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Dawid M, Pich K, Mlyczyńska E, Respekta-Długosz N, Wachowska D, Greggio A, Szkraba O, Kurowska P, Rak A. Adipokines in pregnancy. Adv Clin Chem 2024; 121:172-269. [PMID: 38797542 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acc.2024.04.006] [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] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Reproductive success consists of a sequential events chronology, starting with the ovum fertilization, implantation of the embryo, placentation, and cellular processes like proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, endocrinology, or metabolic changes, which taken together finally conduct the birth of healthy offspring. Currently, many factors are known that affect the regulation and proper maintenance of pregnancy in humans, domestic animals, or rodents. Among the determinants of reproductive success should be distinguished: the maternal microenvironment, genes, and proteins as well as numerous pregnancy hormones that regulate the most important processes and ensure organism homeostasis. It is well known that white adipose tissue, as the largest endocrine gland in our body, participates in the synthesis and secretion of numerous hormones belonging to the adipokine family, which also may regulate the course of pregnancy. Unfortunately, overweight and obesity lead to the expansion of adipose tissue in the body, and its excess in both women and animals contributes to changes in the synthesis and release of adipokines, which in turn translates into dramatic changes during pregnancy, including those taking place in the organ that is crucial for the proper progress of pregnancy, i.e. the placenta. In this chapter, we are summarizing the current knowledge about levels of adipokines and their role in the placenta, taking into account the physiological and pathological conditions of pregnancy, e.g. gestational diabetes mellitus, preeclampsia, or intrauterine growth restriction in humans, domestic animals, and rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Dawid
- Laboratory of Physiology and Toxicology of Reproduction, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Krakow, Poland; Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - Karolina Pich
- Laboratory of Physiology and Toxicology of Reproduction, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Krakow, Poland; Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - Ewa Mlyczyńska
- Laboratory of Physiology and Toxicology of Reproduction, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Krakow, Poland; Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - Natalia Respekta-Długosz
- Laboratory of Physiology and Toxicology of Reproduction, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Krakow, Poland; Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - Dominka Wachowska
- Laboratory of Physiology and Toxicology of Reproduction, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Krakow, Poland; Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Greggio
- Laboratory of Physiology and Toxicology of Reproduction, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - Oliwia Szkraba
- Laboratory of Physiology and Toxicology of Reproduction, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - Patrycja Kurowska
- Laboratory of Physiology and Toxicology of Reproduction, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Rak
- Laboratory of Physiology and Toxicology of Reproduction, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Krakow, Poland.
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Yong HEJ, Chan SY. Current approaches and developments in transcript profiling of the human placenta. Hum Reprod Update 2021; 26:799-840. [PMID: 33043357 PMCID: PMC7600289 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmaa028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The placenta is the active interface between mother and foetus, bearing the molecular marks of rapid development and exposures in utero. The placenta is routinely discarded at delivery, providing a valuable resource to explore maternal-offspring health and disease in pregnancy. Genome-wide profiling of the human placental transcriptome provides an unbiased approach to study normal maternal–placental–foetal physiology and pathologies. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE To date, many studies have examined the human placental transcriptome, but often within a narrow focus. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of human placental transcriptome studies, encompassing those from the cellular to tissue levels and contextualize current findings from a broader perspective. We have consolidated studies into overarching themes, summarized key research findings and addressed important considerations in study design, as a means to promote wider data sharing and support larger meta-analysis of already available data and greater collaboration between researchers in order to fully capitalize on the potential of transcript profiling in future studies. SEARCH METHODS The PubMed database, National Center for Biotechnology Information and European Bioinformatics Institute dataset repositories were searched, to identify all relevant human studies using ‘placenta’, ‘decidua’, ‘trophoblast’, ‘transcriptome’, ‘microarray’ and ‘RNA sequencing’ as search terms until May 2019. Additional studies were found from bibliographies of identified studies. OUTCOMES The 179 identified studies were classifiable into four broad themes: healthy placental development, pregnancy complications, exposures during pregnancy and in vitro placental cultures. The median sample size was 13 (interquartile range 8–29). Transcriptome studies prior to 2015 were predominantly performed using microarrays, while RNA sequencing became the preferred choice in more recent studies. Development of fluidics technology, combined with RNA sequencing, has enabled transcript profiles to be generated of single cells throughout pregnancy, in contrast to previous studies relying on isolated cells. There are several key study aspects, such as sample selection criteria, sample processing and data analysis methods that may represent pitfalls and limitations, which need to be carefully considered as they influence interpretation of findings and conclusions. Furthermore, several areas of growing importance, such as maternal mental health and maternal obesity are understudied and the profiling of placentas from these conditions should be prioritized. WIDER IMPLICATIONS Integrative analysis of placental transcriptomics with other ‘omics’ (methylome, proteome and metabolome) and linkage with future outcomes from longitudinal studies is crucial in enhancing knowledge of healthy placental development and function, and in enabling the underlying causal mechanisms of pregnancy complications to be identified. Such understanding could help in predicting risk of future adversity and in designing interventions that can improve the health outcomes of both mothers and their offspring. Wider collaboration and sharing of placental transcriptome data, overcoming the challenges in obtaining sufficient numbers of quality samples with well-defined clinical characteristics, and dedication of resources to understudied areas of pregnancy will undoubtedly help drive the field forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah E J Yong
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Shiao-Yng Chan
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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Guzman CE, Wood JL, Egidi E, White-Monsant AC, Semenec L, Grommen SVH, Hill-Yardin EL, De Groef B, Franks AE. A pioneer calf foetus microbiome. Sci Rep 2020; 10:17712. [PMID: 33077862 PMCID: PMC7572361 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-74677-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Foetus sterility until parturition is under debate due to reports of microorganisms in the foetal environment and meconium. Sufficient controls to overcome sample contamination and provide direct evidence of microorganism viability in the pre-rectal gastrointestinal tract (GIT) have been lacking. We conducted molecular and culture-based analyses to investigate the presence of a microbiome in the foetal GIT of calves at 5, 6 and 7 months gestation, while controlling for contamination. The 5 components of the GIT (ruminal fluid, ruminal tissue, caecal fluid, caecal tissue and meconium) and amniotic fluid were found to contain a pioneer microbiome of distinct bacterial and archaeal communities. Bacterial and archaeal richness varied between GIT components. The dominant bacterial phyla in amniotic fluid differed to those in ruminal and caecal fluids and meconium. The lowest bacterial and archaeal abundances were associated with ruminal tissues. Viable bacteria unique to the ruminal fluids, which were not found in the controls from 5, 6 and 7 months gestation, were cultured, subcultured, sequenced and identified. We report that the foetal GIT is not sterile but is spatially colonised before birth by a pioneer microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cesar E Guzman
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Jennifer L Wood
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia.,Centre for Future Landscapes, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia.,Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, 3122, Australia
| | - Eleonora Egidi
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia.,Centre for Future Landscapes, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia.,Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, 2753, Australia
| | - Alison C White-Monsant
- Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Sciences, Centre for Agribiosciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Lucie Semenec
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Sylvia V H Grommen
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Elisa L Hill-Yardin
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Clements Drive, Bundoora, VIC, 3083, Australia
| | - Bert De Groef
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Ashley E Franks
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia. .,Centre for Future Landscapes, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia.
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4
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Lambo CA, Edwards AK, Bazer FW, Dunlap K, Satterfield MC. Development of a surgical procedure for removal of a placentome from a pregnant ewe during gestation. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2020; 11:48. [PMID: 32467754 PMCID: PMC7222564 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-020-00454-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In recent decades, there has been a growing interest in the impact of insults during pregnancy on postnatal health and disease. It is known that changes in placental development can impact fetal growth and subsequent susceptibility to adult onset diseases; however, a method to collect sufficient placental tissues for both histological and gene expression analyses during gestation without compromising the pregnancy has not been described. The ewe is an established biomedical model for the study of fetal development. Due to its cotyledonary placental type, the sheep has potential for surgical removal of materno-fetal exchange tissues, i.e., placentomes. A novel surgical procedure was developed in well-fed control ewes to excise a single placentome at mid-gestation. Results A follow-up study was performed in a cohort of nutrient-restricted ewes to investigate rapid placental changes in response to undernutrition. The surgery averaged 19 min, and there were no viability differences between control and sham ewes. Nutrient restricted fetuses were smaller than controls (4.7 ± 0.1 kg vs. 5.6 ± 0.2 kg; P < 0.05), with greater dam weight loss (− 32.4 ± 1.3 kg vs. 14.2 ± 2.2 kg; P < 0.01), and smaller placentomes at necropsy (5.7 ± 0.3 g vs. 7.2 ± 0.9 g; P < 0.05). Weight of sampled placentomes and placentome numbers did not differ. Conclusions With this technique, gestational studies in the sheep model will provide insight into the onset and complexity of changes in gene expression in placentomes resulting from undernutrition (as described in our study), overnutrition, alcohol or substance abuse, and environmental or disease factors of relevance and concern regarding the reproductive health and developmental origins of health and disease in humans and in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colleen A Lambo
- 1Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843 USA
| | - Ashley K Edwards
- 2Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, 2471 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843 USA
| | - Fuller W Bazer
- 2Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, 2471 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843 USA
| | - Kathrin Dunlap
- 2Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, 2471 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843 USA
| | - M Carey Satterfield
- 2Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, 2471 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843 USA
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Barreto RSN, Romagnolli P, Cereta AD, Coimbra-Campos LMC, Birbrair A, Miglino MA. Pericytes in the Placenta: Role in Placental Development and Homeostasis. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1122:125-151. [PMID: 30937867 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-11093-2_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The placenta is the most variable organ, in terms of structure, among the species. Besides it, all placental types have the same function: production of viable offspring, independent of pregnancy length, litter number, or invasion level. The angiogenesis is a central mechanism for placental functionality, due to proper maternal-fetal communication and exchanges. Much is known about the vasculature structure, but little is known about vasculature development and cellular interactions. Pericytes are perivascular cells that were described to control vasculature stability and permeability. Nowadays there are several new functions discovered, such as lymphocyte modulation and activation, macrophage-like phagocytic properties, tissue regenerative and repair processes, and also the ability to modulate stem cells, majorly the hematopoietic. In parallel, placental tissues are known to be a particularly immune microenvironment and a rich stem cell niche. The pericyte function plethora could be similar in the placental microenvironment and could have a central role in placental development and homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo S N Barreto
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, Butantã, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Patricia Romagnolli
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, Butantã, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Andressa Daronco Cereta
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, Butantã, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Leda M C Coimbra-Campos
- Department of Pathology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Alexander Birbrair
- Department of Radiology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Pathology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Maria Angelica Miglino
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, Butantã, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
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6
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Robinson JF, Kapidzic M, Gormley M, Ona K, Dent T, Seifikar H, Hamilton EG, Fisher SJ. Transcriptional Dynamics of Cultured Human Villous Cytotrophoblasts. Endocrinology 2017; 158:1581-1594. [PMID: 28323933 PMCID: PMC5460928 DOI: 10.1210/en.2016-1635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2016] [Accepted: 01/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
During human pregnancy, cytotrophoblasts (CTBs) play key roles in uterine invasion, vascular remodeling, and anchoring of the feto-placental unit. Due to the challenges associated with studying human placentation in utero, cultured primary villous CTBs are used as a model of the differentiation pathway that leads to invasion of the uterine wall. In vitro, CTBs emulate in vivo cell behaviors, such as migration, aggregation, and substrate penetration. Although some of the molecular features related to these cell behaviors have been described, the underlying mechanisms, at a global level, remain undefined at midgestation. Thus, in this study, we characterized second-trimester CTB differentiation/invasion in vitro, correlating the major morphological transitions with the transcriptional changes that occurred at these steps. After plating on Matrigel as individual cells, CTBs migrated toward each other and formed multicellular aggregates. In parallel, using a microarray approach, we observed differentially expressed (DE) genes across time, which were enriched for numerous functions, including cell migration, vascular remodeling, morphogenesis, cell communication, and inflammatory signaling. DE genes encoded several molecules that we and others previously linked to critical CTB function in vivo, suggesting that the novel DE molecules we discovered played important roles. Immunolocalization confirmed that CTBs in situ gave a signal for two of the most highly expressed genes in vitro. In summary, we characterized, at a global level, the temporal dynamics of primary human CTB gene expression in culture. These data will enable future analyses of various types of in vitro perturbations-for example, modeling disease processes and environmental exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua F. Robinson
- Center for Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
| | - Mirhan Kapidzic
- Center for Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
| | - Matthew Gormley
- Center for Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
| | - Katherine Ona
- Center for Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
| | - Terrence Dent
- Center for Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
| | - Helia Seifikar
- Center for Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
| | - Emily G. Hamilton
- Center for Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
| | - Susan J. Fisher
- Center for Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
- Human Embryonic Stem Cell Program, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
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7
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Polejaeva IA, Rutigliano HM, Wells KD. Livestock in biomedical research: history, current status and future prospective. Reprod Fertil Dev 2017; 28:112-24. [PMID: 27062879 DOI: 10.1071/rd15343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Livestock models have contributed significantly to biomedical and surgical advances. Their contribution is particularly prominent in the areas of physiology and assisted reproductive technologies, including understanding developmental processes and disorders, from ancient to modern times. Over the past 25 years, biomedical research that traditionally embraced a diverse species approach shifted to a small number of model species (e.g. mice and rats). The initial reasons for focusing the main efforts on the mouse were the availability of murine embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and genome sequence data. This powerful combination allowed for precise manipulation of the mouse genome (knockouts, knockins, transcriptional switches etc.) leading to ground-breaking discoveries on gene functions and regulation, and their role in health and disease. Despite the enormous contribution to biomedical research, mouse models have some major limitations. Their substantial differences compared with humans in body and organ size, lifespan and inbreeding result in pronounced metabolic, physiological and behavioural differences. Comparative studies of strategically chosen domestic species can complement mouse research and yield more rigorous findings. Because genome sequence and gene manipulation tools are now available for farm animals (cattle, pigs, sheep and goats), a larger number of livestock genetically engineered (GE) models will be accessible for biomedical research. This paper discusses the use of cattle, goats, sheep and pigs in biomedical research, provides an overview of transgenic technology in farm animals and highlights some of the beneficial characteristics of large animal models of human disease compared with the mouse. In addition, status and origin of current regulation of GE biomedical models is also reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina A Polejaeva
- Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA
| | - Heloisa M Rutigliano
- Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA
| | - Kevin D Wells
- Division of Animal Sciences, Animal Sciences Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
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8
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Elliot MG, Crespi BJ. Genetic recapitulation of human pre-eclampsia risk during convergent evolution of reduced placental invasiveness in eutherian mammals. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2016; 370:20140069. [PMID: 25602073 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2014.0069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The relationship between phenotypic variation arising through individual development and phenotypic variation arising through diversification of species has long been a central question in evolutionary biology. Among humans, reduced placental invasion into endometrial tissues is associated with diseases of pregnancy, especially pre-eclampsia, and reduced placental invasiveness has also evolved, convergently, in at least 10 lineages of eutherian mammals. We tested the hypothesis that a common genetic basis underlies both reduced placental invasion arising through a developmental process in human placental disease and reduced placental invasion found as a derived trait in the diversification of Euarchontoglires (rodents, lagomorphs, tree shrews, colugos and primates). Based on whole-genome analyses across 18 taxa, we identified 1254 genes as having evolved adaptively across all three lineages exhibiting independent evolutionary transitions towards reduced placental invasion. These genes showed strong evidence of enrichment for associations with pre-eclampsia, based on genetic-association studies, gene-expression analyses and gene ontology. We further used in silico prediction to identify a subset of 199 genes that are likely targets of natural selection during transitions in placental invasiveness and which are predicted to also underlie human placental disorders. Our results indicate that abnormal ontogenies can recapitulate major phylogenetic shifts in mammalian evolution, identify new candidate genes for involvement in pre-eclampsia, imply that study of species with less-invasive placentation will provide useful insights into the regulation of placental invasion and pre-eclampsia, and recommend a novel comparative functional-evolutionary approach to the study of genetically based human disease and mammalian diversification.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bernard J Crespi
- Human Evolutionary Studies Program and Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5A 1S6
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Martins-Júnior HA, Pinaffi FLV, Simas RC, Tarouco AK, Ferreira CR, Silva LA, Nogueira GP, Meirelles FV, Eberlin MN, Perecin F. Plasma steroid dynamics in late- and near-term naturally and artificially conceived bovine pregnancies as elucidated by multihormone high-resolution LC-MS/MS. Endocrinology 2014; 155:5011-23. [PMID: 25299569 DOI: 10.1210/en.2013-2166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The plasma levels of corticosteroids and sex steroids during pregnancy are key indicators of mammalian placental function and the onset of parturition. Steroid hormones are believed to be disturbed in pregnancies produced using assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) due to placental dysfunction and the frequently observed lack of parturition signals. To elucidate the plasma steroid dynamics, a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and used to determine the levels of corticosteroids (corticosterone, 11-deoxycortisol, and cortisol) and their direct precursors (progesterone and 17α-OH-progesterone) as well as sex steroids (androstenedione, estrone, estrone sulfate, testosterone, and 17β-estradiol) in bovine plasma. The levels of these 10 steroids in recipient cows carrying naturally conceived (control), in vitro fertilized (IVF), or cloned (somatic cell nuclear transfer) conceptuses were compared during late-term pregnancy (30 days before parturition), during near-term pregnancy (1 day before parturition), and on the day of parturition (day 0). Significant differences were observed among the corticosteroid levels: higher levels of corticosterone, 11-deoxycortisol, and cortisol were detected in cloned pregnancies at day 30; lower levels of corticosterone were observed in ART-derived pregnancies at days 1 and 0; and estrone and estradiol levels were higher in IVF pregnancies throughout the final development. These results suggested an upregulation of the P450C11 and P450C21 enzymes 30 days before parturition in somatic cell nuclear transfer pregnancies and an overactivation of the aromatase enzyme in IVF pregnancies. Taken together, the monitoring of multiple steroid hormones revealed that the pregnancies obtained using ART exhibited plasma steroid concentration dynamics compatible with the dysregulation of steroidogenic tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helio A Martins-Júnior
- Thomson Mass Spectrometry Laboratory (H.A.M.-J., R.C.S., C.R.F., M.N.E.), Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil 13083-970; AB SCIEX of Brazil (H.A.M.-J.), São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil 04719-002; Laboratory of Theriogenology Dr O. J. Ginther (F.L.V.P., L.A.S.), Department of Veterinary Medicine, School of Animal Sciences and Food Engineering (FZEA), University of São Paulo, Pirassununga, São Paulo, Brazil 13635-900; Laboratory of Molecular Morphophysiology and Development (A.K.T., F.V.M., F.P.), Department of Veterinary Medicine, School of Animal Sciences and Food Engineering, University of São Paulo, Pirassununga, São Paulo, Brazil 13635-900; Department of Production and Animal Health (R.C.S., G.P.N.), School of Veterinary Medicine, São Paulo State University, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil 16050-680; and State Foundation of Agricultural Research (A.K.T.), Research Center Iwar Beckman, Hulha Negra, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil 96400-970
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10
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Oliveira LJ, Barreto RSN, Perecin F, Mansouri-Attia N, Pereira FTV, Meirelles FV. Modulation of maternal immune system during pregnancy in the cow. Reprod Domest Anim 2013; 47 Suppl 4:384-93. [PMID: 22827396 DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0531.2012.02102.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
There is a molecular crosstalk between the trophoblast and maternal immune cells of bovine endometrium. The uterine cells are able to secrete cytokine/chemokines to either induce a suppressive environment for establishment of the pregnancy or to recruit immune cells to the endometrium to fight infections. Despite morphological differences between women and cows, mechanisms for immune tolerance during pregnancy seem to be conserved. Mechanisms for uterine immunesuppression in the cow include: reduced expression of major histocompatability proteins by the trophoblast; recruitment of macrophages to the pregnant endometrium; and modulation of immune-related genes in response to the presence of the conceptus. Recently, an eGFP transgenic cloned embryo model developed by our group showed that there is modulation of foetal proteins expressed at the site of syncytium formation, suggesting that foetal cell can regulate not only by the secretion of specific factors such as interferon-tau, but also by regulating their own protein expression to avoid excessive maternal recognition by the local immune system. Furthermore, foetal DNA can be detected in the maternal circulation; this may reflect the occurrence of an invasion of trophoblast cells and/or their fragment beyond the uterine basement membrane in the cow. In fact, the newly description of exosome release by the trophoblast cell suggests that could be a new fashion of maternal-foetal communication at the placental barrier. Additionally, recent global transcriptome studies on bovine endometrium suggested that the immune system is aware, from an immunological point of view, of the presence of the foetus in the cow during early pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- L J Oliveira
- Department of Basic Sciences, Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos, Universidade de São Paulo, Pirassununga, SP, Brazil.
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