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Zhao X, Jiang Y, Ma X, Yang Q, Ding X, Wang H, Yao X, Jin L, Zhang Q. Demystifying the impact of prenatal tobacco exposure on the placental immune microenvironment: Avoiding the tragedy of mending the fold after death. J Cell Mol Med 2023; 27:3026-3052. [PMID: 37700485 PMCID: PMC10568673 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.17846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal tobacco exposure (PTE) correlates significantly with a surge in adverse pregnancy outcomes, yet its pathological mechanisms remain partially unexplored. This study aims to meticulously examine the repercussions of PTE on placental immune landscapes, employing a coordinated research methodology encompassing bioinformatics, machine learning and animal studies. Concurrently, it aims to screen biomarkers and potential compounds that could sensitively indicate and mitigate placental immune disorders. In the course of this research, two gene expression omnibus (GEO) microarrays, namely GSE27272 and GSE7434, were included. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and immune enrichment investigations on differentially expressed genes (DEGs) indicated that PTE might perturb numerous innate or adaptive immune-related biological processes. A cohort of 52 immune-associated DEGs was acquired by cross-referencing the DEGs with gene sets derived from the ImmPort database. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was subsequently established, from which 10 hub genes were extracted using the maximal clique centrality (MCC) algorithm (JUN, NPY, SST, FLT4, FGF13, HBEGF, NR0B2, AREG, NR1I2, SEMA5B). Moreover, we substantiated the elevated affinity of tobacco reproductive toxicants, specifically nicotine and nitrosamine, with hub genes through molecular docking (JUN, FGF13 and NR1I2). This suggested that these genes could potentially serve as crucial loci for tobacco's influence on the placental immune microenvironment. To further elucidate the immune microenvironment landscape, consistent clustering analysis was conducted, yielding three subtypes, where the abundance of follicular helper T cells (p < 0.05) in subtype A, M2 macrophages (p < 0.01), neutrophils (p < 0.05) in subtype B and CD8+ T cells (p < 0.05), resting NK cells (p < 0.05), M2 macrophages (p < 0.05) in subtype C were significantly different from the control group. Additionally, three pivotal modules, designated as red, blue and green, were identified, each bearing a close association with differentially infiltrated immunocytes, as discerned by the weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Functional enrichment analysis was subsequently conducted on these modules. To further probe into the mechanisms by which immune-associated DEGs are implicated in intercellular communication, 20 genes serving as ligands or receptors and connected to differentially infiltrating immunocytes were isolated. Employing a variety of machine learning techniques, including one-way logistic regression, LASSO regression, random forest and artificial neural networks, we screened 11 signature genes from the intersection of immune-associated DEGs and secretory protein-encoding genes derived from the Human Protein Atlas. Notably, CCL18 and IFNA4 emerged as prospective peripheral blood markers capable of identifying PTE-induced immune disorders. These markers demonstrated impressive predictive power, as indicated by the area under the curve (AUC) of 0.713 (0.548-0.857) and 0.780 (0.618-0.914), respectively. Furthermore, we predicted 34 potential compounds, including cyclosporine, oestrogen and so on, which may engage with hub genes and attenuate immune disorders instigated by PTE. The diagnostic performance of these biomarkers, alongside the interventional effect of cyclosporine, was further corroborated in animal studies via ELISA, Western blot and immunofluorescence assays. In summary, this study identifies a disturbance in the placental immune landscape, a secondary effect of PTE, which may underlie multiple pregnancy complications. Importantly, our research contributes to the noninvasive and timely detection of PTE-induced placental immune disorders, while also offering innovative therapeutic strategies for their treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxuan Zhao
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) GynecologyHangzhou TCM Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityHangzhouChina
- Research Institute of Women's Reproductive Health Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityHangzhouChina
| | | | - Xiao Ma
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Qujia Yang
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Xinyi Ding
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Hanzhi Wang
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Xintong Yao
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Linxi Jin
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Qin Zhang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) GynecologyHangzhou TCM Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityHangzhouChina
- Research Institute of Women's Reproductive Health Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityHangzhouChina
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Zubcevic J, Watkins J, Lin C, Bautista B, Hatch HM, Tevosian SG, Hayward LF. Nicotine Exposure during Rodent Pregnancy Alters the Composition of Maternal Gut Microbiota and Abundance of Maternal and Amniotic Short Chain Fatty Acids. Metabolites 2022; 12:metabo12080735. [PMID: 36005607 PMCID: PMC9414314 DOI: 10.3390/metabo12080735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Tobacco smoking is the leading cause of preventable death. Numerous reports link smoking in pregnancy with serious adverse outcomes, such as miscarriage, stillbirth, prematurity, low birth weight, perinatal morbidity, and infant mortality. Corollaries of consuming nicotine in pregnancy, separate from smoking, are less explored, and the mechanisms of nicotine action on maternal–fetal communication are poorly understood. This study examined alterations in the maternal gut microbiome in response to nicotine exposure during pregnancy. We report that changes in the maternal gut microbiota milieu are an important intermediary that may mediate the prenatal nicotine exposure effects, affect gene expression, and alter fetal exposure to circulating short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and leptin during in utero development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasenka Zubcevic
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Toledo, OH 43614, USA
- Correspondence: (J.Z.); (S.G.T.)
| | - Jacqueline Watkins
- Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Cindy Lin
- Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Byrell Bautista
- Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Heather M. Hatch
- Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Sergei G. Tevosian
- Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Correspondence: (J.Z.); (S.G.T.)
| | - Linda F. Hayward
- Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
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Cool T, Baena ARY, Forsberg EC. Clearing the Haze: How Does Nicotine Affect Hematopoiesis before and after Birth? Cancers (Basel) 2021; 14:184. [PMID: 35008347 PMCID: PMC8750289 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14010184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hematopoiesis is a tightly regulated process orchestrated by cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic cues. Over the past several decades, much effort has been focused on understanding how these cues regulate hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) function. Many endogenous key regulators of hematopoiesis have been identified and extensively characterized. Less is known about the mechanisms of long-term effects of environmental toxic compounds on hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) and their mature immune cell progeny. Research over the past several decades has demonstrated that tobacco products are extremely toxic and pose huge risks to human health by causing diseases like cancer, respiratory illnesses, strokes, and more. Recently, electronic cigarettes have been promoted as a safer alternative to traditional tobacco products and have become increasingly popular among younger generations. Nicotine, the highly toxic compound found in many traditional tobacco products, is also found in most electronic cigarettes, calling into question their purported "safety". Although it is known that nicotine is toxic, the pathophysiology of disease in exposed people remains under investigation. One plausible contributor to altered disease susceptibility is altered hematopoiesis and associated immune dysfunction. In this review, we focus on research that has addressed how HSCs and mature blood cells respond to nicotine, as well as identify remaining questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor Cool
- Program in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, Institute for the Biology of Stem Cells, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA; (T.C.); (A.R.y.B.)
| | - Alessandra Rodriguez y Baena
- Program in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, Institute for the Biology of Stem Cells, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA; (T.C.); (A.R.y.B.)
| | - E. Camilla Forsberg
- Institute for the Biology of Stem Cells, Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
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von Chamier M, Reyes L, Hayward LF, Brown MB. Nicotine induces maternal and fetal inflammatory responses which predispose intrauterine infection risk in a rat model. Nicotine Tob Res 2021; 23:1763-1770. [PMID: 33894055 PMCID: PMC8403242 DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntab080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Introduction Both smoking and infection adversely impact pregnancy. Previously, our group identified in a rodent model that 6 mg/kg/d nicotine increased the risk of fetal infection at gestation day (GD) 18. Here, we investigate lower nicotine doses. Methods Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats received nicotine infusion at 0, 1, or 3 mg/kg/d (no, low-, and mid-dose nicotine, respectively) from GD 6, with intravenous inoculation with Mycoplasma pulmonis (MP) at 107 CFU (N = 20) or sterile broth (sham) (N = 11) on GD 14. Uterus and fetuses were retrieved on GD 18 for MP culture and histopathologic evaluation of maternal and fetal inflammatory responses (MIR and FIR). Results At 1 mg/kg/d nicotine, MP colonization rates were decreased, from 100% (9 of 9) to 40% (2 of 5) of MP-inoculated dams (p = .03), and 59% (66 of 111) to 39% (24 of 62) of fetuses (p = .01), versus no nicotine. Low-dose nicotine resulted in increased MIR and FIR in the sham-inoculated group; in the MP-inoculated group, this resulted in reduced relative risk (RR) for placental colonization (RR, 95% CI with high MIR = 0.14, 0.02 to 0.65; FIR = 0.38, 0.12 to 0.93). In contrast, 3 mg/kg/d nicotine treatment did not alter colonization rates; furthermore, FIR was completely suppressed, even in the face of placental or amniotic fluid colonization. Conclusion The 1 mg/kg/d nicotine dose decreased risk of intrauterine infection, with increased MIR and FIR. The 3 mg/kg/d nicotine dose inhibited FIR, and increased risk for intrauterine infection. Nicotine alterations of the intrauterine environment were markedly dose-dependent. Implications Nicotine exposure alters intrauterine infection and inflammation in a dose-dependent manner, potentially impacting fetal development and programming. Previous work in a rodent model showed that high-dose nicotine (6 mg/kg/d) exposure exacerbated intrauterine infection during pregnancy. The current study found that low-dose nicotine (1 mg/kg/d) exposure reduced colonization of placenta and amniotic fluid; this decrease was associated with increased intrauterine inflammation. Exposure to mid-dose nicotine (3 mg/kg/d) suppressed fetal inflammation. Elucidation of underlying mechanisms of these phenomena will inform public health and clinical care decisions, particularly in the context of risk assessment of nicotine replacement therapy during pregnancy for smoking cessation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria von Chamier
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Leticia Reyes
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Linda F Hayward
- Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Mary B Brown
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
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Faro J, Romero R, Schwenkel G, Garcia-Flores V, Arenas-Hernandez M, Leng Y, Xu Y, Miller D, Hassan SS, Gomez-Lopez N. Intra-amniotic inflammation induces preterm birth by activating the NLRP3 inflammasome†. Biol Reprod 2020; 100:1290-1305. [PMID: 30590393 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioy261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 12/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Intra-amniotic inflammation is strongly associated with spontaneous preterm labor and birth, the leading cause of perinatal mortality and morbidity worldwide. Previous studies have suggested a role for the NLRP3 (NLR family pyrin domain-containing protein 3) inflammasome in the mechanisms that lead to preterm labor and birth. However, a causal link between the NLRP3 inflammasome and preterm labor/birth induced by intra-amniotic inflammation has not been established. Herein, using an animal model of lipopolysaccharide-induced intra-amniotic inflammation (IAI), we demonstrated that there was priming of the NLRP3 inflammasome (1) at the transcriptional level, indicated by enhanced mRNA expression of inflammasome-related genes (Nlrp3, Casp1, Il1b); and (2) at the protein level, indicated by greater protein concentrations of NLRP3, in both the fetal membranes and decidua basalis prior to preterm birth. Additionally, we showed that there was canonical activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in the fetal membranes, but not in the decidua basalis, prior to IAI-induced preterm birth as evidenced by increased protein levels of active caspase-1. Protein concentrations of released IL1β were also increased in both the fetal membranes and decidua basalis, as well as in the amniotic fluid, prior to IAI-induced preterm birth. Finally, using the specific NLRP3 inhibitor, MCC950, we showed that in vivo inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome reduced IAI-induced preterm birth and neonatal mortality. Collectively, these results provide a causal link between NLRP3 inflammasome activation and spontaneous preterm labor and birth in the context of intra-amniotic inflammation. We also showed that, by targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome, adverse pregnancy and neonatal outcomes can be significantly reduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Faro
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Roberto Romero
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 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
| | - George Schwenkel
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Valeria Garcia-Flores
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Marcia Arenas-Hernandez
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Yaozhu Leng
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Yi Xu
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Derek Miller
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 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, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA.,Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Nardhy Gomez-Lopez
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA.,Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Biochemistry, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
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Watkins JM, von Chamier M, Brown MB, Reyes L, Hayward LF. Prenatal infection with Mycoplasma pulmonis in rats exaggerates the angiotensin II pressor response in adult offspring. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2019; 318:R338-R350. [PMID: 31850818 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00194.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to different stressors in utero is linked to adult diseases such as obesity and hypertension. In this study, the impact of prenatal infection (PNI) on adult body weight and cardiovascular function was evaluated using a naturally occurring rodent pathogen, Mycoplasma pulmonis (MP). Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were infected with MP on gestational day 14 and gave birth naturally. Adult PNI offspring weighed more than controls, but resting mean arterial pressure (MAP) was unchanged. Subcutaneous injection of angiotensin II (10 μg/kg) elicited a rise in MAP that was greater in both male and female PNI offspring compared with controls (P < 0.03). The accompanying reflex bradycardia was similar to the controls, suggesting that PNI induced baroreflex dysfunction. Subcutaneous nicotine administration, a potent cardiorespiratory stimulus, also elicited a transient rise in MAP that was generally greater in the PNI group, but the change in MAP from baseline was only significant in the PNI females compared with controls (P < 0.03). Elevated body weight and cardiovascular reactivity in the PNI offspring was associated with an increase in the ratio of hypothalamic corticotrophin-releasing hormone receptors type 1 to type 2 gene expression in both sexes compared with controls. These findings support previous studies demonstrating that PNI induces alterations in cardiovascular function and body weight. Yet, unlike previous studies utilizing other models of PNI (e.g., endotoxin), MP PNI did not induce resting hypertension. Thus, our study provides a foundation for future studies evaluating the cardiovascular risks of offspring exposed to microbial challenges in utero.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Watkins
- Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - M von Chamier
- Department of Infectious Disease and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - M B Brown
- Department of Infectious Disease and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - L Reyes
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - L F Hayward
- Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
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