Placental tyrosine transport and maternal phenylketonuria

Transcriptomic analysis of reproductive organs of pregnant mice post toxoplasma gondii infection reveals the potential factors that contribute to poor prognosis

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite of phylum Apicomplexa that poses a huge threat to pregnant hosts, and induces tragic outcomes for pregnant hosts, fetuses and newborns. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the tragic consequences caused by T. gondii remains to be revealed. In the present study, we applied RNA-seq to study the transcriptomic landscape of the whole reproductive organ of pregnant mice post T. gondii infection, aiming to reveal the key altered biological characters of reproductive organs of pregnant mice that could contribute to the tragic outcomes caused by T. gondii infection. The results of the present study showed that the transcriptome of reproductive organs of pregnant mice was significantly altered by T. gondii infection. A total of 2,598 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, including 1,449 upregulated genes and 1,149 downregulated genes. Enrichment analysis of the DEGs showed that the significantly altered features of reproductive organs of pregnant mice were excessive inflammatory responses, downregulated metabolism processes, and congenital diseases. The chemotaxis of immune cells in the reproductive organs of infected pregnant mice could also be reshaped by 19 differentially expressed chemokines and 6 differentially expressed chemokine receptors that could contribute to the damages of reproductive organ in pregnant mice. Overall, the findings of present study may help to understand the pathogenic mechanism of the acute T. gondii infection in reproductive organs of pregnant mice, and it could also help to improve toxoplasmosis therapeutics for pregnant individuals.

Human fetal amino acid metabolism at term gestation

BACKGROUND

Knowledge on human fetal amino acid (AA) metabolism, largely lacking thus far, is pivotal in improving nutritional strategies for prematurely born infants. Phenylalanine kinetics is of special interest as is debate as to whether neonates will adequately hydroxylate phenylalanine to the semiessential AA tyrosine.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to quantify human fetal phenylalanine and tyrosine metabolism.

DESIGN

Eight fasted, healthy, pregnant women undergoing elective cesarean delivery at term received primed continuous stable-isotope infusions of [1-(13)C]phenylalanine and [ring-D(4)]tyrosine starting before surgery. Umbilical blood flow was measured by ultrasound. Maternal and umbilical cord blood was collected and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for phenylalanine and tyrosine enrichments and concentrations. Data are expressed as medians (25th-75th percentile).

RESULTS

Women were in a catabolic state for which net fetal AA uptake was responsible for > or = 25%. Maternal and fetal hydroxylation rates were 2.6 (2.2-2.9) and 7.5 (6.2-15.5) micromol phenylalanine/(kg . h), respectively. Fetal protein synthesis rates were higher than breakdown rates: 92 (84-116) and 73 (68-87) micromol phenylalanine/(kg . h), respectively, which indicated an anabolic state. The median metabolized fraction of available phenylalanine and tyrosine in the fetus was <20% for both AAs.

CONCLUSIONS

At term gestation, fetuses still show considerable net AA uptake and AA accretion [converted to tissue approximately 12 g/(kg . d)]. The low metabolic uptake (AA usage) implies a very large nutritional reserve capacity of nutrients delivered through the umbilical cord. Fetuses at term are quite capable of hydroxylating phenylalanine to tyrosine.

Tissue uptake of thyroid hormone by amino acid transporters

Thyroid hormones (THs) -- thyroxine (T4) and tri-iodothyronine (T3) -- are iodinated derivatives of the amino acid tyrosine, which regulates growth, development and critical metabolic functions. THs are taken up by target cells and act at the genomic level via nuclear thyroid receptors. Saturable transport mechanisms mediate the greater part of TH movement across the plasma membrane. System L1 permease is a transporter of THs and amino acids in mammalian adipose tissue, placenta and brain. T(3) is also a substrate of a putative System T transporter, which is selective for aromatic amino acids. The activity and functional mechanisms of these transporters can be crucial to cells in determining both their hormone sensitivity and their responses to change in circulating hormone concentrations or availability of competing substrates (e.g. amino acids). TH transporters are potentially important pharmacological targets in the design of novel or improved therapies for thyroid-related disorders.

Placental transport and metabolism of amino acids

This review examines the placental transport and metabolism of amino acids, with a special emphasis on unifying and interpreting in-vivo and in-vitro data. For a variety of technical reasons, in-vivo studies, which quantify placental amino-acid fluxes and metabolism, have been relatively limited, in comparison to in-vitro studies using various placental preparations. Following an introduction to placental amino-acid uptake and transfer to the fetus, the review attempts to reconcile in-vitro placental transport data with in-vivo placental data. Data are discussed with reference to the measured delivery rates of amino acids into the fetal circulation and the contribution of placental metabolism to this rate for many amino acids. The importance of exchange transporters in determining efflux from the placenta into the fetal circulation is presented with special reference to in-vivo studies of non-metabolizable and essential amino acids. The data which illustrate the interconversion and nitrogen exchange of three groups of amino acids, glutamine-glutamate, BCAAs and serine-glycine, within the placenta are discussed in terms of the potential role such pathways may serve for other placenta functions. The review also presents comparisons of the sheep and human placentae in terms of their in-vivo amino-acid transport rates.

Inborn errors of metabolism and pregnancy

An increasing number of women with inborn errors of metabolism are now reaching child-bearing age. For certain disorders there are maternal risks associated with pregnancy. These may be related to an increased likelihood of metabolic decompensation (e.g. disorders of the urea cycle) or to increased stress to systems already compromised by disease (e.g. cardiomyopathy in GSD III). Detrimental effects upon the fetus may also be caused by maternal disease, as occurs with phenylketonuria, or from medication used to treat the mother's condition. Less commonly, fetal inborn errors may adversely effect the mother's health--e.g. fetal long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency and the maternal HELLP syndrome (haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelets) and AFLP (acute fatty liver of pregnancy). Because of the rarity of individual disorders, our knowledge of risks associated with pregnancy is limited. Even for more common inborn errors such as phenylketonuria, there remain a number of questions that have not been fully answered.

[Importance of the diagnoses and treatment of phenylketonuria]

Phenylketonuria is the most common inborn error of amino acid metabolism. It is due to a deficiency of phenylalanine hydroxylase, which normally converts phenylalanine to tyrosine. A diet low in phenylalanine starting in the first month of life can significantly reduce mental retardation, the most important feature of the disease. The aim of the review is to discuss the difficulties found in the diagnosis of PKU and its variants, ranging from classic phenylketonuria to mild hyperphenylalaninaemia, and the effects of dietary restriction of phenylalanine on the growth and development of children. Also, we present the current controversies about the age of discontinuing the dietary treatment. This review summarizes the benefits and problems emerging from a prolonged therapy taking into account dietary compliance in different age groups, and discusses dietary alternatives to the synthetic amino acid mixtures free of phenylalanine, based on low phenylalanine protein hydrolysates. In addition, we show some information about the effects of maternal phenylketonuria on pregnancy outcome and infant development, if exposed to high phenylalanine levels intra uterineo.