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Grace MR, Vora NL, Smeester L, Dotters-Katz SK, Fry RC, Bae-Jump V, Boggess K. Sex-Dependent Differences in Mouse Placental Gene Expression following a Maternal High-Fat Diet. Am J Perinatol 2024; 41:e1273-e1280. [PMID: 36608700 PMCID: PMC10427734 DOI: 10.1055/a-2008-8286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In utero fetal exposures may have sex-specific placental gene responses. Our objective was to measure sex-based differences in placental gene expression from dams fed high-fat diet (HFD) versus control diet (CD). STUDY DESIGN We fed timed pregnant Friend virus B-strain dams either a CD (n = 5) or an HFD (n = 5). We euthanized dams on embryonic day 17.5 to collect placentas. We extracted placental RNA and hybridized it to a customized 96-gene Nanostring panel focusing on angiogenic, inflammatory, and growth genes. We compared normalized gene expression between CD and HFD, stratified by fetal sex, using analysis of variance. Pathway analysis was used to further interpret the genomic data. RESULTS Pups from HFD-fed dams were heavier than those from CD-fed dams (0.97 ± 0.06 vs. 0.84 ± 0.08 g, p < 0.001). Male pups were heavier than females in the HFD (0.99 ± 0.05 vs. 0.94 ± 0.06 g, p = 0.004) but not CD (0.87 ± 0.08 vs. 0.83 ± 0.07 g, p = 0.10) group. No sex-based differences in placental gene expression in CD-fed dams were observed. Among HFD-fed dams, placentas from female pups exhibited upregulation of 15 genes (q = 0.01). Network analyses identified a cluster of genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism, cellular function and maintenance, and endocrine system development and function (p = 1 × 10-23). The observed female-specific increased gene expression following in utero HFD exposure was predicted to be regulated by insulin (p = 5.79 × 10-13). CONCLUSION In female compared with male pups, in utero exposure to HFD upregulated placental gene expression in 15 genes predicted to be regulated by insulin. Sex-specific differences in placental expression of these genes should be further investigated. KEY POINTS · Male pups were heavier than female pups at the time of sacrifice when dams were fed an HFD.. · HFD was associated with upregulated gene expression in female placentas.. · Female-specific increased gene was predicted to be regulated by insulin..
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R. Grace
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Neeta L. Vora
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Lisa Smeester
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Sarah K. Dotters-Katz
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Rebecca C. Fry
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Victoria Bae-Jump
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, North Carolina
| | - Kim Boggess
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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van Hoorn EGM, Rademaker D, van der Wel AWT, DeVries JH, Franx A, van Rijn BB, Kooy A, Siegelaar SE, Roseboom TJ, Ozanne SE, Hooijmans CR, Painter RC. Fetal and post-natal outcomes in offspring after intrauterine metformin exposure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of animal experiments. Diabet Med 2024; 41:e15243. [PMID: 37845186 DOI: 10.1111/dme.15243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
AIMS The impact of maternal metformin use during pregnancy on fetal, infant, childhood and adolescent growth, development, and health remains unclear. Our objective was to systematically review the available evidence from animal experiments on the effects of intrauterine metformin exposure on offspring's anthropometric, cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes. METHODS A systematic search was conducted in PUBMED and EMBASE from inception (searched on 12th April 2023). We extracted original, controlled animal studies that investigated the effects of maternal metformin use during pregnancy on offspring anthropometric, cardiovascular and metabolic measurements. Subsequently, risk of bias was assessed and meta-analyses using the standardized mean difference and a random effects model were conducted for all outcomes containing data from 3 or more studies. Subgroup analyses were planned for species, strain, sex and type of model in the case of 10 comparisons or more per subgroup. RESULTS We included 37 articles (n = 3133 offspring from n = 716 litters, containing n = 51 comparisons) in this review, mostly (95%) on rodent models and 5% pig models. Follow-up of offspring ranged from birth to 2 years of age. Thirty four of the included articles could be included in the meta-analysis. No significant effects in the overall meta-analysis of metformin on any of the anthropometric, cardiovascular and metabolic offspring outcome measures were identified. Between-studies heterogeneity was high, and risk of bias was unclear in most studies as a consequence of poor reporting of essential methodological details. CONCLUSION This systematic review was unable to establish effects of metformin treatment during pregnancy on anthropometric, cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes in non-human offspring. Heterogeneity between studies was high and reporting of methodological details often limited. This highlights a need for additional high-quality research both in humans and model systems to allow firm conclusions to be established. Future research should include focus on the effects of metformin in older offspring age groups, and on outcomes which have gone uninvestigated to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- E G M van Hoorn
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - D Rademaker
- Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Amsterdam University Medical Center location AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A W T van der Wel
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Amsterdam University Medical Center location AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - J H DeVries
- Department of Internal Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A Franx
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - B B van Rijn
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A Kooy
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Bethesda Diabetes Research Center, Hoogeveen, The Netherlands
- Department of Internal Medicine, Care Group Treant, Location Bethesda Hoogeveen, Hoogeveen, The Netherlands
| | - S E Siegelaar
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Gastroenterology Endocrinology and Metabolism, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - T J Roseboom
- Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Amsterdam University Medical Center location AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - S E Ozanne
- Welcome-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science-Metabolic Research Laboratories and MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - C R Hooijmans
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Care (Meta Research Team), Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - R C Painter
- Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Grace MR, Dotters-Katz SK, Zhou C, Manuck T, Boggess K, Bae-Jump V. Effect of a High-Fat Diet and Metformin on Placental mTOR Signaling in Mice. AJP Rep 2019; 9:e138-e143. [PMID: 30972229 PMCID: PMC6456331 DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-1683362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective This study was aimed to measure the effects of a high-fat diet and metformin on placental mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling in mice. Study Design Pregnant friend virus B (FVB)-strain mice were allocated on embryonic day (e) 0.5 to one of four groups; group 1: control diet (CD, 10% fat) + control treatment (CT), group 2: CD + metformin treatment (MT), group 3: high-fat diet (HFD, 60% fat) + CT, and group 4: HFD + MT. Metformin (2.5 mg/mL) was provided in water; CT mice received water. Fetuses and placentas were collected. Western blot measured placental p-Akt and p-S6 expression. Results 20 dams (five/group) and 192 fetuses were studied. Compared with CD-fed, HFD-fed dams had higher placental p-Akt protein expression ( p < 0.0001). Among HFD-dams, placental p-Akt was higher in metformin-treated compared with control-treated ( p < 0.001). Among CD-fed dams, there was no significant difference in placental p-S6 expression in MT versus CT groups. Among HFD-fed dams placental p-S6 expression was lower in those exposed to metformin-treated versus controls ( p = 0.001). Conclusion Increased placental mTOR signaling and metformin inhibition of placental mTOR signaling only occurred in the presence of an HFD exposure. These findings suggest that metformin may modulate placental mTOR signaling in the presence of metabolic exposures during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R Grace
- Tennessee Maternal Fetal Medicine and the University of Tennessee, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Medicine Education, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Sarah K Dotters-Katz
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Chunxiao Zhou
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Tracy Manuck
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.,Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Carolina Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Kim Boggess
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Victoria Bae-Jump
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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