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Kretschmer T, Turnwald EM, Janoschek R, Zentis P, Bae-Gartz I, Beers T, Handwerk M, Wohlfarth M, Ghilav M, Bloch W, Hucklenbruch-Rother E, Dötsch J, Appel S. Maternal high fat diet-induced obesity affects trophoblast differentiation and placental function in mice†. Biol Reprod 2020; 103:1260-1274. [PMID: 32915209 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioaa166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Evidence suggests that maternal obesity (MO) can aggravate placental function causing severe pathologies during the perinatal window. However, molecular changes and mechanisms of placental dysfunction remain largely unknown. This work aimed to decipher structural and molecular alterations of the placental transfer zone associated with MO. To this end, mice were fed a high fat diet (HFD) to induce obesity before mating, and pregnant dams were sacrificed at E15.5 to receive placentas for molecular, histological, and ultrastructural analysis and to assess unidirectional materno-fetal transfer capacity. Laser-capture microdissection was used to collect specifically placental cells of the labyrinth zone for proteomics profiling. Using BeWo cells, fatty acid-mediated mechanisms of adherens junction stability, cell layer permeability, and lipid accumulation were deciphered. Proteomics profiling revealed downregulation of cell adhesion markers in the labyrinth zone of obese dams, and disturbed syncytial fusion and detachment of the basement membrane (BM) within this zone was observed, next to an increase in materno-fetal transfer in vivo across the placenta. We found that fetuses of obese dams develop a growth restriction and in those placentas, labyrinth zone volume-fraction was significantly reduced. Linoleic acid was shown to mediate beta-catenin level and increase cell layer permeability in vitro. Thus, MO causes fetal growth restriction, molecular and structural changes in the transfer zone leading to impaired trophoblast differentiation, BM disruption, and placental dysfunction despite increased materno-fetal transfer capacity. These adverse effects are probably mediated by fatty acids found in HFD demonstrating the need for obesity treatment to mitigate placental dysfunction and prevent offspring pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Kretschmer
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Eva-Maria Turnwald
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ruth Janoschek
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Peter Zentis
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Core Facility Imaging, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Inga Bae-Gartz
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Tim Beers
- Department of Anatomy I, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Marion Handwerk
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Maria Wohlfarth
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Mojgan Ghilav
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Sports Medicine, Institute of Cardiovascular Research and Sports Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Wilhelm Bloch
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Sports Medicine, Institute of Cardiovascular Research and Sports Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Eva Hucklenbruch-Rother
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jörg Dötsch
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Sarah Appel
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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Kretschmer T, Schulze-Edinghausen M, Turnwald EM, Janoschek R, Bae-Gartz I, Zentis P, Handwerk M, Wohlfarth M, Schauss A, Hucklenbruch-Rother E, Dötsch J, Appel S. Effect of Maternal Obesity in Mice on IL-6 Levels and Placental Endothelial Cell Homeostasis. Nutrients 2020; 12:nu12020296. [PMID: 31979004 PMCID: PMC7071123 DOI: 10.3390/nu12020296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Obesity during pregnancy is a known health risk for mother and child. Since obesity is associated with increased inflammatory markers, our objectives were to determine interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in obese mice and to examine the effect of IL-6 on placental endothelial cells. Placentas, blood, and adipose tissue of C57BL/6N mice, kept on high fat diet before and during pregnancy, were harvested at E15.5. Serum IL-6 levels were determined and endothelial cell markers and IL-6 expression were measured by qRT-PCR and western blot. Immunostaining was used to determine surface and length densities of fetal capillary profiles and placental endothelial cell homeostasis. Human placental vein endothelial cells were cultured and subjected to proliferation, apoptosis, senescence, and tube formation assays after stimulation with hyperIL-6. Placental endothelial cell markers were downregulated and the percentage of senescent endothelial cells was higher in the placental exchange zone of obese dams and placental vascularization was strongly reduced. Additionally, maternal IL-6 serum levels and IL-6 protein levels in adipose tissue were increased. Stimulation with hyperIL-6 provoked a dose dependent increase of senescence in cultured endothelial cells without any effects on proliferation or apoptosis. Diet-induced maternal obesity led to an IUGR phenotype accompanied by increased maternal IL-6 serum levels. In the placenta of obese dams, this may result in a disturbed endothelial cell homeostasis and impaired fetal vasculature. Cell culture experiments confirmed that IL-6 is capable of inducing endothelial cell senescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Kretschmer
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Strasse 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany; (M.S.-E.); (E.-M.T.); (R.J.); (I.B.-G.); (M.H.); (M.W.); (E.H.-R.); (J.D.); (S.A.)
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Robert-Koch-Strasse 21, 50931 Cologne, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-221-478-89672
| | - Merle Schulze-Edinghausen
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Strasse 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany; (M.S.-E.); (E.-M.T.); (R.J.); (I.B.-G.); (M.H.); (M.W.); (E.H.-R.); (J.D.); (S.A.)
| | - Eva-Maria Turnwald
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Strasse 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany; (M.S.-E.); (E.-M.T.); (R.J.); (I.B.-G.); (M.H.); (M.W.); (E.H.-R.); (J.D.); (S.A.)
| | - Ruth Janoschek
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Strasse 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany; (M.S.-E.); (E.-M.T.); (R.J.); (I.B.-G.); (M.H.); (M.W.); (E.H.-R.); (J.D.); (S.A.)
| | - Inga Bae-Gartz
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Strasse 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany; (M.S.-E.); (E.-M.T.); (R.J.); (I.B.-G.); (M.H.); (M.W.); (E.H.-R.); (J.D.); (S.A.)
| | - Peter Zentis
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Core Facility Imaging, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Strasse 26, 50931 Cologne, Germany; (P.Z.); (A.S.)
| | - Marion Handwerk
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Strasse 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany; (M.S.-E.); (E.-M.T.); (R.J.); (I.B.-G.); (M.H.); (M.W.); (E.H.-R.); (J.D.); (S.A.)
| | - Maria Wohlfarth
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Strasse 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany; (M.S.-E.); (E.-M.T.); (R.J.); (I.B.-G.); (M.H.); (M.W.); (E.H.-R.); (J.D.); (S.A.)
| | - Astrid Schauss
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Core Facility Imaging, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Strasse 26, 50931 Cologne, Germany; (P.Z.); (A.S.)
| | - Eva Hucklenbruch-Rother
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Strasse 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany; (M.S.-E.); (E.-M.T.); (R.J.); (I.B.-G.); (M.H.); (M.W.); (E.H.-R.); (J.D.); (S.A.)
| | - Jörg Dötsch
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Strasse 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany; (M.S.-E.); (E.-M.T.); (R.J.); (I.B.-G.); (M.H.); (M.W.); (E.H.-R.); (J.D.); (S.A.)
| | - Sarah Appel
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Strasse 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany; (M.S.-E.); (E.-M.T.); (R.J.); (I.B.-G.); (M.H.); (M.W.); (E.H.-R.); (J.D.); (S.A.)
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Appel S, Grothe J, Storck S, Janoschek R, Bae-Gartz I, Wohlfarth M, Handwerk M, Hucklenbruch-Rother E, Gellhaus A, Dötsch J. A Potential Role for GSK3β in Glucose-Driven Intrauterine Catch-Up Growth in Maternal Obesity. Endocrinology 2019; 160:377-386. [PMID: 30535296 DOI: 10.1210/en.2018-00899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Obesity and unhealthy nutrition are increasing and affect women of childbearing age and hence during pregnancy. Despite normal or even high birth weight, the offspring suffers from long-term metabolic risks. We hypothesized that fetal growth is disturbed during different intrauterine phases. Underlying molecular events remain elusive. Female mice were fed either a standard diet (SD) or a high-fat diet (HFD) after weaning until mating and during pregnancy. Pregnant mice were euthanized at gestational day (G)15.5 and G18.5, and fetuses and placentas were removed for analysis. HFD fetuses displayed intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) at G15.5, which disappeared until G18.5, indicating intrauterine catch-up growth during that time period. Main placental findings indicate decreased canonical Wnt-GSK3β signaling and lower proliferation rates at G18.5, which goes along with a smaller placental transfer zone. On the other hand, glucose depots (glycogen cluster) in HFD placentas decreased more strongly between G15.5 and G18.5 compared with placentas from SD mothers, and the glucose transporter protein GLUT-1 was increased at G18.5 in the HFD group. Maternal diet-induced obesity causes an IUGR phenotype at the beginning of the third week (G15.5) in our mouse model. This phenotype is reversed by the end of the third week (G18.5) despite a smaller placental transfer zone, probably based on GSK3β-mediated increased glucose mobilization in the placenta and hence an increased glucose supply to the fetus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Appel
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Cologne Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jon Grothe
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Cologne Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Sarah Storck
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Cologne Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ruth Janoschek
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Cologne Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Inga Bae-Gartz
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Cologne Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Maria Wohlfarth
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Cologne Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Marion Handwerk
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Cologne Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Eva Hucklenbruch-Rother
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Cologne Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Alexandra Gellhaus
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Jörg Dötsch
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Cologne Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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Exercise during pregnancy and its impact on mothers and offspring in humans and mice. J Dev Orig Health Dis 2017; 9:63-76. [DOI: 10.1017/s2040174417000617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Exercise during pregnancy has beneficial effects on maternal and offspring’s health in humans and mice. The underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This comparative study aimed to determine the long-term effects of an exercise program on metabolism, weight gain, body composition and changes in hormones [insulin, leptin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)]. Pregnant women (n=34) and mouse dams (n=44) were subjected to an exercise program compared with matched controls (period I). Follow-up in the offspring was performed over 6 months in humans, corresponding to postnatal day (P) 21 in mice (period II). Half of the mouse offspring was challenged with a high-fat diet (HFD) for 6 weeks between P70 and P112 (period III). In period I, exercise during pregnancy led to 6% lower fat content, 40% lower leptin levels and an increase of 50% BDNF levels in humans compared with controls, which was not observed in mice. After period II in humans and mice, offspring body weight did not differ from that of the controls. Further differences were observed in period III. Offspring of exercising mouse dams had significantly lower fat mass and leptin levels compared with controls. In addition, at P112, BDNF levels in offspring were significantly higher from exercising mothers while this effect was completely blunted by HFD feeding. In this study, we found comparable effects on maternal and offspring’s weight gain in humans and mice but different effects in insulin, leptin and BDNF. The long-term potential protective effects of exercise on biomarkers should be examined in human studies.
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Barrientos G, Toro A, Moschansky P, Cohen M, Garcia MG, Rose M, Maskin B, Sánchez-Margalet V, Blois SM, Varone CL. Leptin promotes HLA-G expression on placental trophoblasts via the MEK/Erk and PI3K signaling pathways. Placenta 2015; 36:419-26. [PMID: 25649687 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2015.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2014] [Revised: 12/19/2014] [Accepted: 01/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The development of the human haemochorial placenta requires complex regulatory mechanisms to protect invasive trophoblast cells from cytotoxic responses elicited by maternal immune cells. Leptin, the adipocyte derived hormone encoded by the Lep gene, is synthesized by placental trophoblasts and exerts pleiotropic effects on the immune system, including the promotion of inflammation and the activation of T cell responses. METHODS To address its possible involvement in the modulation of maternal immune responses during pregnancy, we investigated the effect of leptin on the expression of the class Ib histocompatibility antigen HLA-G as one of the chief immunosuppressive strategies used by trophoblast cells. RESULTS In vitro incubation of the trophoblast derived Swan 71 and JEG-3 cell lines with 25-50 ng/ml recombinant leptin significantly boosted HLA-G mRNA and protein expression, and this effect was abrogated upon pharmacological inhibition of the PI3K-Akt and MEK-Erk signaling pathways. A similar stimulatory effect of leptin was observed in term placental tissue explants, though 10-fold higher doses were required for stimulation. Further, JEG-3 cells treated with a leptin antisense oligodeoxynucleotide displayed decreased HLA-G expression levels, which were partially recovered by addition of stimulating doses of exogenous hormone. Immunofluorescence and qPCR analysis confirmed leptin biosynthesis in placental tissue, further showing that invasive extravillous trophoblast cells were a main source of this hormone during the first trimester of normal pregnancies. DISCUSSION Taken together, our results show that leptin acts as an autocrine/paracrine signal promoting HLA-G expression in placental trophoblasts suggesting an important role in the regulation of immune evasion mechanisms at the fetal maternal interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Barrientos
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, IQUIBICEN CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - A Toro
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, IQUIBICEN CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - P Moschansky
- Charité Center 12 Internal Medicine and Dermatology, Reproductive Medicine Research Group, Medicine University Berlin, Germany
| | - M Cohen
- Laboratoire d'Hormonologie, Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - M G Garcia
- Gene Therapy Laboratory, Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Austral, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Derqui-Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - M Rose
- Charité Center 12 Internal Medicine and Dermatology, Reproductive Medicine Research Group, Medicine University Berlin, Germany
| | - B Maskin
- Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - V Sánchez-Margalet
- Departamento de Bioquímica Médica y Biología Molecular, Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - S M Blois
- Charité Center 12 Internal Medicine and Dermatology, Reproductive Medicine Research Group, Medicine University Berlin, Germany.
| | - C L Varone
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, IQUIBICEN CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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