor infertility, and the comparisons involved subjects who had a similar and robust response to stimulation, the findings are generalizable to women with a normal response to OS. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS OS substantially altered the periovulatory phase endometrium, with fewer transcriptomic and cell type-specific changes in the mid-secretory phase. Our findings show that after OS, the endometrial microenvironment in the window of implantation possesses many more similarities to that of a natural cycle than does the periovulatory endometrium. Further investigation of the immune compartment and the functional significance of this cellular compartment under OS conditions is warranted. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (R01AI148695 to A.M.B. and N.C.D.), Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01HD109152 to R.A.), and the March of Dimes (5-FY20-209 to R.A.). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health or March of Dimes. All authors declare no conflict of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anat Chemerinski
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Health, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - May Shen
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Nuriban Valero-Pacheco
- Center for Immunity and Inflammation, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Qingshi Zhao
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Health, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Trystn Murphy
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Health, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Lea George
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Health, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Alex Lemenze
- Center for Immunity and Inflammation, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, USA
- Molecular and Genomics Informatics Core, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Lauren Sherman
- Department of Medicine-Hematology/Oncology, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Debra Heller
- Department of Pathology, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Xiaowei Chen
- Department of Pathology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tracy Wu
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Health, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Peter G McGovern
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Health, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Sara S Morelli
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Health, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Ripla Arora
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Aimee M Beaulieu
- Center for Immunity and Inflammation, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Nataki C Douglas
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Health, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, USA
- Center for Immunity and Inflammation, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, USA
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Lu C, Gao R, Qing P, Zeng X, Liao X, Cheng M, Qin L, Liu Y. Single-cell transcriptome analyses reveal disturbed decidual homoeostasis in obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome. Ann Rheum Dis 2024; 83:624-637. [PMID: 38331588 DOI: 10.1136/ard-2023-224930] [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: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome (OAPS) is an autoimmune disease characterised by the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies in circulation and pathological pregnancy. However, the pathogenesis of OAPS remains unknown. We aimed to reveal cellular compositions and molecular features of decidual cells involved in the development of OAPS using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). METHODS We performed unbiased scRNA-seq analysis on the first-trimester decidua from five OAPS patients and five healthy controls (HCs), followed by validations with flow cytometry, immunohistochemical staining and immunofluorescence in a larger cohort. Serum chemokines and cytokines were measured by using ELISA. RESULTS A higher ratio of macrophages but a lower ratio of decidual natural killer (dNK) cells was found in decidua from OAPS compared with HCs. Vascular endothelial cells shrinked in OAPS decidua while having upregulated chemokine expression and conspicuous responses to IFN-γ and TNF-α. Macrophages in OAPS had stronger phagocytosis function, complement activation signals and relied more on glycolysis. dNK cells were more activated in OAPS and had enhanced cytotoxicity and IFN-γ production. Downregulation of granules in OAPS dNK cells could be associated with suppressed glycolysis. Moreover, stromal cells had a prosenescent state with weakened immune surveillance for senescent cells in OAPS. In addition, the cellular interactions between decidual immune cells and those of immune cells with non-immune cells under disease state were altered, especially through chemokines, IFN-γ and TNF-α. CONCLUSION This study provided a comprehensive decidual cell landscape and identified aberrant decidual microenvironment in OAPS, providing some potential therapeutic targets for this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyang Lu
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yet-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Rui Gao
- Reproductive Medical Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Pingying Qing
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xun Zeng
- Reproductive Medical Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xin Liao
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of the Central Operating Unit, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University/West China School of Nursing, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Meng Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Lang Qin
- Reproductive Medical Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yi Liu
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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5
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Milosevic Stevanovic J, Krstic M, Vukomanovic P, Kutlesic R, Trajkovic SP, Simic D. Failure of placentation and pregnancy complications: The role of feto-maternal immune balance. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2024; 295:126-135. [PMID: 38354605 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2024.02.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Milosevic Stevanovic
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Nis, Nis, Serbia; Clinic of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Clinical Center Nis, Nis, Serbia.
| | - Miljan Krstic
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Nis, Nis, Serbia; Center for Pathology, Clinical Center Nis, Nis, Serbia
| | - Predrag Vukomanovic
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Nis, Nis, Serbia; Clinic of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Clinical Center Nis, Nis, Serbia
| | - Ranko Kutlesic
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Nis, Nis, Serbia; Clinic of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Clinical Center Nis, Nis, Serbia
| | - Sonja Pop Trajkovic
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Nis, Nis, Serbia; Clinic of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Clinical Center Nis, Nis, Serbia
| | - Dusan Simic
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Nis, Nis, Serbia
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Conrad KP, von Versen-Höynck F, Baker VL. Pathologic maternal and neonatal outcomes associated with programmed embryo transfer: potential etiologies and strategies for prevention. J Assist Reprod Genet 2024; 41:843-859. [PMID: 38536596 PMCID: PMC11052758 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-024-03042-8] [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: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE In the first of two companion papers, we comprehensively reviewed the recent evidence in the primary literature, which addressed the increased prevalence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, late-onset or term preeclampsia, fetal overgrowth, postterm birth, and placenta accreta in women conceiving by in vitro fertilization. The preponderance of evidence implicated frozen embryo transfer cycles and, specifically, those employing programmed endometrial preparations, in the higher risk for these adverse maternal and neonatal pregnancy outcomes. Based upon this critical appraisal of the primary literature, we formulate potential etiologies and suggest strategies for prevention in the second article. METHODS Comprehensive review of primary literature. RESULTS Presupposing significant overlap of these apparently diverse pathological pregnancy outcomes within subjects who conceive by programmed autologous FET cycles, shared etiologies may be at play. One plausible but clearly provocative explanation is that aberrant decidualization arising from suboptimal endometrial preparation causes greater than normal trophoblast invasion and myometrial spiral artery remodeling. Thus, overly robust placentation produces larger placentas and fetuses that, in turn, lead to overcrowding of villi within the confines of the uterine cavity which encroach upon intervillous spaces precipitating placental ischemia, oxidative and syncytiotrophoblast stress, and, ultimately, late-onset or term preeclampsia. The absence of circulating corpus luteal factors like relaxin in most programmed cycles might further compromise decidualization and exacerbate the maternal endothelial response to deleterious circulating placental products like soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 that mediate disease manifestations. An alternative, but not mutually exclusive, determinant might be a thinner endometrium frequently associated with programmed endometrial preparations, which could conspire with dysregulated decidualization to elicit greater than normal trophoblast invasion and myometrial spiral artery remodeling. In extreme cases, placenta accreta could conceivably arise. Though lower uterine artery resistance and pulsatility indices observed during early pregnancy in programmed embryo transfer cycles are consistent with this initiating event, quantitative analyses of trophoblast invasion and myometrial spiral artery remodeling required to validate the hypothesis have not yet been conducted. CONCLUSIONS Endometrial preparation that is not optimal, absent circulating corpus luteal factors, or a combination thereof are attractive etiologies; however, the requisite investigations to prove them have yet to be undertaken. Presuming that in ongoing RCTs, some or all adverse pregnancy outcomes associated with programmed autologous FET are circumvented or mitigated by employing natural or stimulated cycles instead, then for women who can conceive using these regimens, they would be preferable. For the 15% or so of women who require programmed FET, additional research as suggested in this review is needed to elucidate the responsible mechanisms and develop preventative strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirk P Conrad
- Departments of Physiology and Aging and of Obstetrics and Gynecology, D.H. Barron Reproductive and Perinatal Biology Research Program, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA.
| | - Frauke von Versen-Höynck
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Medicine, Division of Gynecologic Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Valerie L Baker
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Lutherville, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Parker J, O’Brien CL, Yeoh C, Gersh FL, Brennecke S. Reducing the Risk of Pre-Eclampsia in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Using a Combination of Pregnancy Screening, Lifestyle, and Medical Management Strategies. J Clin Med 2024; 13:1774. [PMID: 38541997 PMCID: PMC10971491 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13061774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a multisystem disorder that presents with a variety of phenotypes involving metabolic, endocrine, reproductive, and psychological symptoms and signs. Women with PCOS are at increased risk of pregnancy complications including implantation failure, miscarriage, gestational diabetes, fetal growth restriction, preterm labor, and pre-eclampsia (PE). This may be attributed to the presence of specific susceptibility features associated with PCOS before and during pregnancy, such as chronic systemic inflammation, insulin resistance (IR), and hyperandrogenism, all of which have been associated with an increased risk of pregnancy complications. Many of the features of PCOS are reversible following lifestyle interventions such as diet and exercise, and pregnant women following a healthy lifestyle have been found to have a lower risk of complications, including PE. This narrative synthesis summarizes the evidence investigating the risk of PE and the role of nutritional factors in women with PCOS. The findings suggest that the beneficial aspects of lifestyle management of PCOS, as recommended in the evidence-based international guidelines, extend to improved pregnancy outcomes. Identifying high-risk women with PCOS will allow targeted interventions, early-pregnancy screening, and increased surveillance for PE. Women with PCOS should be included in risk assessment algorithms for PE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jim Parker
- School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong 2522, Australia
| | - Claire Louise O’Brien
- Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Canberra, Canberra 2617, Australia;
| | - Christabelle Yeoh
- Next Practice Genbiome, 2/2 New McLean Street, Edgecliff 2027, Australia;
| | - Felice L. Gersh
- College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85004, USA;
| | - Shaun Brennecke
- Department of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Pregnancy Research Centre, The Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne 3052, Australia;
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3052, Australia
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8
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Zambuto SG, Scott AK, Oyen ML. Beyond 2D: Novel biomaterial approaches for modeling the placenta. Placenta 2024:S0143-4004(24)00073-0. [PMID: 38514278 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2024.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
This review considers fully three-dimensional biomaterial environments of varying complexity as these pertain to research on the placenta. The developments in placental cell sources are first considered, along with the corresponding maternal cells with which the trophoblast interact. We consider biomaterial sources, including hybrid and composite biomaterials. Properties and characterization of biomaterials are discussed in the context of material design for specific placental applications. The development of increasingly complicated three-dimensional structures includes examples of advanced fabrication methods such as microfluidic device fabrication and 3D bioprinting, as utilized in a placenta context. The review finishes with a discussion of the potential for in vitro, three-dimensional placenta research to address health disparities and sexual dimorphism, especially in light of the exciting recent changes in the regulatory environment for in vitro devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha G Zambuto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Women's Health Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Adrienne K Scott
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Women's Health Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Regenerative Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Michelle L Oyen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Women's Health Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Regenerative Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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9
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Boulanger H, Bounan S, Mahdhi A, Drouin D, Ahriz-Saksi S, Guimiot F, Rouas-Freiss N. Immunologic aspects of preeclampsia. AJOG GLOBAL REPORTS 2024; 4:100321. [PMID: 38586611 PMCID: PMC10994979 DOI: 10.1016/j.xagr.2024.100321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Preeclampsia is a syndrome with multiple etiologies. The diagnosis can be made without proteinuria in the presence of dysfunction of at least 1 organ associated with hypertension. The common pathophysiological pathway includes endothelial cell activation, intravascular inflammation, and syncytiotrophoblast stress. There is evidence to support, among others, immunologic causes of preeclampsia. Unlike defense immunology, reproductive immunology is not based on immunologic recognition systems of self/non-self and missing-self but on immunotolerance and maternal-fetal cellular interactions. The main mechanisms of immune escape from fetal to maternal immunity at the maternal-fetal interface are a reduction in the expression of major histocompatibility complex molecules by trophoblast cells, the presence of complement regulators, increased production of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase, activation of regulatory T cells, and an increase in immune checkpoints. These immune protections are more similar to the immune responses observed in tumor biology than in allograft biology. The role of immune and nonimmune decidual cells is critical for the regulation of trophoblast invasion and vascular remodeling of the uterine spiral arteries. Regulatory T cells have been found to play an important role in suppressing the effectiveness of other T cells and contributing to local immunotolerance. Decidual natural killer cells have a cytokine profile that is favored by the presence of HLA-G and HLA-E and contributes to vascular remodeling. Studies on the evolution of mammals show that HLA-E, HLA-G, and HLA-C1/C2, which are expressed by trophoblasts and their cognate receptors on decidual natural killer cells, are necessary for the development of a hemochorial placenta with vascular remodeling. The activation or inhibition of decidual natural killer cells depends on the different possible combinations between killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors, expressed by uterine natural killer cells, and the HLA-C1/C2 antigens, expressed by trophoblasts. Polarization of decidual macrophages in phenotype 2 and decidualization of stromal cells are also essential for high-quality vascular remodeling. Knowledge of the various immunologic mechanisms required for adequate vascular remodeling and their dysfunction in case of preeclampsia opens new avenues of research to identify novel biological markers or therapeutic targets to predict or prevent the onset of preeclampsia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henri Boulanger
- Department of Nephrology and Dialysis, Clinique de l'Estrée, Stains, France (Drs Boulanger and Ahriz-Saksi)
| | - Stéphane Bounan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saint-Denis Hospital Center, Saint-Denis, France (Drs Bounan and Mahdhi)
| | - Amel Mahdhi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saint-Denis Hospital Center, Saint-Denis, France (Drs Bounan and Mahdhi)
| | - Dominique Drouin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Clinique de l'Estrée, Stains, France (Dr Drouin)
| | - Salima Ahriz-Saksi
- Department of Nephrology and Dialysis, Clinique de l'Estrée, Stains, France (Drs Boulanger and Ahriz-Saksi)
| | - Fabien Guimiot
- Fetoplacental Unit, Robert-Debré Hospital, Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France (Dr Guimiot)
| | - Nathalie Rouas-Freiss
- Fundamental Research Division, CEA, Institut de biologie François Jacob, Hemato-Immunology Research Unit, Inserm UMR-S 976, Institut de Recherche Saint-Louis, Paris University, Saint-Louis Hospital, Paris, France (Dr Rouas-Freiss)
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10
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Caradeux J, Fernández B, Ávila F, Valenzuela A, Mondión M, Figueras F. Pregnancies through oocyte donation. A mini review of pathways involved in placental dysfunction. Front Med (Lausanne) 2024; 11:1338516. [PMID: 38298815 PMCID: PMC10827872 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1338516] [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: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Pregnancies resulting from assisted reproductive techniques (ART) are increasingly prevalent worldwide. While most pregnancies conceived through in-vitro fertilization (IVF) progress without complications, mounting evidence suggests that these pregnancies are at a heightened risk of adverse perinatal outcomes. Specifically, IVF pregnancies involving oocyte donation have garnered attention due to numerous reports indicating an elevated risk profile for pregnancy-related complications within this subgroup of patients. The precise mechanisms contributing to this increased risk of complications remain incompletely understood. Nonetheless, it is likely that they are mediated by an abnormal immune response at the fetal-maternal interface. Additionally, these outcomes may be influenced by baseline patient characteristics, such as the etiology of infertility, absence of corpus luteum, and variations in endometrial preparation protocols, among other factors. This review aims to succinctly summarize the most widely accepted mechanisms that potentially contribute to the onset of placental dysfunction in pregnancies conceived through oocyte donation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Caradeux
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Clínica Santa María, Santiago, Chile
| | - Benjamín Fernández
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Clínica Santa María, Santiago, Chile
| | - Francisco Ávila
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Clínica Santa María, Santiago, Chile
| | - Andrés Valenzuela
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Clínica Santa María, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Francesc Figueras
- Fetal Medicine Research Center, BCNatal, Barcelona Center for Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine (Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Deu), Institut Clínic de Ginecologia, Obstetrícia i Neonatologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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11
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Li A, Wang T, Zhou S, Han J, Wu W. USP17 regulates preeclampsia by modulating the NF-κB signaling pathway via deubiquitinating HDAC2. Placenta 2024; 145:9-18. [PMID: 38008034 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2023.11.010] [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: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Ubiquitination is a significant post-translational modification engaged in diverse biological processes, such as cell differentiation, metastasis, and protein stability modulation. The dysregulation of ubiquitination and deubiquitination is inextricably linked to disease progression, including preeclampsia (PE). Ubiquitin-specific protease 17 (USP17), a prominent deubiquitinating enzyme that regulates ubiquitination modifications, performs multiple functions at the cellular level, whereas its role in PE remains elusive. In this study, we intended to probe the role of USP17 in PE and its underlying mechanisms. METHODS The USP17 level in the plasma of PE patients was detected through Elisa. Western blot and qRT-PCR were performed to measure the mRNA and protein level of USP17 in placental tissues. CCK-8, EdU, and transwell assays were conducted to evaluate the proliferation, migration, and invasion of trophoblast cells. The interaction between HDAC2 and USP17 or STAT1 were determined by co-immunoprecipitation and Western blot assays. The expression of NF-κB pathway related proteins was examined using Western blot. RESULTS USP17 was dramatically downregulated in PE patients. Overexpression of USP17 facilitated trophoblast proliferation, migration, and invasion. Moreover, histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) was validated as a substrate of USP17 deubiquitination, and USP17 upregulation enhanced HDAC2 protein level. Furthermore, HDAC2 could interact with and deacetylate Signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1), resulting in the enhancement of STAT1 activity and inhibition of NF-κB signaling. DISCUSSION Our findings disclosed that USP17 augmented the proliferation and invasion of trophoblast by deubiquitinating HDAC2, which will contribute to novel prospective targets for diagnosing and treating PE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aiping Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450014, Henan, China
| | - Ting Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450014, Henan, China.
| | - Shasha Zhou
- Department of Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450014, Henan, China
| | - Jingjing Han
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450014, Henan, China
| | - Wujia Wu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450014, Henan, China
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12
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Tsuru A, Yoshie M, Negishi R, Mukoyama T, Yonekawa R, Kojima J, Azumi M, Kusama K, Nishi H, Tamura K. Regulatory action of PGRMC1 on cyclic AMP-mediated COX2 expression in human endometrial cells. J Pharmacol Sci 2023; 153:188-196. [PMID: 37973216 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphs.2023.09.006] [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: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Human endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) undergo differentiation, known as decidualization, and endometrial epithelial cells mature around the embryo implantation stage. In the uterus, cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2), the rate-limiting enzyme that produces prostaglandin E2, is expressed in endometrial stromal and epithelial cells, and promotes decidualization of the former cells. Our recent study demonstrated that progesterone receptor membrane component 1 (PGRMC1) is downregulated during decidualization and may be involved in cellular senescence associated with decidualization via the transcription factor forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1). Therefore, we investigated the role of PGRMC1 in COX2 expression during differentiation and maturation of endometrial stromal and epithelial cells. Inhibition or knockdown of PGRMC1 significantly enhanced differentiation stimuli-induced COX2 expression in both cell types. However, this COX2 expression was suppressed by FOXO1 knockdown or nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) inhibition. Silencing of COX2 expression inhibited PGRMC1 knockdown-induced expression of decidual markers in ESCs. Thus, PGRMC1 may be linked to FOXO1- and NF-κB-mediated COX2 expression in endometrial cells. Taken together, our data suggest that downregulation of PGRMC1 expression facilitates differentiation of endometrial cells, i.e., decidualization and glandular maturation, via upregulation of COX2 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsuya Tsuru
- Department of Endocrine Pharmacology, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Tokyo 192-0392, Japan.
| | - Mikihiro Yoshie
- Department of Endocrine Pharmacology, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Tokyo 192-0392, Japan.
| | - Ryota Negishi
- Department of Endocrine Pharmacology, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Tokyo 192-0392, Japan.
| | - Toko Mukoyama
- Department of Endocrine Pharmacology, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Tokyo 192-0392, Japan.
| | - Ryo Yonekawa
- Department of Endocrine Pharmacology, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Tokyo 192-0392, Japan.
| | - Junya Kojima
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo 160-0023, Japan.
| | - Mana Azumi
- Department of Endocrine Pharmacology, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Tokyo 192-0392, Japan.
| | - Kazuya Kusama
- Department of Endocrine Pharmacology, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Tokyo 192-0392, Japan.
| | - Hirotaka Nishi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo 160-0023, Japan.
| | - Kazuhiro Tamura
- Department of Endocrine Pharmacology, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Tokyo 192-0392, Japan.
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13
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Gou R, Zhang X. Glycolysis: A fork in the path of normal and pathological pregnancy. FASEB J 2023; 37:e23263. [PMID: 37889786 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202301230r] [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: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
Glucose metabolism is vital to the survival of living organisms. Since the discovery of the Warburg effect in the 1920s, glycolysis has become a major research area in the field of metabolism. Glycolysis has been extensively studied in the field of cancer and is considered as a promising therapeutic target. However, research on the role of glycolysis in pregnancy is limited. Recent evidence suggests that blastocysts, trophoblasts, decidua, and tumors all acquire metabolic energy at specific stages in a highly similar manner. Glycolysis, carefully controlled throughout pregnancy, maintains a dynamic and coordinated state, so as to maintain the homeostasis of the maternal-fetal interface and ensure normal gestation. In the present review, we investigate metabolic remodeling and the selective propensity of the embryo and placenta for glycolysis. We then address dysregulated glycolysis that occurs in the cellular interactive network at the maternal-fetal interface in miscarriage, preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction, and gestational diabetes mellitus. We provide new insights into the field of maternal-fetal medicine from a metabolic perspective, thus revealing the mystery of human pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Gou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Xiaohong Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, P.R. China
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14
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Luo F, Liu F, Guo Y, Xu W, Li Y, Yi J, Fournier T, Degrelle S, Zitouni H, Hernandez I, Liu X, Huang Y, Yue J. Single-cell profiling reveals immune disturbances landscape and HLA-F-mediated immune tolerance at the maternal-fetal interface in preeclampsia. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1234577. [PMID: 37854606 PMCID: PMC10579943 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1234577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-specific disorder that always causes maternal and fetal serious adverse outcome. Disturbances in maternal immune tolerance to embryo at the maternal-fetal interface (MFI) may be associated with preeclampsia onset. Recent studies have revealed the reduced expression pattern of HLA-F at the MFI in preeclampsia, while the mechanism of it mediating maternal fetal immune tolerance has not been revealed. Methods Single-cell RNA sequencing on placental decidua was performed to reveal the immune disturbances landscape at the MFI in preeclampsia. Human Jar cells and NK-92MI cells were employed to study the role of HLA-F in trophoblasts and lymphocyte. Results A total of 101,250 cells were classified into 22 cell clusters. Disease-related IGFBP1+SPP1+ extracellular villus trophoblast (EVT) was identified in the preeclamptic placental decidua, accompanied by newly discovered immune cellular dysfunction such as reduced ribosomal functions of NK populations and abnormal expression of antigen-presenting molecules in most cell clusters. Certain genes that are characteristic of the intermediate stage of myeloid or EVT cell differentiation were found to have unexplored but important functions in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia; specifically, we detected enhanced cell cross-talk between IGFBP1+SPP1+ EVT2 or SPP1+M1 cells and their receptor cell populations at the MFI of PE patients compared to controls. With respect to HLA-F, mIF staining confirmed its reduced expression in PE samples compared to controls. Over-expression of HLA-F in Jar cells promoted cell proliferation, invasion, and migration while under-expression had the opposite effect. In NK-92MI cells, over-expression of HLA-F increased the secretion of immunoregulation cytokines such as CSF1 and CCL22, and promoted adaptive NKG2C+NK cell transformation. Conclusions We revealed the immune disturbance landscape at the MFI in preeclampsia. Our findings regarding cellular heterogeneity and immune cellular dysfunction, as revealed by scRNA-seq, and the function of HLA-F in cells provide new perspectives for further investigation of their roles in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia, and then provide potential new therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangyuan Luo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology, Chengdu, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Key Laboratory of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Pediatric Diseases and Birth Defects of Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Fulin Liu
- Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Key Laboratory of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Pediatric Diseases and Birth Defects of Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yingzhe Guo
- School of Medical and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Wenming Xu
- Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Key Laboratory of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Pediatric Diseases and Birth Defects of Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yilin Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology, Chengdu, China
| | - Jun Yi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Nursing, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology, Chengdu, China
| | - Thierry Fournier
- Pathophysiology & Pharmacotoxicology of the Human Placenta, Pre & Postnatal Microbiota, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | | | - Hedia Zitouni
- Laboratory of Human Genome and Multi-factorial Diseases, Faculty of Pharmacy of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Isabelle Hernandez
- Pathophysiology & Pharmacotoxicology of the Human Placenta, Pre & Postnatal Microbiota, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Xinghui Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yu Huang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology, Chengdu, China
| | - Jun Yue
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology, Chengdu, China
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study, Center for Medical Genetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology, Chengdu, China
- School of Medical and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
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15
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Wu Q. Natriuretic Peptide Signaling in Uterine Biology and Preeclampsia. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12309. [PMID: 37569683 PMCID: PMC10418983 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241512309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Endometrial decidualization is a uterine process essential for spiral artery remodeling, embryo implantation, and trophoblast invasion. Defects in endometrial decidualization and spiral artery remodeling are important contributing factors in preeclampsia, a major disorder in pregnancy. Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is a cardiac hormone that regulates blood volume and pressure. ANP is also generated in non-cardiac tissues, such as the uterus and placenta. In recent human genome-wide association studies, multiple loci with genes involved in natriuretic peptide signaling are associated with gestational hypertension and preeclampsia. In cellular experiments and mouse models, uterine ANP has been shown to stimulate endometrial decidualization, increase TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand expression and secretion, and enhance apoptosis in arterial smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells. In placental trophoblasts, ANP stimulates adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase and the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 signaling, leading to autophagy inhibition and protein kinase N3 upregulation, thereby increasing trophoblast invasiveness. ANP deficiency impairs endometrial decidualization and spiral artery remodeling, causing a preeclampsia-like phenotype in mice. These findings indicate the importance of natriuretic peptide signaling in pregnancy. This review discusses the role of ANP in uterine biology and potential implications of impaired ANP signaling in preeclampsia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingyu Wu
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Prevention, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
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16
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Racca A, Santos-Ribeiro S, Drakopoulos P, De Coppel J, Van Landuyt L, Tournaye H, Blockeel C. Clinical pregnancy rate for frozen embryo transfer with HRT: a randomized controlled pilot study comparing 1 week versus 2 weeks of oestradiol priming. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2023; 21:62. [PMID: 37420186 DOI: 10.1186/s12958-023-01111-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023] Open
Abstract
RESEARCH QUESTION Does a frozen-embryo transfer in an artificially-prepared endometrium (FET-HRT) cycle yield similar clinical pregnancy rate with 7 days of oestrogen priming compared to 14 days? DESIGN This is a single-centre, randomized, controlled, open-label pilot study. All FET-HRT cycles were performed in a tertiary centre between October 2018 and January 2021. Overall, 160 patients were randomized, with a 1:1 allocation, into two groups of 80 patients each: group A (7 days of E2 prior to P4 supplementation) and group B (14 days of E2 prior to P4 supplementation). Both groups received single blastocyst stage embryos on the 6th day of vaginal P4 administration. The primary outcome was the feasibility of such strategy assessed as clinical pregnancy rate, secondary outcomes were biochemical pregnancy rate, miscarriage rate, live birth rate and serum hormone levels on the day of FET. Chemical pregnancy was assessed by an hCG blood test 12 days after FET and clinical pregnancy was confirmed by transvaginal ultrasound at 7 weeks. RESULTS The analysis included 160 patients who were randomly assigned to either group A or group B on the seventh day of their FET-HRT cycle if the measured endometrial thickness was above 6.5 mm. Following screening failures and of drop-outs, 144 patients were finally included both in group A (75 patients) or group B (69 patients). Demographic characteristics for both groups were comparable. The biochemical pregnancy rate was 42.5% and 48.8% for group A and group B, respectively (p 0.526). Regarding the clinical pregnancy rate at 7 weeks, no statistical difference was observed (36.3% vs 46.3% for group A and group B, respectively, p = 0.261). The secondary outcomes of the study (biochemical pregnancy, miscarriage, and live birth rate) were comparable between the two groups for IIT analysis, as well as the P4 values on the day of FET. CONCLUSIONS In a frozen embryo transfer cycle, performed with artificial preparation of the endometrium, 7 versus 14 days of oestrogen priming are comparable, in terms of clinical pregnancy rate; the advantages of a seven-day protocol include the shorter time to pregnancy, reduced exposure to oestrogens, and more flexibility of scheduling and programming, and less probability to recruit a follicle and have a spontaneous LH surge. It is important to keep in mind that this study was designed as a pilot trial with a limited study population as such it was underpowered to determine the superiority of an intervention over another; larger-scale RCTs are warranted to confirm our preliminary results. TRIAL REGISTRATION Clinical trial number: NCT03930706.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa Racca
- Reproductive Medicine Service, Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Samuel Santos-Ribeiro
- IVI-RMA Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Panagiotis Drakopoulos
- Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Brussels IVF, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Joran De Coppel
- Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Brussels IVF, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Lisbet Van Landuyt
- Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Brussels IVF, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Herman Tournaye
- Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Brussels IVF, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, Perinatology and Reproduction, Institute of Professional Education, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russia
| | - Christophe Blockeel
- Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Brussels IVF, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Zagreb-School of Medicine, Šalata 3, Zagreb, Croatia
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17
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Kannan A, Beal JR, Neff AM, Bagchi MK, Bagchi IC. Runx1 regulates critical factors that control uterine angiogenesis and trophoblast differentiation during placental development. PNAS NEXUS 2023; 2:pgad215. [PMID: 37416873 PMCID: PMC10321400 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
During early pregnancy in humans and rodents, uterine stromal cells undergo a remarkable differentiation to form the decidua, a transient maternal tissue that supports the growing fetus. It is important to understand the key decidual pathways that orchestrate the proper development of the placenta, a key structure at the maternal-fetal interface. We discovered that ablation of expression of the transcription factor Runx1 in decidual stromal cells in a conditional Runx1-null mouse model (Runx1d/d) causes fetal lethality during placentation. Further phenotypic analysis revealed that uteri of pregnant Runx1d/d mice exhibited severely compromised decidual angiogenesis and a lack of trophoblast differentiation and migration, resulting in impaired spiral artery remodeling. Gene expression profiling using uteri from Runx1d/d and control mice revealed that Runx1 directly controls the decidual expression of the gap junction protein connexin 43 (also known as GJA1), which was previously shown to be essential for decidual angiogenesis. Our study also revealed that Runx1 controls the expression of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) 2 and IGF-binding protein 4 (IGFBP4) during early pregnancy. While Runx1 deficiency drastically reduced the production of IGF2 by the decidual cells, we observed concurrent elevated expression of the IGFBP4, which regulates the bioavailability of IGFs, thereby controlling trophoblast differentiation. We posit that dysregulated expression of GJA1, IGF2, and IGFBP4 in Runx1d/d decidua contributes to the observed defects in uterine angiogenesis, trophoblast differentiation, and vascular remodeling. This study therefore provides unique insights into key maternal pathways that control the early phases of maternal-fetal interactions within a critical window during placental development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athilakshmi Kannan
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2001 S Lincoln, Urbana, IL 61802, USA
| | - Jacob R Beal
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 407 S Goodwin, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Alison M Neff
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 407 S Goodwin, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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18
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Meng X, Chen C, Qian J, Cui L, Wang S. Energy metabolism and maternal-fetal tolerance working in decidualization. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1203719. [PMID: 37404833 PMCID: PMC10315848 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1203719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023] Open
Abstract
One pivotal aspect of early pregnancy is decidualization. The decidualization process includes two components: the differentiation of endometrial stromal cells to decidual stromal cells (DSCs), as well as the recruitment and education of decidual immune cells (DICs). At the maternal-fetal interface, stromal cells undergo morphological and phenotypic changes and interact with trophoblasts and DICs to provide an appropriate decidual bed and tolerogenic immune environment to maintain the survival of the semi-allogeneic fetus without causing immunological rejection. Despite classic endocrine mechanism by 17 β-estradiol and progesterone, metabolic regulations do take part in this process according to recent studies. And based on our previous research in maternal-fetal crosstalk, in this review, we elaborate mechanisms of decidualization, with a special focus on DSC profiles from aspects of metabolism and maternal-fetal tolerance to provide some new insights into endometrial decidualization in early pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Liyuan Cui
- *Correspondence: Songcun Wang, ; Liyuan Cui,
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19
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Tan L, Gao R, Chen X, Geng Y, Yin X, Peng C, Mu X, Su Y, Zhang Y, Li F, He J. lincRNA RP24-315D19.10 promotes endometrial decidualization via upregulation of hnRNPA2B1. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2023:166762. [PMID: 37295480 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2023.166762] [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: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Decidualization is a critical process for successful pregnancy. Disorders in this process are tightly associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes including spontaneous abortion. However, the potential molecular mechanisms of lncRNAs underlying this process are yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, we utilized RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to identify differentially expressed lncRNAs during endometrial decidualization with a pregnant mouse model. Based on RNA-seq analysis, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to construct the lncRNA-mRNA co-expression network and to identify decidualization-associated hub lncRNAs. Through comprehensive screening and validation, we identified a novel lncRNA, RP24-315D19.10 and studied its function in primary mouse endometrial stromal cells (mESCs). lncRNA RP24-315D19.10 was highly expressed during decidualization. Knockdown of RP24-315D19.10 significantly inhibited mESCs decidualization in vitro. Mechanistically, RNA pull-down and RNA immunoprecipitation assays indicated that cytoplasmic RP24-315D19.10 could bind to hnRNPA2B1, thereby upregulating hnRNPA2B1 expression. Site-directed mutagenesis followed by biolayer interferometry analysis additionally illustrated that hnRNPA2B1 protein specifically bound to the ~-142ccccc~-167 region of the RP24-315D19.10 sequence. hnRPA2B1 deficiency impairs mESCs decidualization in vitro and we found that the inhibition in decidualization caused by RP24-315D19.10 knockdown was rescued by hnRNPA2B1 overexpression. Moreover, the expression of hnRNPA2B1 in spontaneous abortion women with deficient decidualization was significantly lower than that in healthy individuals, suggesting that hnRNPA2B1 may be involved in the development and progression of spontaneous abortion caused by decidualization failure. Collectively, our study indicates RP24-315D19.10 is a critical regulator for endometrial decidualization and RP24-315D19.10-regulated hnRNPA2B1 might be a new mark of decidualization-related spontaneous abortion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liping Tan
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Rufei Gao
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xuemei Chen
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yanqing Geng
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xin Yin
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Chuan Peng
- The Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine in Major Metabolic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Xinyi Mu
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yan Su
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Women and Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University/Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children, Chongqing, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Fangfang Li
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Junlin He
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
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20
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Lee JC, Calzada-Jorge NS, Hipp HS, Kawwass JF. Natural cycle frozen embryo transfer: a survey of current assisted reproductive technology practices in the U.S. J Assist Reprod Genet 2023; 40:891-899. [PMID: 36856966 PMCID: PMC10224901 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-023-02751-w] [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: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Emerging data suggests improved obstetric outcomes with frozen embryo transfer (FET) in an ovulatory or natural cycle (NC-FETs), as compared to programmed endometrial preparation. The objective of this study is to better understand practice patterns and provider attitudes regarding the use of NC-FETs in the United States (U.S.). METHODS In this cross-sectional study, an anonymous 22-question survey was emailed to 441 U.S. Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) clinics to assess the utilization of NC endometrial preparation for FET, protocols used, restrictions to offering NC-FET, and providers' perspectives on advantages and disadvantages of NC-FET. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze survey responses. RESULT(S) The survey response rate was 49% (216/441). Seventeen percent of responding clinics did not offer NC-FET. Of the clinics that did not offer NC-FET, 65% had only 1-2 physicians in their practice. Common reasons for not offering NC-FET included "lack of timing predictability for transfer" (81%) and "increased burden on staff/laboratory personnel on holidays and weekends" (54%). Of clinics offering NC-FET, 76% reported < 25% of cycles used the NC for endometrial preparation. Over half (52%) of clinics that offered NC-FET reported having eligibility restrictions for NC-FET. Reported benefits of NC-FET were "patient satisfaction" (18%), "decreased cost of medications" (18%), and "avoidance of intramuscular progesterone" (17%). The attitude towards NC-FET in their clinics was reported as positive by 65% of respondents. CONCLUSION NC-FETs are offered by most U.S. ART clinics but are used only in the minority of FET cycles for endometrial preparation, and use is often restricted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline C Lee
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory Reproductive Center, 550 Peachtree Street, Suite 1800, Atlanta, GA, 30308, USA.
| | - Natalia S Calzada-Jorge
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Heather S Hipp
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory Reproductive Center, 550 Peachtree Street, Suite 1800, Atlanta, GA, 30308, USA
| | - Jennifer F Kawwass
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory Reproductive Center, 550 Peachtree Street, Suite 1800, Atlanta, GA, 30308, USA
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21
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Kannan A, Beal JR, Neff AM, Bagchi MK, Bagchi IC. Runx1 regulates critical factors that control uterine angiogenesis and trophoblast differentiation during placental development. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.21.532831. [PMID: 36993295 PMCID: PMC10055213 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.21.532831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED During early pregnancy in humans and rodents, uterine stromal cells undergo a remarkable differentiation to form the decidua, a transient maternal tissue that supports the growing fetus. It is important to understand the key decidual pathways that orchestrate the proper development of the placenta, a key structure at the maternal-fetal interface. We discovered that ablation of expression of the transcription factor Runx1 in decidual stromal cells in a conditional Runx1 -null mouse model ( Runx1 d/d ) causes fetal lethality during placentation. Further phenotypic analysis revealed that uteri of pregnant Runx1 d/d mice exhibited severely compromised decidual angiogenesis, and a lack of trophoblast differentiation and migration, resulting in impaired spiral artery remodeling. Gene expression profiling using uteri from Runx1 d/d and control mice revealed that Runx1 directly controls the decidual expression of the gap junction protein connexin 43 (also known as GJA1), which was previously shown to be essential for decidual angiogenesis. Our study also revealed a critical role of Runx1 in controlling insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling at the maternal-fetal interface. While Runx1-deficiency drastically reduced the production of IGF2 by the decidual cells, we observed concurrent elevated expression of the IGF-binding protein 4 (IGFBP4), which regulates the bioavailability of IGFs thereby controlling trophoblast differentiation. We posit that dysregulated expression of GJA1, IGF2, and IGFBP4 in Runx1 d/d decidua contributes to the observed defects in uterine angiogenesis, trophoblast differentiation, and vascular remodeling. This study therefore provides unique insights into key maternal pathways that control the early phases of maternal-fetal interactions within a critical window during placental development. SIGNIFICANCE A clear understanding of the maternal pathways that ensure coordination of uterine differentiation and angiogenesis with embryonic growth during the critical early stages of placenta formation still eludes us. The present study reveals that the transcription factor Runx1 controls a set of molecular, cellular, and integrative mechanisms that mediate maternal adaptive responses controlling uterine angiogenesis, trophoblast differentiation, and resultant uterine vascular remodeling, which are essential steps during placenta development.
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22
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Wang Y, Li B, Tong F. Global trends in research of immune cells associated with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: A 20-year bibliometric analyses (from 2001 to 2021). Front Immunol 2023; 13:1036461. [PMID: 36700203 PMCID: PMC9868159 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1036461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background A growing evidence suggests that immune cells play a significant role in the pathogenesis of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP).Over the past 20 years, several studies have been conducted on the role of immune cells in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. This study used bibliometric analysis to assess research hotspots and future trends in studies on immune cells in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Methods We extracted all relevant literature on immune cells and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy from the Web of Science core collection for the period of 2001 to 2021. We used VOS Viewer, CiteSpace, R-bibliometrix and Python for bibliometric analysis. Results We identified 2,388 records published in 593 journals by 9,886 authors from 2,174 universities/institutions in 91 countries/regions. The number of publications tended to increase over time, with the highest number of publications in 2021, up to 205. The USA was the country with the most publications. UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI was the most influential institution. Lamarca B, Romero R, and Saito S were the most prolific authors. Finally, three research hotspot clusters were identified based on keywords, which reflected the role of immune cells in the development of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, the current research status,and predicted hot spots for future research. Conclusions Our study systematically analyzed the role of immune cells in the pathogenesis of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in the last 20 years. Our results indicated that immune cells, such as T cells, natural killer (NK) cells,and macrophages, and the cytokines released such as TNF-α, IFN-γ in the maternal circulation and at the maternal-fetal interface would influence the development of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and we need further investigate the role of individual immune cells and translational studies to provide new therapeutic perspectives to mitigate adverse perinatal outcomes due to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. In conclusion, bibliometric studies provide a general overview of immune cells in the study of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Baoxuan Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Fei Tong
- Department of Cardiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China,*Correspondence: Fei Tong,
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23
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Jin M, Ji J, Chen X, Zhou Y, Wang D, Liu A. The emerging role of TET enzymes in the immune microenvironment at the maternal-fetal interface during decidualization and early pregnancy. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1066599. [PMID: 36685517 PMCID: PMC9850229 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1066599] [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: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
A dysregulated immune microenvironment at the maternal-fetal interface in early pregnancy may lead to early pregnancy loss, fetal growth restriction, and preeclampsia. However, major questions about how epigenetic modifications regulate the immune microenvironment during the decidualization process and embryo implantation remain unanswered. DNA methylation, the main epigenetic mechanism involved in the endometrial cycle, is crucial for specific transcriptional networks associated with endometrial stromal cell (ESC) proliferation, hormone response, decidualization, and embryo implantation. Ten-eleven translocation (TET) enzymes, responsible for catalyzing the conversion of 5-methylcytosine to 5-hydroxymethylcyosine, 5-formylytosine, and 5-carboxylcyosine to achieve the DNA demethylation process, appear to play a critical role in decidualization and embryo implantation. Here, we provide a comprehensive view of their structural similarities and the common mechanism of regulation in the microenvironment at the maternal-fetal interface during decidualization and early pregnancy. We also discuss their physiological role in the decidual immune microenvironment. Finally, we propose a key hypothesis regarding TET enzymes at the maternal-fetal interface between decidual immune cells and ESCs. Future work is needed to elucidate their functional role and examine therapeutic strategies targeting these enzymes in pregnancy-related disease preclinical models, which would be of great value for future implications in disease diagnosis or treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengmeng Jin
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China,Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics (Ministry of Education), Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianxiong Ji
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China,Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics (Ministry of Education), Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ying Zhou
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China,Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics (Ministry of Education), Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Dimin Wang
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China,Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics (Ministry of Education), Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China,*Correspondence: Aixia Liu, ; Dimin Wang,
| | - Aixia Liu
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China,Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics (Ministry of Education), Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China,Department of Reproductive Medicine, People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China,*Correspondence: Aixia Liu, ; Dimin Wang,
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24
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Takeshige Y, Jwa SC, Hirota Y, Osuga Y, Kuramoto T, Mio Y, Furui K, Kinutani M, Shiotani M, Asada Y, Kamiya H, Yoshida H, Igarashi H, Kyono K. Clinical outcomes of personalized blastocyst embryo transfer after endometrial receptivity analysis: A multicenter, retrospective cohort study. Reprod Med Biol 2023; 22:e12550. [PMID: 38034982 PMCID: PMC10685329 DOI: 10.1002/rmb2.12550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose To evaluate clinical outcomes after endometrial receptivity analysis (ERA). Methods This was a multicenter, retrospective cohort study involving 861 women who underwent ERA testing at certified fertility clinics in Japan, and who received subsequent personalized blastocyst embryo transfers (ET) between 2018 and 2020. Clinical outcomes, including pregnancies, miscarriages, and live births, were evaluated according to receptivity status for ERA. Results Mean patient age was 37.7 years (SD = 4.0), and the median number of previous ETs was 2 (interquartile range, 2-3). 41.0% (353/861) of patients were non-receptive for ERA testing. Clinical pregnancy, miscarriage, and live birth rates for personalized blastocyst ET were 44.5% (226/508), 26.1% (59/226), and 26.8% (136/508) for receptive patients, and 43.1% (152/353), 28.3% (43/152), and 28.9% (102/353) for non-receptive patients, all statistically nonsignificant. Multiple logistic regression demonstrated similar nonsignificant associations between receptivity and clinical outcomes. Greater patient age, smoking, and longer duration of infertility were significantly and negatively associated with receptivity, whereas a history of delivery was positively associated and statistically significant. Conclusions Clinical outcomes after ERA testing were similar between receptive and non-receptive patients. Further prospective study including an appropriate comparison group are warranted to evaluate the efficacy of ERA testing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Seung Chik Jwa
- Department of Obstetrics and GynecologySaitama Medical UniversitySaitamaJapan
- Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyJichi Medical UniversityTochigiJapan
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Koichi Kyono
- Kyono ART Clinic TakanawaTokyoJapan
- Kyono ART Clinic SendaiSendaiJapan
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25
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How do pre-pregnancy endometrial macrophages contribute to pregnancy? J Reprod Immunol 2022; 154:103736. [PMID: 36113384 DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2022.103736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Macrophages are professional phagocytes with a wide distribution in all tissues throughout the body. Macrophages play a crucial role in homeostasis and numerous physiological processes beyond innate and adaptive immunity, including cellular debris removal, metabolic regulation, tissue repair, and tissue remodeling. Uterine macrophages are a heterogeneous and highly plastic subset of immune cells regulated by the local microenvironment and, in addition to their anti-inflammatory and anti-infective functions, support the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. Comprehensive reviews have summarized the role of decidual macrophages during pregnancy. However, the distribution of macrophages in the endometrium prior to pregnancy, their functional remodeling, and the knock-on effects on subsequent pregnancies have not been elucidated. In this review, we focus on 1) how the phenotypes of endometrial macrophages and their interactions with other endometrial cells indicate or contribute to the subsequent pregnancy, 2) the adaptive switching of endometrial macrophages during the initial establishment of pregnancy, 3) and the pregnancy complications and pregnancy-related disorders associated with endometrial macrophages.
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26
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Rytkönen KT, Adossa N, Mahmoudian M, Lönnberg T, Poutanen M, Elo LL. Cell type markers indicate distinct contributions of decidual stromal cells and natural killer cells in preeclampsia. Reproduction 2022; 164:V9-V13. [PMID: 36111648 DOI: 10.1530/rep-22-0079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
In brief Preeclampsia is a common serious disorder that can occur during pregnancy. This study uses integrative analysis of preeclampsia transcriptomes and single-cell transcriptomes to predict cell type-specific contributions to preeclampsia. Abstract Preeclampsia is a devastating pregnancy disorder and a major cause of maternal and perinatal mortality. By combining previous transcriptomic results on preeclampsia with single-cell sequencing data, we here predict distinct and partly unanticipated contributions of decidual stromal cells and uterine natural killer cells in early- and late-onset preeclampsia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalle T Rytkönen
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland.,Institute of Biomedicine, Research Centre for Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Nigatu Adossa
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Mehrad Mahmoudian
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland.,Institute of Biomedicine, Research Centre for Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Tapio Lönnberg
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland.,InFLAMES Research Flagship Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Matti Poutanen
- Institute of Biomedicine, Research Centre for Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Laura L Elo
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland.,InFLAMES Research Flagship Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.,Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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27
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Cindrova-Davies T, Sferruzzi-Perri AN. Human placental development and function. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2022; 131:66-77. [PMID: 35393235 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.03.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The placenta is a transient fetal organ that plays a critical role in the health and wellbeing of both the fetus and its mother. Functionally, the placenta sustains the growth of the fetus as it facilitates delivery of oxygen and nutrients and removal of waste products. Not surprisingly, defective early placental development is the primary cause of common disorders of pregnancy, including recurrent miscarriage, fetal growth restriction, pre-eclampsia and stillbirth. Adverse pregnancy conditions will also affect the life-long health of the fetus via developmental programming[1]. Despite its critical importance in reproductive success and life-long health, our understanding of placental development is not extensive, largely due to ethical limitations to studying early or chronological placental development, lack of long-term in vitro models, or comparative animal models. In this review, we examine current knowledge of early human placental development, discuss the critical role of the maternal endometrium and of the fetal-maternal dialogue in pregnancy success, and we explore the latest models of trophoblast and endometrial stem cells. In addition, we discuss the role of oxygen in placental formation and function, how nutrient delivery is mediated during the periods of histotrophic nutrition (uptake of uterine secretions) and haemotrophic nutrition (exchange between the maternal and fetal circulations), and how placental endocrine function facilitates fetal growth and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tereza Cindrova-Davies
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK
| | - Amanda N Sferruzzi-Perri
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK.
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28
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Intrachromosomal Looping and Histone K27 Methylation Coordinately Regulates the lncRNA H19-Fetal Mitogen IGF2 Imprinting Cluster in the Decidual Microenvironment of Early Pregnancy. Cells 2022; 11:cells11193130. [PMID: 36231092 PMCID: PMC9563431 DOI: 10.3390/cells11193130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) is a highly heterogeneous complication of pregnancy with the underlying mechanisms remaining uncharacterized. Dysregulated decidualization is a critical contributor to the phenotypic alterations related to pregnancy complications. To understand the molecular factors underlying RSA, we explored the role of longnoncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the decidual microenvironment where the crosstalk at the fetal–maternal interface occurs. By exploring RNA-seq data from RSA patients, we identified H19, a noncoding RNA that exhibits maternal monoallelic expression, as one of the most upregulated lncRNAs associated with RSA. The paternally expressed fetal mitogen IGF2, which is reciprocally coregulated with H19 within the same imprinting cluster, was also upregulated. Notably, both genes underwent loss of imprinting, as H19 and IGF2 were actively transcribed from both parental alleles in some decidual tissues. This loss of imprinting in decidual tissues was associated with the loss of the H3K27m3 repressive histone marker in the IGF2 promoter, CpG hypomethylation at the central CTCF binding site in the imprinting control center (ICR), and the loss of CTCF-mediated intrachromosomal looping. These data suggest that dysregulation of the H19/IGF2 imprinting pathway may be an important epigenetic factor in the decidual microenvironment related to poor decidualization.
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29
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Yan X, Rong M, Zhou Q, Zhang C. DCAF13 is essential for the pathogenesis of preeclampsia through its involvement in endometrial decidualization. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2022; 556:111741. [PMID: 35932979 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2022.111741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Revised: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Preeclampsia (PE) is a syndrome that occurs during pregnancy and affects more than 8 million mother-infant pairs each year. Most previous studies on the pathogenesis of PE have focused on the placenta. However, decidualization is the basis for placentation and subsequent development. The CRL4 (Cullin 4-RING E3 ubiquitin ligase) complex ubiquitinates and degrades substrates, while DCAF13 (DDB1 and CUL4-associated factor 13) is a component and substrate receptor of this complex, which recognizes and recruits the complex different substrates. DCAF13 plays a major role in the maintenance of follicles and the development of oocytes. However, its role in subsequent pregnancies remains unclear. In the present study, we first investigated DCAF13 levels in the decidua of PE patients and found that it is significantly lower than that of normal pregnant women. Second, we found that DCAF13 expression increases during decidualization, and reducing expression of DCAF13 by siRNA prevents decidualization. Third, in vivo experiments in mice further revealed that Dcaf13 expression increases with decidualization. Finally, we generated and found that uteri of pseudopregnant conditional Dcaf13 knockout mice fails to undergo decidualization. Therefore, we propose that DCAF13 plays a key role in decidualization. Abnormal expression of DCAF13 affects the decidualization process, which is likely involved in the occurrence and development of PE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingyu Yan
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200135, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory for Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai, China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health Research, Medical College of Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Miaomiao Rong
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, Shandong, 250014, China
| | - Qianhui Zhou
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, Shandong, 250014, China
| | - Cong Zhang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200135, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory for Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, Shandong, 250014, China.
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30
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Pang H, Lei D, Guo Y, Yu Y, Liu T, Liu Y, Chen T, Fan C. Three categories of similarities between the placenta and cancer that can aid cancer treatment: Cells, the microenvironment, and metabolites. Front Oncol 2022; 12:977618. [PMID: 36059660 PMCID: PMC9434275 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.977618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is one of the most harmful diseases, while pregnancy is a common condition of females. Placenta is the most important organ for fetal growth, which has not been fully understand. It’s well known that placenta and solid tumor have some similar biological behaviors. What’s more, decidua, the microenvironment of placenta, and metabolism all undergo adaptive shift for healthy pregnancy. Interestingly, decidua and the tumor microenvironment (TME); metabolism changes during pregnancy and cancer cachexia all have underlying links. However, whether the close link between pregnancy and cancer can bring some new ideas to treat cancer is still unclear. So, in this review we note that pregnancy may offer clues to treat cancer related to three categories: from cell perspective, through the shared development process of the placenta and cancer; from microenvironment perspective, though the shared features of the decidua and TME; and from metabolism perspective, through shared metabolites changes during pregnancy and cancer cachexia. Firstly, comparing gene mutations of both placenta and cancer, which is the underlying mechanism of many similar biological behaviors, helps us understand the origin of cancer and find the key factors to restore tumorigenesis. Secondly, exploring how decidua affect placenta development and similarities of decidua and TME is helpful to reshape TME, then to inhibit cancer. Thirdly, we also illustrate the possibility that the altered metabolites during pregnancy may reverse cancer cachexia. So, some key molecules changed in circulation of pregnancy may help relieve cachexia and make survival with cancer realized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiyuan Pang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Di Lei
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuping Guo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
| | - Ying Yu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Tingting Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yujie Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Tingting Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Cuifang Fan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Cuifang Fan,
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31
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Jin S, Wu C, Chen M, Sun D, Zhang H. The pathological and therapeutic roles of mesenchymal stem cells in preeclampsia. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:923334. [PMID: 35966876 PMCID: PMC9370554 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.923334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have made progress in the treatment of ischemic and inflammatory diseases. Preeclampsia (PE) is characterized by placenta ischemic and inflammatory injury. Our paper summarized the new role of MSCs in PE pathology and its potency in PE therapy and analyzed its current limitations. Intravenously administered MSCs dominantly distributed in perinatal tissues. There may be additional advantages to using MSCs-based therapies for reproductive disorders. It will provide new ideas for future research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanshan Jin
- Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Hubei Province, Wuhan, China
| | - Canrong Wu
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Ming Chen
- Department of Rehabilitation Physiotherapy, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Hubei Province, Wuhan, China
| | - Dongyan Sun
- Department of Gynecology, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Hubei Province, Wuhan, China
| | - Hua Zhang
- Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Hubei Province, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Hua Zhang,
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Conrad KP, von Versen-Höynck F, Baker VL. Risk of preeclampsia in artificial frozen embryo transfer as a result of insufficient corpus luteum hormone levels - a response. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2022; 227:676-677. [PMID: 35718108 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2022.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kirk P Conrad
- Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Florida College of Medicine, 1600 SW Archer Rd., M552, Gainesville, FL 32610-0274.
| | - Frauke von Versen-Höynck
- Division of Gynecologic Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Valerie L Baker
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Lutherville, MD
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Vision for Improving Pregnancy Health: Innovation and the Future of Pregnancy Research. Reprod Sci 2022; 29:2908-2920. [PMID: 35534766 PMCID: PMC9537127 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-022-00951-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Understanding, predicting, and preventing pregnancy disorders have been a major research target. Nonetheless, the lack of progress is illustrated by research results related to preeclampsia and other hypertensive pregnancy disorders. These remain a major cause of maternal and infant mortality worldwide. There is a general consensus that the rate of progress toward understanding pregnancy disorders lags behind progress in other aspects of human health. In this presentation, we advance an explanation for this failure and suggest solutions. We propose that progress has been impeded by narrowly focused research training and limited imagination and innovation, resulting in the failure to think beyond conventional research approaches and analytical strategies. Investigations have been largely limited to hypothesis-generating approaches constrained by attempts to force poorly defined complex disorders into a single "unifying" hypothesis. Future progress could be accelerated by rethinking this approach. We advise taking advantage of innovative approaches that will generate new research strategies for investigating pregnancy abnormalities. Studies should begin before conception, assessing pregnancy longitudinally, before, during, and after pregnancy. Pregnancy disorders should be defined by pathophysiology rather than phenotype, and state of the art agnostic assessment of data should be adopted to generate new ideas. Taking advantage of new approaches mandates emphasizing innovation, inclusion of large datasets, and use of state of the art experimental and analytical techniques. A revolution in understanding pregnancy-associated disorders will depend on networks of scientists who are driven by an intense biological curiosity, a team spirit, and the tools to make new discoveries.
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Conrad KP, von Versen-Höynck F, Baker VL. Potential role of the corpus luteum in maternal cardiovascular adaptation to pregnancy and preeclampsia risk. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2022; 226:683-699. [PMID: 34437863 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2021.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Studies in the gravid rat model revealed a key role for the corpus luteal hormone, relaxin, in the maternal circulatory changes of early pregnancy epitomized by profound systemic vasodilation and increased arterial compliance. To determine whether the corpus luteum may play a similar role in human pregnancy, women who conceived by in vitro fertilization were studied. Implementation of artificial (programmed) cycles for embryo transfers, which precluded the formation of a corpus luteum, was associated with notable attenuation of the gestational rise in cardiac output and fall in carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (reflecting impairment of arterial dilation and increased compliance, respectively) and deficiencies in other cardiovascular changes normally observed during the first trimester. Cardiac output and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity were restored after the first trimester of pregnancy, consistent with rescue by placental vasodilators, such as placental growth factor. In addition, a potential role of corpus luteal factors in reducing the risk of developing preeclampsia was hypothesized. In most single and multiple center, prospective and retrospective cohort (and registry) studies, the risk of developing preeclampsia and preeclampsia with severe features was increased specifically in women undergoing autologous frozen embryo transfer in artificial cycles without the formation of a corpus luteum relative to natural, modified natural, stimulated, or controlled ovarian stimulation cycles and spontaneous pregnancies-all associated with the formation of at least 1 corpus luteum. Taken together, these observational studies are sufficiently compelling to warrant randomized clinical trials comparing preeclampsia risk in autologous frozen embryo transfer in natural vs artificial cycles. Impaired endometrial function because of suboptimal hormonal administration is an alternative but not mutually exclusive explanation for increased preeclampsia risk in autologous frozen embryo transfer in artificial cycles. Potential mechanisms by which the corpus luteum may reduce the risk of developing preeclampsia and whether autologous frozen embryo transfer in artificial cycles is associated with increased risk of preterm preeclampsia, term preeclampsia, or both are discussed. Last, suggestions for future investigations are noted.
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Babovskaya AA, Trifonova EA, Serebrova VN, Svarovskaya MG, Zarubin AA, Zhilyakova OV, Gabidulina TV, Poltanova AA, Rychkova LV, Stepanov VA. Protocol of Transcriptome Analysis of Decidual Placenta Cells. Mol Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s0026893322020030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Shukla V, Soares MJ. Modeling Trophoblast Cell-Guided Uterine Spiral Artery Transformation in the Rat. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23062947. [PMID: 35328368 PMCID: PMC8950824 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23062947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The rat possesses hemochorial placentation with deep intrauterine trophoblast cell invasion and trophoblast-guided uterine spiral artery remodeling, which resembles human placentation. Uterine spiral arteries are extensively remodeled to deliver sufficient supply of maternal blood and nutrients to the developing fetus. Inadequacies in these key processes negatively impact fetal growth and development. Recent innovations in genome editing combined with effective phenotyping strategies have provided new insights into placental development. Application of these research approaches has highlighted both conserved and species-specific features of hemochorial placentation. The review provides foundational information on rat hemochorial placental development and function during physiological and pathological states, especially as related to the invasive trophoblast cell-guided transformation of uterine spiral arteries. Our goal is to showcase the utility of the rat as a model for in vivo mechanistic investigations targeting regulatory events within the uterine-placental interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinay Shukla
- Institute for Reproduction and Perinatal Research, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
- Correspondence: (V.S.); (M.J.S.)
| | - Michael J. Soares
- Institute for Reproduction and Perinatal Research, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
- Center for Perinatal Research, Children’s Mercy Research Institute, Children’s Mercy, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA
- Correspondence: (V.S.); (M.J.S.)
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Lee JC, Badell ML, Kawwass JF. The impact of endometrial preparation for frozen embryo transfer on maternal and neonatal outcomes: a review. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2022; 20:40. [PMID: 35227270 PMCID: PMC8883648 DOI: 10.1186/s12958-021-00869-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of frozen embryo transfer in assisted reproductive technology (ART) has steadily increased since development in the early 1980's. While there are many benefits to delayed frozen embryo transfer, certain adverse perinatal outcomes are noted to be more common in these transfers when compared to fresh transfers, specifically hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Frozen embryo transfers require coordination between the embryo's developmental stage and the endometrial environment and can occur in either ovulatory or programmed cycles. Though there is no consensus on the ideal method of endometrial preparation prior to frozen embryo transfer, emerging data suggests differences in maternal and neonatal outcomes, specifically increased rates of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in programmed cycles. Other reported differences include an increased risk of cesarean delivery, placenta accreta, postpartum hemorrhage, low birthweight, preterm birth, post term delivery, macrosomia, large for gestational age, and premature rupture of membranes in programmed cycles. The mechanism by which these differences exist could reflect inherent differences in groups selected for each type of endometrial preparation, the role of super physiologic hormone environments in programmed cycles, or the unique contributions of the corpus luteum in ovulatory cycles that are not present in programmed cycles. Given that existing studies are largely retrospective and have several key limitations, further investigation is needed. Confirmation of these findings has implications for current practice patterns and could enhance understanding of the mechanisms behind important adverse perinatal outcomes in those pursuing assisted reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline C Lee
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory Reproductive Center, 550 Peachtree Street, 18th Floor, Atlanta, GA, 30308, USA.
| | - Martina L Badell
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory Perinatal Center, 550 Peachtree Street, 15th floor, Atlanta, GA, 30308, USA
| | - Jennifer F Kawwass
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory Reproductive Center, 550 Peachtree Street, 18th Floor, Atlanta, GA, 30308, USA
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Garrido-Gómez T, Castillo-Marco N, Cordero T, Simón C. Decidualization resistance in the origin of preeclampsia. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2022; 226:S886-S894. [PMID: 33007270 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2020.09.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Preeclampsia is a major obstetrical complication with short- and long-term life-threatening consequences for both mother and child. Shallow cytotrophoblast invasion through the uterine decidua into the spiral arteries is implicated in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia, although the cause of deficient arterial invasion remains unknown. Research that is focused on the "soil"-the maternal decidua-highlights the importance of this poorly understood but influential uterine layer. Decidualization of endometrial cells regulates embryo invasion, which is essential for spiral artery remodeling and establishing the maternal-fetal interface. Exploration of the association between impaired decidualization and preeclampsia revealed suboptimal endometrial maturation and uterine natural killer cells present in the decidua before preeclampsia development. Furthermore, decidualization defects in the endometrium of women with severe preeclampsia, characterized by impaired cytotrophoblast invasion, were detected at the time of delivery and persisted 5 years after the affected pregnancy. Recently, a maternal deficiency of annexin A2 expression was found to influence aberrant decidualization and shallow cytotrophoblast invasion, suggesting that decidualization resistance, which is a defective endometrial cell differentiation during the menstrual cycle, could underlie shallow trophoblast invasion and the poor establishment of the maternal-fetal interface. Based on these findings, the transcriptional signature in the endometrium that promotes decidualization deficiency could be detected before (or after) conception. This would serve to identify women at risk of developing severe preeclampsia and aid the development of therapies focused on improving decidualization, perhaps also preventing severe preeclampsia. Here, we discuss decidualization deficiency as a contributor to the pathogenesis of pregnancy disorders with particular attention to severe preeclampsia. We also review current diagnostic strategies and discuss future directions in diagnostic methods based on decidualization.
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Yang M, Li H, Rong M, Zhang H, Hou L, Zhang C. Dysregulated GLUT1 may be involved in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia by impairing decidualization. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2022; 540:111509. [PMID: 34801669 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2021.111509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Preeclampsia (PE), a hypertensive complication in pregnancy, is a major contributor to maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. PE has long been regarded a heterogeneous disorder with a pathogenesis that involves multiple genes and factors. Glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) is a central rate-limiting pump that is involved in glucose uptake and subsequent utilization. Our previous RNA-seq results demonstrated GLUT1 was significantly downregulated in deciduas from patients with severe PE. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to explore the role of GLUT1 in the occurrence of PE. Our data showed that mRNA and protein levels of GLUT1 were significantly downregulated in the deciduas from patients with severe PE. Additionally, GLUT1 levels were substantially upregulated in human endometrial stromal cells (HESCs) during in vitro decidualization. Moreover, GLUT1 knockdown significantly reduced the mRNA levels of decidualization markers (IGFBP1 and PRL) and aerobic glycolysis-related genes (LDHA and MCT4), as well as decreased glucose uptake and lactate production. Furthermore, upon GLUT1 knockdown, the levels of apoptotic genes P53, P21, and BAX increased whereas the level of BCL2 decreased. Target prediction results and luciferase analysis showed that GLUT1 is one of the targets of miR-140-5p, which is partly responsible for downregulated GLUT1 levels. Collectively, these results demonstrate that GLUT1 exerts a pivotal role in human decidualization by participating in glycolysis, and that GLUT1 deficiency may trigger aberrant glycolysis, thereby leading to destructive decidualization that may impede blastocyst implantation, trophoblast invasion, and subsequent placental development, which are associated with PE. Taken together, these data suggest that GLUT1 might be a promising target for PE therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Yang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, College of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, Ji'nan, 250014, Shandong, China
| | - Hua Li
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Ji'nan Maternity and Child Care Hospital, Ji'nan, 250001, Shandong, China
| | - Miaomiao Rong
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, College of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, Ji'nan, 250014, Shandong, China
| | - Hongya Zhang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, College of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, Ji'nan, 250014, Shandong, China
| | - Linlin Hou
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, College of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, Ji'nan, 250014, Shandong, China
| | - Cong Zhang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, College of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, Ji'nan, 250014, Shandong, China; Center for Reproductive Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200135, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory for Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai, 200135, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Ji'nan, 250001, Shandong, China.
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Fraser R, Zenclussen AC. Killer Timing: The Temporal Uterine Natural Killer Cell Differentiation Pathway and Implications for Female Reproductive Health. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:904744. [PMID: 35832424 PMCID: PMC9271944 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.904744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are the predominant maternal uterine immune cell component, and they densely populate uterine mucosa to promote key changes in the post-ovulatory endometrium and in early pregnancy. It is broadly accepted that (a) immature, inactive endometrial NK (eNK) cells in the pre-ovulatory endometrium become activated and transition into decidual NK (dNK) cells in the secretory stage, peri-implantation endometrium, and continue to mature into early pregnancy; and (b) that secretory-stage and early pregnancy dNK cells promote uterine vascular growth and mediate trophoblast invasion, but do not exert their killing function. However, this may be an overly simplistic view. Evidence of specific dNK functional killer roles, as well as opposing effects of dNK cells on the uterine vasculature before and after conception, indicates the presence of a transitory secretory-stage dNK cell (s-dNK) phenotype with a unique angiodevelopmental profile during the peri-implantation period, that is that is functionally distinct from the angiomodulatory dNK cells that promote vessel destabilisation and vascular cell apoptosis to facilitate uterine vascular changes in early pregnancy. It is possible that abnormal activation and differentiation into the proposed transitory s-dNK phenotype may have implications in uterine pathologies ranging from infertility to cancer, as well as downstream effects on dNK cell differentiation in early pregnancy. Further, dysregulated transition into the angiomodulatory dNK phenotype in early pregnancy will likely have potential repercussions for adverse pregnancy outcomes, since impaired dNK function is associated with several obstetric complications. A comprehensive understanding of the uterine NK cell temporal differentiation pathway may therefore have important translational potential due to likely NK phenotypic functional implications in a range of reproductive, obstetric, and gynaecological pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rupsha Fraser
- Centre for Reproductive Health, Queen’s Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Rupsha Fraser,
| | - Ana Claudia Zenclussen
- Department of Environmental Immunology, UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research Leipzig-Halle, Leipzig, Germany
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Tarca AL, Romero R, Erez O, Gudicha DW, Than NG, Benshalom-Tirosh N, Pacora P, Hsu CD, Chaiworapongsa T, Hassan SS, Gomez-Lopez N. Maternal whole blood mRNA signatures identify women at risk of early preeclampsia: a longitudinal study. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2021; 34:3463-3474. [PMID: 31900005 PMCID: PMC10544754 DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2019.1685964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To determine whether previously established mRNA signatures are predictive of early preeclampsia when evaluated by maternal cellular transcriptome analysis in samples collected before clinical manifestation. MATERIALS AND METHODS We profiled gene expression at exon-level resolution in whole blood samples collected longitudinally from 49 women with normal pregnancy (controls) and 13 with early preeclampsia (delivery <34 weeks of gestation). After preprocessing and removal of gestational age-related trends in gene expression, data were converted into Z-scores based on the mean and standard deviation among controls for six gestational-age intervals. The average Z-scores of mRNAs in each previously established signature considered herein were compared between cases and controls at 9-11, 11-17, 17-22, 22-28, 28-32, and 32-34 weeks of gestation.Results: (1) Average expression of the 16-gene untargeted cellular mRNA signature was higher in women diagnosed with early preeclampsia at 32-34 weeks of gestation, yet more importantly, also prior to diagnosis at 28-32 weeks and 22-28 weeks of gestation, compared to controls (all, p < .05). (2) A combination of four genes from this signature, including a long non-protein coding RNA [H19 imprinted maternally expressed transcript (H19)], fibronectin 1 (FN1), tubulin beta-6 class V (TUBB6), and formyl peptide receptor 3 (FPR3) had a sensitivity of 0.85 (0.55-0.98) and a specificity of 0.92 (0.8-0.98) for prediction of early preeclampsia at 22-28 weeks of gestation. (3) H19, FN1, and TUBB6 were increased in women with early preeclampsia as early as 11-17 weeks of gestation (all, p < .05). (4) After diagnosis at 32-34 weeks, but also prior to diagnosis at 11-17 weeks, women destined to have early preeclampsia showed a coordinated increase in whole blood expression of several single-cell placental signatures, including the 20-gene signature of extravillous trophoblast (all, p < .05). (5) A combination of three mRNAs from the extravillous trophoblast signature (MMP11, SLC6A2, and IL18BP) predicted early preeclampsia at 11-17 weeks of gestation with a sensitivity of 0.83 (0.52-0.98) and specificity of 0.94 (0.79-0.99). CONCLUSIONS Circulating early transcriptomic markers for preeclampsia can be found either by untargeted profiling of the cellular transcriptome or by focusing on placental cell-specific mRNAs. The untargeted cellular mRNA signature was consistently increased in early preeclampsia after 22 weeks of gestation, and individual mRNAs of this signature were significantly increased as early as 11-17 weeks of gestation. Several single-cell placental signatures predicted future development of the disease at 11-17 weeks and were also increased in women already diagnosed at 32-34 weeks of gestation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adi L. Tarca
- Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Wayne State University College of Engineering, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Roberto Romero
- Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Offer Erez
- Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Maternity Department “D,” Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Dereje W. Gudicha
- Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Nandor Gabor Than
- Systems Biology of Reproduction Research Group, Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
- First Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Maternity Private Department, Kutvolgyi Clinical Block, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Neta Benshalom-Tirosh
- Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Percy Pacora
- Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Chaur-Dong Hsu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Tinnakorn Chaiworapongsa
- Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Sonia S. Hassan
- Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Nardhy Gomez-Lopez
- Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
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Zhang W, Li S, Lou J, Li H, Liu M, Dong N, Wu Q. Atrial natriuretic peptide promotes uterine decidualization and a TRAIL-dependent mechanism in spiral artery remodeling. J Clin Invest 2021; 131:e151053. [PMID: 34473650 DOI: 10.1172/jci151053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is an important hormone in cardiovascular biology. It is activated by the protease corin. In pregnancy, ANP and corin promote uterine spiral artery remodeling, but the underlying mechanism remains unknown. Here we report an ANP function in uterine decidualization and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand-dependent (TRAIL-dependent) death in spiral arterial smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and endothelial cells (ECs). In ANP- or corin-deficient mice, uterine decidualization markers and TRAIL expression were decreased, whereas in cultured human endometrial stromal cells (HESCs), ANP increased decidualization and TRAIL expression. In uterine spiral arteries from pregnant wild-type mice, SMC and EC loss occurred sequentially before trophoblast invasion. In culture, TRAIL from decidualized HESCs induced apoptosis in uterine SMCs, but not in ECs with low TRAIL receptor expression. Subsequently, cyclophilin B was identified from apoptotic SMCs that upregulated endothelial TRAIL receptor and caused apoptosis in ECs. These results indicate that ANP promotes decidualization and TRAIL expression in endometrial stromal cells, contributing to sequential events in remodeling of spiral arteries, including SMC death and cyclophilin B release, which in turn induces TRAIL receptor expression and apoptosis in ECs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhang
- Cardiovascular & Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Shuo Li
- Cardiovascular & Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Jinglei Lou
- Cardiovascular & Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Hui Li
- Central Laboratory and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou, China
| | - Meng Liu
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Prevention, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Ningzheng Dong
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Prevention, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Qingyu Wu
- Cardiovascular & Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Prevention, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
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Liu A, Jin M, Xie L, Jing M, Zhou Y, Tang M, Lin T, Wang D. Loss of miR-29a impairs decidualization of endometrial stromal cells by TET3 mediated demethylation of Col1A1 promoter. iScience 2021; 24:103065. [PMID: 34568789 PMCID: PMC8449092 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
A conceptual framework for understanding abnormal endometrial decidualization, with considerable significance for the diagnosis and treatment of abnormal decidualization-related changes in non-receptive endometrium in implantation failure during early pregnancy is very important. Here, we found the expression levels of miR-29a in endometrial tissues were associated with the menstrual phases and pregnancy outcome. Inhibition of miR-29a led to decreased decidualization of endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) in vitro, whereas Tet methylcytosine dioxygenase 3 (TET3) and its potential demethylation target, the collagen type I alpha 1 chain (Col1A1), were restored. The binding capacity of TET3 to the Col1A1 promoter could be enhanced by the inhibition of miR-29a. Finally, deletion of TET3 rescued the inhibitory effect of the miR-29a antagomir on the proliferation of decidualized ESCs in vitro and embryo implantation in vivo. Thus, loss of miR-29a causes implantation failure because of the limitation of ESCs decidualization-related changes in non-receptive endometrium during early pregnancy. Loss of miR-29a inhibits decidualization of ESCs TET3 demethylates the Col1A1 promoter Loss of miR-29a enhances the binding capacity of TET3 to the Col1A1 promoter Loss of miR-29a suppresses embryo implantation during early pregnancy in mice
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Affiliation(s)
- Aixia Liu
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 1 Xueshi Road, Hangzhou 310006, PR China.,Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics (Ministry of Education), Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310006, PR China
| | - Mengmeng Jin
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 1 Xueshi Road, Hangzhou 310006, PR China
| | - Laidi Xie
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 1 Xueshi Road, Hangzhou 310006, PR China
| | - Mengyu Jing
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 1 Xueshi Road, Hangzhou 310006, PR China
| | - Ying Zhou
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 1 Xueshi Road, Hangzhou 310006, PR China
| | - Minyue Tang
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 1 Xueshi Road, Hangzhou 310006, PR China.,Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics (Ministry of Education), Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310006, PR China
| | - Tingting Lin
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 1 Xueshi Road, Hangzhou 310006, PR China
| | - Dimin Wang
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 1 Xueshi Road, Hangzhou 310006, PR China
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Fraser R, Smith R, Lin CJ. A 3D endometrial organotypic model simulating the acute inflammatory decidualisation initiation phase with epithelial induction of the key endometrial receptivity marker, integrin αVβ3. Hum Reprod Open 2021; 2021:hoab034. [PMID: 34532597 PMCID: PMC8438487 DOI: 10.1093/hropen/hoab034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Is it possible to develop a simplified physiological in vitro system representing the key cell-types associated with a receptive endometrial phenotype? SUMMARY ANSWER We present a new concept to investigate endometrial receptivity, with a 3D organotypic co-culture model to simulate an early and transient acute autoinflammatory decidual status that resolves in the induction of a receptive endometrial phenotype. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Embryo implantation is dependent on a receptive uterine environment. Ovarian steroids drive post-ovulation structural and functional changes in the endometrium, which becomes transiently receptive for an implanting conceptus, termed the ‘window of implantation’, and dysregulation of endometrial receptivity is implicated in a range of reproductive, obstetric, and gynaecological disorders and malignancies. The interactions that take place within the uterine microenvironment during this time are not fully understood, and human studies are constrained by a lack of access to uterine tissue from specific time-points during the menstrual cycle. Physiologically relevant in vitro model systems are therefore fundamental for conducting investigations to better understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms controlling endometrial receptivity. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION We conducted an in vitro cell culture study using human cell lines and primary human cells isolated from endometrial biopsy tissue. The biopsy tissue samples were obtained from three women attending gynaecological outpatient departments in NHS Lothian. The work was carried out between December 2016 and April 2019, at the MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, Queen’s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS An endometrial stromal cell (ESC) line, and endometrial epithelial cells (EECs) isolated from endometrial biopsy tissue and expanded in vitro by conditional reprogramming, were used throughout the study. Immunocytochemical and flow cytometric analyses were used to confirm epithelial phenotype following conditional reprogramming of EECs. To construct an endometrial organotypic co-culture model, ESCs were embedded within a 3D growth factor-reduced Matrigel structure, with a single layer of conditionally reprogrammed EECs seeded on top. Cells were stimulated with increasing doses of medroxyprogesterone acetate, cAMP and oestradiol, in order to induce ESC decidual transformation and endometrial receptivity. Decidual response and the induction of a receptive epithelial phenotype were assessed by immunocytochemical detection and quantitative in-cell western analyses, respectively. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE A transient up-regulation of the interleukin-33 receptor protein, ST2L, was observed in ESCs, indicating a transient autoinflammatory decidual response to the hormonal stimulation, known to induce receptivity gene expression in the overlying epithelium. Hormonal stimulation increased the EEC protein levels of the key marker of endometrial receptivity, integrin αVβ3 (n = 8; *P < 0.05; ***P < 0.0001). To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of a dedicated endometrial organotypic model, which has been developed to investigate endometrial receptivity, via the recapitulation of an early decidual transitory acute autoinflammatory phase and induction of an epithelial phenotypic change, to represent a receptive endometrial status. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION This simplified in vitro ESC-EEC co-culture system may be only partly representative of more complex in vivo conditions. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS The 3D endometrial organotypic model presented here may offer a valuable tool for investigating a range of reproductive, obstetric, and gynaecological disorders, to improve outcomes for assisted reproductive technologies, and for the development of advances in contraceptive methods. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This work was supported in part by a Medical Research Council Centre Grant (project reference MR/N022556/1). R.F. was the recipient of a Moray Endowment award and a Barbour Watson Trust award. C.-J.L. is a Royal Society of Edinburgh Personal Research Fellow, funded by the Scottish Government. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Fraser
- The University of Edinburgh, MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - R Smith
- The University of Edinburgh, MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - C-J Lin
- The University of Edinburgh, MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
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Pietro L, Guida JPDS, Nobrega GDM, Antolini-Tavares A, Costa ML. Placental Findings in Preterm and Term Preeclampsia: An Integrative Review of the Literature. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE GINECOLOGIA E OBSTETRÍCIA 2021; 43:560-569. [PMID: 34461666 PMCID: PMC10301774 DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1730292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Preeclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy complication associated with increased maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. The disease presents with recent onset hypertension (after 20 weeks of gestation) and proteinuria, and can progress to multiple organ dysfunction, with worse outcomes among early onset preeclampsia (EOP) cases (< 34 weeks). The placenta is considered the root cause of PE; it represents the interface between the mother and the fetus, and acts as a macromembrane between the two circulations, due to its villous and vascular structures. Therefore, in pathological conditions, macroscopic and microscopic evaluation can provide clinically useful information that can confirm diagnosis and enlighten about outcomes and future therapeutic benefit. OBJECTIVE To perform an integrative review of the literature on pathological placental findings associated to preeclampsia (comparing EOP and late onset preeclampsia [LOP]) and its impacts on clinical manifestations. RESULTS Cases of EOP presented worse maternal and perinatal outcomes, and pathophysiological and anatomopathological findings were different between EOP and LOP placentas, with less placental perfusion, greater placental pathological changes with less villous volume (villous hypoplasia), greater amount of trophoblastic debris, syncytial nodules, microcalcification, villous infarcts, decidual arteriolopathy in EOP placentas when compared with LOP placentas. Clinically, the use of low doses of aspirin has been shown to be effective in preventing PE, as well as magnesium sulfate in preventing seizures in cases of severe features. CONCLUSION The anatomopathological characteristics between EOP and LOP are significantly different, with large morphological changes in cases of EOP, such as hypoxia, villous infarctions, and hypoplasia, among others, most likely as an attempt to ascertain adequate blood flow to the fetus. Therefore, a better understanding of the basic macroscopic examination and histological patterns of the injury is important to help justify outcomes and to determine cases more prone to recurrence and long-term consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana Pietro
- Institute of Health Sciences, Universidade Paulista, Campinas, SP, Brazil.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Maria Laura Costa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
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Ustunyurt E, Dundar B, Simsek D, Temur M. Act of fibulin-1 in preeclamptic patients: can it be a predictive marker? J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2021; 34:3775-3781. [PMID: 34238097 DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2021.1949277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Preeclampsia is one of the leading causes of maternal-neonatal morbidity and mortality, especially in developed and developing countries. Incidence of preeclampsia differs in accordance with parity, race, age, geography, and concomitant diseases. The role of placental implantation and risk factors was elucidated precisely. Antenatal care, use of medications, change in lifestyle, and nutritional supplementation were investigated for the prevention or decrease the complications; however, to date, there has not exposed a proper approach for prevention and prediction. The trigger mechanism or circumstance is still debate. Placental development especially spiral artery remodeling might be supposed to be the accused primary site of preeclampsia. Extracellular matrix proteins play a crucial role in implantation. Fibulin is one of these proteins which represents an association with matrix proteins, basement membranes, and elastic fibers. Fibulins are mainly functioning in the remodeling of tissues especially blood vessels, endocardial cushion, the mesenchymal, and connective tissue of several organs including heart, lung, intestine, kidneys, and liver. Several diseases were associated with altered fibulin levels. We aimed to examine fibulin-1 levels in preeclamptic patients and to focus on the possible role of fibulin-1 in preeclampsia. MATERIAL AND METHOD A prospective observational, case-control study was achieved. Patients diagnosed with preeclampsia and healthy controls were recruited in the study. Patients' demographic features, perinatal outcomes, complications, obstetrics doppler ultrasonographic evaluations, laboratory results, and serum fibulin-1 levels were reviewed. The comparison of the groups was determined statistically. Correlation analysis and multivariate logistic analysis were calculated. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to indicate fibulin-1 levels for the prediction of preeclampsia. RESULTS A total of 36 healthy pregnant and 38 preeclamptic patients were included in the study. Comparison of the groups with age, gravidity, BMI, APGAR scores, birth weight did not differ significantly. Kidney and liver function tests and complete hemogram parameters did not have a clinically important difference. Fibulin-1 levels were significantly lower in patients with preeclampsia. The ROC curve for fibulin-1 for predicting the preeclampsia risk was analyzed. The area under the ROC curves was 0.682 (95% CI [0.560-0.804, p < .007) for fibulin-1. The optimal cutoff value of fibulin-1 for detecting preeclampsia was ≤ 27.81 ng/ml, at which the sensitivity was 61.1% and specificity was 63.2 %. CONCLUSION Fibulin-1 levels could be a beneficial marker for preeclampsia diagnosis and prediction. It might have a role in the etiopathology of preeclampsia, due to its function in the extracellular matrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emin Ustunyurt
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bursa Yuksek Ihtisas Training and Research Hospital, Bursa, Turkey
| | - Betul Dundar
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bursa Yuksek Ihtisas Training and Research Hospital, Bursa, Turkey
| | - Deniz Simsek
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bursa Yuksek Ihtisas Training and Research Hospital, Bursa, Turkey
| | - Muzaffer Temur
- Bursa Yuksek Ihtisas Training and Research Hospital, Bursa, Turkey.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Doruk Private Y?ld?r?m Hospital, Bursa, Turkey
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Ticconi C, Di Simone N, Campagnolo L, Fazleabas A. Clinical consequences of defective decidualization. Tissue Cell 2021; 72:101586. [PMID: 34217128 DOI: 10.1016/j.tice.2021.101586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Decidualization is characterized by a series of genetic, metabolic, morphological, biochemical, vascular and immune changes occurring in the endometrial stroma in response to the implanting embryo or even before conception and involves the stromal cells of the endometrium. It is a fundamental reproductive event occurring in mammalian species with hemochorial placentation. A growing body of experimental and clinical evidence strongly suggests that defective or disrupted decidualization contributes to the establishment of an inappropriate maternal-fetal interface. This has relevant clinical consequences, ranging from recurrent implantation failure and recurrent pregnancy loss in early pregnancy to several significant complications of advanced gestation. Moreover, recent evidence indicates that selected diseases of the endometrium, such as chronic endometritis and endometriosis, can have a detrimental impact on the decidualization response in the endometrium and may help explain some aspects of the reduced reproductive outcome associated with these conditions. Further research efforts are needed to fully understand the biomolecular mechanisms ans events underlying an abnormal decidualization response. This will permit the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies aimed to improve the likelihood of achieveing a successful pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Ticconi
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Section of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133, Rome, Italy.
| | - Nicoletta Di Simone
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20072, Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy; IRCCS, Humanitas Research Hospital, Via Manzoni 56, 20089, Rozzano, Milan, Italy.
| | - Luisa Campagnolo
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133, Rome, Italy.
| | - Asgerally Fazleabas
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA.
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The Role of Long Non-Coding RNAs in Trophoblast Regulation in Preeclampsia and Intrauterine Growth Restriction. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12070970. [PMID: 34201957 PMCID: PMC8305149 DOI: 10.3390/genes12070970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 06/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Preeclampsia (PE) and Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) are two pregnancy-specific placental disorders with high maternal, fetal, and neonatal morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. The identification biomarkers involved in the dysregulation of PE and IUGR are fundamental for developing new strategies for early detection and management of these pregnancy pathologies. Several studies have demonstrated the importance of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as essential regulators of many biological processes in cells and tissues, and the placenta is not an exception. In this review, we summarize the importance of lncRNAs in the regulation of trophoblasts during the development of PE and IUGR, and other placental disorders.
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49
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Rong M, Yan X, Zhang H, Zhou C, Zhang C. Dysfunction of Decidual Macrophages Is a Potential Risk Factor in the Occurrence of Preeclampsia. Front Immunol 2021; 12:655655. [PMID: 34054819 PMCID: PMC8152936 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.655655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [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: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Preeclampsia is a multi-factorial and multi-genetic disorder that affects more than eight million mother and baby pairs each year. Currently, most of the attention to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia has been focused on placenta, but recent progresses suggest that excellent decidualization lays foundation for placentation and growth. Moreover, preeclampsia is associated with an imbalance in immunoregulatory mechanisms, however, how the immune regulatory system in the decidua affects preeclampsia is still unclear. In our study, after intersecting the genes of differentially expressed between preeclampsia and the control gotten by conventional expression profile analysis and the genes contained in the ligand receptor network, we found eight differentially expressed genes in a ligand-receptor relationship, and the eight genes have a characteristic: most of them participate in the interaction between decidual macrophages and other decidual immune cells. The results of single-cell sequencing of decidual cells further demonstrated that decidual macrophages affect the functions of other immune cells through export. As a result, abnormal gene expression affects the export function of decidual macrophages, which in turn affects the interaction of decidual macrophages with other immune cells, thereby destroying the original immune regulation mechanism, and ultimately leading to the occurrence of preeclampsia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miaomiao Rong
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Ji’nan, China
| | - Xingyu Yan
- School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Hongya Zhang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Ji’nan, China
| | - Chan Zhou
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Ji’nan, China
| | - Cong Zhang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Ji’nan, China
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai, China
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Nikolakopoulou K, Turco MY. Investigation of infertility using endometrial organoids. Reproduction 2021; 161:R113-R127. [PMID: 33621191 PMCID: PMC8052517 DOI: 10.1530/rep-20-0428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Infertility is a common problem in modern societies with significant socio-psychological implications for women. Therapeutic interventions are often needed which, depending on the cause, can either be medical treatment, surgical procedures or assisted reproductive technology (ART). However, the treatment of infertility is not always successful due to our limited understanding of the preparation of the lining of the uterus, the endometrium, for pregnancy. The endometrium is of central importance for successful reproduction as it is the site of placental implantation providing the interface between the mother and her baby. Due to the dynamic, structural and functional changes the endometrium undergoes throughout the menstrual cycle, it is challenging to study. A major advancement is the establishment of 3D organoid models of the human endometrium to study this dynamic tissue in health and disease. In this review, we describe the changes that the human endometrium undergoes through the different phases of the menstrual cycle in preparation for pregnancy. We discuss defects in the processes of endometrial repair, decidualization and acquisition of receptivity that are associated with infertility. Organoids could be utilized to investigate the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms occurring in non-pregnant endometrium and early pregnancy. These studies may lead to therapeutic applications that could transform the treatment of reproductive failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantina Nikolakopoulou
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Margherita Y Turco
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK
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