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Shimada H, Powell TL, Jansson T. Regulation of placental amino acid transport in health and disease. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2024; 240:e14157. [PMID: 38711335 PMCID: PMC11162343 DOI: 10.1111/apha.14157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Abnormal fetal growth, i.e., intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) or fetal growth restriction (FGR) and fetal overgrowth, is associated with increased perinatal morbidity and mortality and is strongly linked to the development of metabolic and cardiovascular disease in childhood and later in life. Emerging evidence suggests that changes in placental amino acid transport may contribute to abnormal fetal growth. This review is focused on amino acid transport in the human placenta, however, relevant animal models will be discussed to add mechanistic insights. At least 25 distinct amino acid transporters with different characteristics and substrate preferences have been identified in the human placenta. Of these, System A, transporting neutral nonessential amino acids, and System L, mediating the transport of essential amino acids, have been studied in some detail. Importantly, decreased placental Systems A and L transporter activity is strongly associated with IUGR and increased placental activity of these two amino acid transporters has been linked to fetal overgrowth in human pregnancy. An array of factors in the maternal circulation, including insulin, IGF-1, and adiponectin, and placental signaling pathways such as mTOR, have been identified as key regulators of placental Systems A and L. Studies using trophoblast-specific gene targeting in mice have provided compelling evidence that changes in placental Systems A and L are mechanistically linked to altered fetal growth. It is possible that targeting specific placental amino acid transporters or their upstream regulators represents a novel intervention to alleviate the short- and long-term consequences of abnormal fetal growth in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Shimada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, US
- Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Theresa L Powell
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, US
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, US
| | - Thomas Jansson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, US
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2
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Allen S, Natale BV, Ejeckam AO, Lee K, Hardy DB, Natale DRC. Cannabidiol Exposure During Rat Pregnancy Leads to Labyrinth-Specific Vascular Defects in the Placenta and Reduced Fetal Growth. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2024; 9:766-780. [PMID: 38364116 DOI: 10.1089/can.2023.0166] [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: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Cannabis use is increasing among pregnant people, and cannabidiol (CBD), a constituent of cannabis, is often perceived as "natural" and "safe" as it is non-intoxicating. In utero, cannabis exposure is associated with negative health outcomes, including fetal growth restriction (FGR). The placenta supplies oxygen and nutrients to the fetus, and alterations in placental development can lead to FGR. While there has been some investigation into the effects of Δ9-THC, there has been limited investigation into the impacts of in utero gestational CBD exposure on the placenta. Methods: This study used histological and transcriptomic analysis of embryonic day (E)19.5 rat placentas from vehicle and CBD (3 mg/kg intraperitoneal injection) exposed pregnancies (E6.5-18.5). Results: The study revealed that pups from CBD-exposed pregnancies were 10% smaller, with the placentae displaying a decreased fetal blood space perimeter-to-area ratio. The transcriptomic analysis supported compromised angiogenesis and blood vessel formation with downregulated biological processes, including tube morphogenesis, angiogenesis, blood vessel morphogenesis, blood vessel development and vasculature development. Further, the CBD-exposed placentas displayed changed expression of glucose transporters (decreased GLUT1 and GR expression and increased GLUT3 expression). Transcriptomic analysis further revealed upregulated biological processes associated with metabolism. Finally, histological and transcriptomic analysis revealed altered cell populations within the placenta, specifically to syncytiotrophoblast layer II and endothelial cells. Conclusion: Together these results suggest that the structural changes in CDB-exposed placentae, including the altered expression of nutrient transporters and the changes to the placental fetal vasculature, may underlie the reduced fetal growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Allen
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Bryony V Natale
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alexis O Ejeckam
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kendrick Lee
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Daniel B Hardy
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- The Children's Health Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Lawson Health Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - David R C Natale
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
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Jeong S, Fuwad A, Yoon S, Jeon TJ, Kim SM. A Microphysiological Model to Mimic the Placental Remodeling during Early Stage of Pregnancy under Hypoxia-Induced Trophoblast Invasion. Biomimetics (Basel) 2024; 9:289. [PMID: 38786499 PMCID: PMC11118815 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics9050289] [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: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 05/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Placental trophoblast invasion is critical for establishing the maternal-fetal interface, yet the mechanisms driving trophoblast-induced maternal arterial remodeling remain elusive. To address this gap, we developed a three-dimensional microfluidic placenta-on-chip model that mimics early pregnancy placentation in a hypoxic environment. By studying human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) under oxygen-deprived conditions upon trophoblast invasion, we observed significant HUVEC artery remodeling, suggesting the critical role of hypoxia in placentation. In particular, we found that trophoblasts secrete matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) proteins under hypoxic conditions, which contribute to arterial remodeling by the degradation of extracellular matrix components. This MMP-mediated remodeling is critical for facilitating trophoblast invasion and proper establishment of the maternal-fetal interface. In addition, our platform allows real-time monitoring of HUVEC vessel contraction during trophoblast interaction, providing valuable insights into the dynamic interplay between trophoblasts and maternal vasculature. Collectively, our findings highlight the importance of MMP-mediated arterial remodeling in placental development and underscore the potential of our platform to study pregnancy-related complications and evaluate therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seorin Jeong
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, 100, Inha-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea; (S.J.); (A.F.)
| | - Ahmed Fuwad
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, 100, Inha-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea; (S.J.); (A.F.)
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering (SMME), National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
| | - Sunhee Yoon
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Inha University, 100, Inha-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea;
| | - Tae-Joon Jeon
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Inha University, 100, Inha-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea;
- Biohybrid Systems Research Center, Inha University, 100, Inha-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biological Engineering, Inha University, 100, Inha-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun Min Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, 100, Inha-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea; (S.J.); (A.F.)
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Inha University, 100, Inha-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea;
- Biohybrid Systems Research Center, Inha University, 100, Inha-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea
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Gallagher LT, Bardill J, Sucharov CC, Wright CJ, Karimpour-Fard A, Zarate M, Breckenfelder C, Liechty KW, Derderian SC. Dysregulation of miRNA-mRNA expression in fetal growth restriction in a caloric restricted mouse model. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5579. [PMID: 38448721 PMCID: PMC10918062 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56155-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is associated with aberrant placentation and accounts for a significant proportion of perinatal deaths. microRNAs have been shown to be dysregulated in FGR. The purpose of this study was to determine microRNA-regulated molecular pathways altered using a caloric restricted mouse model of FGR. Pregnant mice were subjected to a 50% caloric restricted diet beginning at E9. At E18.5, RNA sequencing of placental tissue was performed to identify differences in gene expression between caloric restricted and control placentas. Significant differences in gene expression between caloric restricted and control placentas were observed in 228 of the 1546 (14.7%) microRNAs. Functional analysis of microRNA-mRNA interactions demonstrated enrichment of several biological pathways with oxidative stress, apoptosis, and autophagy pathways upregulated and angiogenesis and signal transduction pathways downregulated. Ingenuity pathway analysis also suggested that ID1 signaling, a pathway integral for trophoblast differentiation, is also dysregulated in caloric restricted placentas. Thus, a maternal caloric restriction mouse model of FGR results in aberrant microRNA-regulated molecular pathways associated with angiogenesis, oxidative stress, signal transduction, apoptosis, and cell differentiation. As several of these pathways are dysregulated in human FGR, our findings suggest that this model may provide an excellent means to study placental microRNA derangements seen in FGR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren T Gallagher
- Department of Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Laboratory for Fetal and Regenerative Biology, Department of Surgery, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - James Bardill
- Department of Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Laboratory for Fetal and Regenerative Biology, Department of Surgery, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Carmen C Sucharov
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Clyde J Wright
- Section of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Anis Karimpour-Fard
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Miguel Zarate
- Section of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Courtney Breckenfelder
- Laboratory for Fetal and Regenerative Biology, Department of Surgery, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Kenneth W Liechty
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - S Christopher Derderian
- Colorado Fetal Care Center, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado, 13123 E 16th Ave, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine and Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
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Portugal CC. Ascorbate and its transporter SVCT2: The dynamic duo's integrated roles in CNS neurobiology and pathophysiology. Free Radic Biol Med 2024; 212:448-462. [PMID: 38182073 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2023.12.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
Ascorbate is a small antioxidant molecule essential for the proper development and function of the brain. Ascorbate is transported into the brain and between brain cells via the Sodium vitamin C co-transporter 2 (SVCT2). This review provides an in-depth analysis of ascorbate's physiology, including how ascorbate is absorbed from food into the CNS, emphasizing cellular mechanisms of ascorbate recycling and release in different CNS compartments. Additionally, the review delves into the various functions of ascorbate in the CNS, including its impact on epigenetic modulation, synaptic plasticity, and neurotransmission. It also emphasizes ascorbate's role on neuromodulation and its involvement in neurodevelopmental processes and disorders. Furthermore, it analyzes the relationship between the duo ascorbate/SVCT2 in neuroinflammation, particularly its effects on microglial activation, cytokine release, and oxidative stress responses, highlighting its association with neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Overall, this review emphasizes the crucial role of the dynamic duo ascorbate/SVCT2 in CNS physiology and pathology and the need for further research to fully comprehend its significance in a neurobiological context and its potential therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila C Portugal
- I3s - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde da Universidade do Porto and IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.
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Fuenzalida B, Yañez MJ, Mueller M, Mistry HD, Leiva A, Albrecht C. Evidence for hypoxia-induced dysregulated cholesterol homeostasis in preeclampsia: Insights into the mechanisms from human placental cells and tissues. FASEB J 2024; 38:e23431. [PMID: 38265294 PMCID: PMC10953329 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202301708rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Preeclampsia (PE) poses a considerable risk to the long-term cardiovascular health of both mothers and their offspring due to a hypoxic environment in the placenta leading to reduced fetal oxygen supply. Cholesterol is vital for fetal development by influencing placental function. Recent findings suggest an association between hypoxia, disturbed cholesterol homeostasis, and PE. This study investigates the influence of hypoxia on placental cholesterol homeostasis. Using primary human trophoblast cells and placentae from women with PE, various aspects of cholesterol homeostasis were examined under hypoxic and hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) conditions. Under hypoxia and H/R, intracellular total and non-esterified cholesterol levels were significantly increased. This coincided with an upregulation of HMG-CoA-reductase and HMG-CoA-synthase (key genes regulating cholesterol biosynthesis), and a decrease in acetyl-CoA-acetyltransferase-1 (ACAT1), which mediates cholesterol esterification. Hypoxia and H/R also increased the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species and elevated the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-2α and sterol-regulatory-element-binding-protein (SREBP) transcription factors. Additionally, exposure of trophoblasts to hypoxia and H/R resulted in enhanced cholesterol efflux to maternal and fetal serum. This was accompanied by an increased expression of proteins involved in cholesterol transport such as the scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI) and the ATP-binding cassette transporter G1 (ABCG1). Despite these metabolic alterations, mitogen-activated-protein-kinase (MAPK) signaling, a key regulator of cholesterol homeostasis, was largely unaffected. Our findings indicate dysregulation of cholesterol homeostasis at multiple metabolic points in both the trophoblast hypoxia model and placentae from women with PE. The increased cholesterol efflux and intracellular accumulation of non-esterified cholesterol may have critical implications for both the mother and the fetus during pregnancy, potentially contributing to an elevated cardiovascular risk later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Fuenzalida
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of MedicineUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - Maria Jose Yañez
- School of Medical Technology, Faculty of Medicine and ScienceUniversidad San SebastiánSantiagoChile
| | - Martin Mueller
- Division of Gynecology and ObstetricsLindenhofgruppeBernSwitzerland
- Department for BioMedical ResearchUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - Hiten D. Mistry
- Department of Women and Children's HealthSchool of Life Course and Population Health Sciences, King's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Andrea Leiva
- School of Medical Technology, Faculty of Medicine and ScienceUniversidad San SebastiánSantiagoChile
| | - Christiane Albrecht
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of MedicineUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
- Swiss National Center of Competence in Research, NCCR TransCureUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
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Kramer AC, Jansson T, Bale TL, Powell TL. Maternal-fetal cross-talk via the placenta: influence on offspring development and metabolism. Development 2023; 150:dev202088. [PMID: 37831056 PMCID: PMC10617615 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Compelling epidemiological and animal experimental data demonstrate that cardiometabolic and neuropsychiatric diseases originate in a suboptimal intrauterine environment. Here, we review evidence suggesting that altered placental function may, at least in part, mediate the link between the maternal environment and changes in fetal growth and development. Emerging evidence indicates that the placenta controls the development and function of several fetal tissues through nutrient sensing, modulation of trophoblast nutrient transporters and by altering the number and cargo of released extracellular vesicles. In this Review, we discuss the development and functions of the maternal-placental-fetal interface (in humans and mice) and how cross-talk between these compartments may be a mechanism for in utero programming, focusing on mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), adiponectin and O-GlcNac transferase (OGT) signaling. We also discuss how maternal diet and stress influences fetal development and metabolism and how fetal growth restriction can result in susceptibility to developing chronic disease later in life. Finally, we speculate how interventions targeting placental function may offer unprecedented opportunities to prevent cardiometabolic disease in future generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avery C. Kramer
- Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Thomas Jansson
- Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Tracy L. Bale
- Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Theresa L. Powell
- Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
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Liu Y, Xiong H, Yan C, Wang Y, Cao W, Qie S. Bioinformatic Analysis of The Prognostic Value of A Panel of Six Amino Acid Transporters in Human Cancers. CELL JOURNAL 2023; 25:613-624. [PMID: 37718764 PMCID: PMC10520983 DOI: 10.22074/cellj.2023.2004011.1319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Solid tumor cells utilize amino acid transporters (AATs) to increase amino acid uptake in response to nutrient-insufficiency. The upregulation of AATs is therefore critical for tumor development and progression. This study identifies the upregulated AATs under amino acid deprived conditions, and further determines the clinicopathological importance of these AATs in evaluating the prognosis of patients with cancers. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this experimental study, the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets (GSE62673, GSE26370, GSE125782 and GSE150874) were downloaded from the NCBI website and utilized for integrated differential expression and pathway analysis v0.96, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), and REACTOME analyses to identify the AATs upregulated in response to amino acid deprivation. In addition, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets with prognostic information were assessed and employed to evaluate the association of identified AATs with patients' prognoses using SurvExpress analysis. RESULTS Using analysis of NCBI GEO data, this study shows that amino acid deprivation leads to the upregulation of six AAT genes; SLC3A2, SLC7A5, SLC7A1, SLC1A4, SLC7A11 and SLC1A5. GSEA and REACTOME analyses identified altered signaling in cells exposed to amino acid deprivation, such as pathways related to stress responses, the cell cycle and apoptosis. In addition, Principal Component Analysis showed these six AAT genes to be well divided into two distinct clusters in relation to TCGA tumor tissues versus normal counterparts. Finally, Log-Rank analysis confirmed the upregulation of this panel of six AAT genes is correlated with poor prognosis in patients with colorectal, esophageal, kidney and lung cancers. CONCLUSION The upregulation of a panel of six AATs is common in several human cancers and may provide a valuable diagnostic tool to evaluate the prognosis of patients with colorectal, esophageal, kidney and lung cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaqi Liu
- Department of Pathology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy (Tianjin), Tianjin, China
- Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Haijuan Xiong
- Department of Pathology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy (Tianjin), Tianjin, China
- Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Chenhui Yan
- Department of Pathology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy (Tianjin), Tianjin, China
- Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Yalei Wang
- Department of Pathology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy (Tianjin), Tianjin, China
- Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Wenfeng Cao
- Department of Pathology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy (Tianjin), Tianjin, China
- Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Shuo Qie
- Department of Pathology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy (Tianjin), Tianjin, China
- Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
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Chen S, Ke Y, Chen W, Wu S, Zhuang X, Lin Q, Shi Q, Wu Z. Association of the LEP gene with immune infiltration as a diagnostic biomarker in preeclampsia. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1209144. [PMID: 37635936 PMCID: PMC10448764 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1209144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective: Preeclampsia (PE) is a serious condition in pregnant women and hence an important topic in obstetrics. The current research aimed to recognize the potential and significant immune-related diagnostic biomarkers for PE. Methods: From the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) data sets, three public gene expression profiles (GSE24129, GSE54618, and GSE60438) from the placental samples of PE and normotensive pregnancy were downloaded. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were selected and determined among 73 PE and 85 normotensive control pregnancy samples. The DEGs were used for Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), Disease Ontology (DO) enrichment analysis, and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). The candidate biomarkers were identified by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and support vector machine recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) analysis. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was applied to evaluate diagnostic ability. For further confirmation, the expression levels and diagnostic value of biomarkers in PE were verified in the GSE75010 data set (80 PE and 77 controls) and validated by qRT-RCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The CIBERSORT algorithm was used to calculate the compositional patterns of 22 types of immune cells in PE. Results: In total, 15 DEGs were recognized. The GO and KEGG analyses revealed that the DEGs were enriched in the steroid metabolic process, receptor ligand activity, GnRH secretion, and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction. The recognized DEGs were primarily implicated in cell-type benign neoplasm, kidney failure, infertility, and PE. Gene sets related to hormone activity, glycosylation, multicellular organism process, and response to BMP were activated in PE. The LEP gene was distinguished as a diagnostic biomarker of PE (AUC = 0.712) and further certified in the GSE75010 data set (AUC = 0.850). The high expression of LEP was associated with PE in clinical samples. In addition, the analysis of the immune microenvironment showed that gamma delta T cells, memory B cells, M0 macrophages, and regulatory T cells were positively correlated with LEP expression (P < 0.05). Conclusion: LEP expression can be considered to be a diagnostic biomarker of PE and can offer a novel perspective for future studies regarding the occurrence and molecular mechanisms of PE.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Qirong Shi
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Zhuna Wu
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian, China
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Stroup BM, Li X, Ho S, Zhouyao H, Chen Y, Ani S, Dawson B, Jin Z, Marom R, Jiang MM, Lorenzo I, Rosen D, Lanza D, Aceves N, Koh S, Seavitt JR, Heaney JD, Lee B, Burrage LC. Delayed skeletal development and IGF-1 deficiency in a mouse model of lysinuric protein intolerance. Dis Model Mech 2023; 16:dmm050118. [PMID: 37486182 PMCID: PMC10445726 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.050118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
SLC7A7 deficiency, or lysinuric protein intolerance (LPI), causes loss of function of the y+LAT1 transporter critical for efflux of arginine, lysine and ornithine in certain cells. LPI is characterized by urea cycle dysfunction, renal disease, immune dysregulation, growth failure, delayed bone age and osteoporosis. We previously reported that Slc7a7 knockout mice (C57BL/6×129/SvEv F2) recapitulate LPI phenotypes, including growth failure. Our main objective in this study was to characterize the skeletal phenotype in these mice. Compared to wild-type littermates, juvenile Slc7a7 knockout mice demonstrated 70% lower body weights, 87% lower plasma IGF-1 concentrations and delayed skeletal development. Because poor survival prevents evaluation of mature knockout mice, we generated a conditional Slc7a7 deletion in mature osteoblasts or mesenchymal cells of the osteo-chondroprogenitor lineage, but no differences in bone architecture were observed. Overall, global Slc7a7 deficiency caused growth failure with low plasma IGF-1 concentrations and delayed skeletal development, but Slc7a7 deficiency in the osteoblastic lineage was not a major contributor to these phenotypes. Future studies utilizing additional tissue-specific Slc7a7 knockout models may help dissect cell-autonomous and non-cell-autonomous mechanisms underlying phenotypes in LPI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridget M. Stroup
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Xiaohui Li
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Sara Ho
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Haonan Zhouyao
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yuqing Chen
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Safa Ani
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Brian Dawson
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Zixue Jin
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ronit Marom
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ming-Ming Jiang
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Isabel Lorenzo
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Daniel Rosen
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Denise Lanza
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Nathalie Aceves
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Sara Koh
- Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - John R. Seavitt
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jason D. Heaney
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Brendan Lee
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Lindsay C. Burrage
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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11
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Taurino G, Chiu M, Bianchi MG, Griffini E, Bussolati O. The SLC38A5/SNAT5 amino acid transporter: from pathophysiology to pro-cancer roles in the tumor microenvironment. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2023; 325:C550-C562. [PMID: 37458433 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00169.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
SLC38A5/SNAT5 is a system N transporter that can mediate net inward or outward transmembrane fluxes of neutral amino acids coupled with Na+ (symport) and H+ (antiport). Its preferential substrates are not only amino acids with side chains containing amide (glutamine and asparagine) or imidazole (histidine) groups, but also serine, glycine, and alanine are transported by the carrier. Expressed in the pancreas, intestinal tract, brain, liver, bone marrow, and placenta, it is regulated at mRNA and protein levels by mTORC1 and WNT/β-catenin pathways, and it is sensitive to pH, nutritional stress, inflammation, and hypoxia. SNAT5 expression has been found to be altered in pathological conditions such as chronic inflammatory diseases, gestational complications, chronic metabolic acidosis, and malnutrition. Growing experimental evidence shows that SNAT5 is overexpressed in several types of cancer cells. Moreover, recently published results indicate that SNAT5 expression in stromal cells can support the metabolic exchanges occurring in the tumor microenvironment of asparagine-auxotroph tumors. We review the functional role of the SNAT5 transporter in pathophysiology and propose that, due to its peculiar operational and regulatory features, SNAT5 may play important pro-cancer roles when expressed either in neoplastic or in stromal cells of glutamine-auxotroph tumors.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The transporter SLC38A5/SNAT5 provides net influx or efflux of glutamine, asparagine, and serine. These amino acids are of particular metabolic relevance in several conditions. Changes in transporter expression or activity have been described in selected types of human cancers, where SNAT5 can mediate amino acid exchanges between tumor and stromal cells, thus providing a potential therapeutic target. This is the first review that recapitulates the characteristics and roles of the transporter in physiology and pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Taurino
- Laboratory of General Pathology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- MRH-Microbiome Research Hub, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Martina Chiu
- Laboratory of General Pathology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Massimiliano G Bianchi
- Laboratory of General Pathology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- MRH-Microbiome Research Hub, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Erika Griffini
- Laboratory of General Pathology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Ovidio Bussolati
- Laboratory of General Pathology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- MRH-Microbiome Research Hub, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
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12
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Lermant A, Rabussier G, Lanz HL, Davidson L, Porter IM, Murdoch CE. Development of a human iPSC-derived placental barrier-on-chip model. iScience 2023; 26:107240. [PMID: 37534160 PMCID: PMC10392097 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Although recently developed placenta-on-chip systems opened promising perspectives for placental barrier modeling, they still lack physiologically relevant trophoblasts and are poorly amenable to high-throughput studies. We aimed to implement human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC)-derived trophoblasts into a multi-well microfluidic device to develop a physiologically relevant and scalable placental barrier model. When cultured in a perfused micro-channel against a collagen-based matrix, hiPSC-derived trophoblasts self-arranged into a 3D structure showing invasive behavior, fusogenic and endocrine activities, structural integrity, and expressing placental transporters. RNA-seq analysis revealed that the microfluidic 3D environment boosted expression of genes related to early placental structural development, mainly involved in mechanosensing and cell surface receptor signaling. These results demonstrated the feasibility of generating a differentiated primitive syncytium from hiPSC in a microfluidic platform. Besides expanding hiPSC-derived trophoblast scope of applications, this study constitutes an important resource to improve placental barrier models and boost research and therapeutics evaluation in pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agathe Lermant
- Systems Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 9SY, UK
| | | | | | - Lindsay Davidson
- Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Facility, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Iain M. Porter
- Dundee Imaging Facility, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Colin E. Murdoch
- Systems Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 9SY, UK
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13
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Iankovitch A, Ledley JS, Almabrouk T, Al-Jaberi N, Coey J. Anatomical variations of the internal jugular vein in the context of central line placement: A visual approach to data processing. Clin Anat 2023; 36:172-177. [PMID: 35869858 DOI: 10.1002/ca.23939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Central line placement in the internal jugular vein (IJV) can result in complications. Previous studies that examined variations in geometric anatomical parameters in pediatric populations have reduced these risks in children. The aim of this study was to establish possible anatomical variations to improve central line placement in the adult population and demonstrate the use of a correlation heatmap in processing large amounts of data. Twenty-seven volunteers were imaged using ultrasound at three different neck levels on right and left sides and various anatomical parameters were measured. Demographic information was also collected and included in the data processing. The Pearson coefficient was derived from each possible relationship between the measured parameters and was plotted in a correlation heatmap. Strong correlations were observed between the body mass index and the depth of the IJV and common carotid artery (CCA), the relative depth of the IJV to the CCA. No significant correlations were found in the dimensions of both vessels. Anatomical variations were more common than anticipated and should be taken into account when performing central line catheterization in order to minimize post-procedure complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Iankovitch
- St. George's University School of Medicine, St. George's University, Grenada, West Indies
| | - Johanna Shapiro Ledley
- St. George's University School of Medicine, St. George's University, Grenada, West Indies
| | - Tarek Almabrouk
- Department of Anatomy, St. George's University School of Medicine, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Nahidh Al-Jaberi
- Department of Anatomy, St. George's University School of Medicine, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - James Coey
- St. George's University School of Medicine, St. George's University, Grenada, West Indies.,Department of Anatomy, St. George's University School of Medicine, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
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14
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Rocha G. Consequences of early-onset preeclampsia on neonatal morbidity and mortality. Minerva Pediatr (Torino) 2023; 75:87-97. [PMID: 35373936 DOI: 10.23736/s2724-5276.22.06714-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Preterm birth is the leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality in developed countries. Common reasons for indicated preterm births include pre-eclampsia. The increase in incidences of morbidity and mortality observed in neonates resulting from pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia is also due to alterations in angiogenic and pro-inflammatory factors that directly affect the neonatal health. This review was prepared with the aim of gathering the information available at PubMed/MEDLINE, in the years from 2011 to 2021, on the consequences of neonatal morbidity and mortality of early-onset preeclampsia. There is great controversy in the literature and paucity of studies. Early onset pre-eclampsia has been linked to fetal growth restriction (FGR). Most studies support its association with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Most studies point to an association between preeclampsia and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), with the highest risk in FGR. The association between preeclampsia, patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and sepsis is not supported by the literature. The association to necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is controversial. The risk of spontaneous intestinal perforation (SIP) seems to be increased with preeclampsia. The association between intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and preeclampsia is controversial, however, preeclampsia seems to have a protective effect on periventricular leukomalacia (PVL). Most of the evidence points to the non-association between preeclampsia and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Hematological changes such as neutropenia, thrombocytopenia and increased nucleated red blood cell counts have been shown to be associated with preeclampsia. The evidence is still quite controversial regarding mortality. The early installation of preeclampsia will have direct consequences on neonatal morbidity. Gestational age at preterm birth is the main risk factor on neonatal morbidity. Obstetricians should aim to prolong the pregnancies complicated by early-onset severe preeclampsia as far as maternal conditions allow. This policy may contribute to improve the neonatal outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Rocha
- Department of Neonatology, São João University Hospital, Porto, Portugal -
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15
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Zhao J, Stewart ID, Baird D, Mason D, Wright J, Zheng J, Gaunt TR, Evans DM, Freathy RM, Langenberg C, Warrington NM, Lawlor DA, Borges MC. Causal effects of maternal circulating amino acids on offspring birthweight: a Mendelian randomisation study. EBioMedicine 2023; 88:104441. [PMID: 36696816 PMCID: PMC9879767 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amino acids are key to protein synthesis, energy metabolism, cell signaling and gene expression; however, the contribution of specific maternal amino acids to fetal growth is unclear. METHODS We explored the effect of maternal circulating amino acids on fetal growth, proxied by birthweight, using two-sample Mendelian randomisation (MR) and summary data from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of serum amino acids levels (sample 1, n = 86,507) and a maternal GWAS of offspring birthweight in UK Biobank and Early Growth Genetics Consortium, adjusting for fetal genotype effects (sample 2, n = 406,063 with maternal and/or fetal genotype effect estimates). A total of 106 independent single nucleotide polymorphisms robustly associated with 19 amino acids (p < 4.9 × 10-10) were used as genetic instrumental variables (IV). Wald ratio and inverse variance weighted methods were used in MR main analysis. A series of sensitivity analyses were performed to explore IV assumption violations. FINDINGS Our results provide evidence that maternal circulating glutamine (59 g offspring birthweight increase per standard deviation increase in maternal amino acid level, 95% CI: 7, 110) and serine (27 g, 95% CI: 9, 46) raise, while leucine (-59 g, 95% CI: -106, -11) and phenylalanine (-25 g, 95% CI: -47, -4) lower offspring birthweight. These findings are supported by sensitivity analyses. INTERPRETATION Our findings strengthen evidence for key roles of maternal circulating amino acids during pregnancy in healthy fetal growth. FUNDING A full list of funding bodies that contributed to this study can be found under Acknowledgments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Zhao
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK; Bristol NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Bristol, UK; Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK; The Ministry of Education and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Institute of Early Life Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
| | | | - Denis Baird
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK; Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Dan Mason
- Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford Teaching Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust, Bradford, UK
| | - John Wright
- Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford Teaching Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust, Bradford, UK
| | - Jie Zheng
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK; Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Shanghai National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases of the National Health Commission of the PR China, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Endocrine Tumor, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Tom R Gaunt
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK; Bristol NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Bristol, UK; Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - David M Evans
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK; University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia; Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Rachel M Freathy
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK; Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Science, College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Claudia Langenberg
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Health Data Research UK Cambridge, Wellcome Genome Campus and University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Computational Medicine, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nicole M Warrington
- University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia; Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia; K.G. Jebsen Center for Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Public Health and Nursing, NTNU, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Deborah A Lawlor
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK; Bristol NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Bristol, UK; Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Maria Carolina Borges
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK; Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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16
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Robinson DT, Taylor SN, Moya F. Preterm infant nutrition: considerations for infants at risk of refeeding syndrome. J Perinatol 2023; 43:120-123. [PMID: 36414735 DOI: 10.1038/s41372-022-01531-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Refeeding syndrome (RS) in preterm infants is a scenario of fetal malnutrition, primarily resulting from placental insufficiency, followed by a postnatal physiologic adaptation and response to an imbalance of nutrients provided parenterally. Growth restriction and small gestational age status are common findings in infants at risk of developing RS. Adverse clinical outcomes associated with RS may be severe and life-threatening. The biochemical abnormalities that occur in RS may be mitigated through careful monitoring and adaptation of the clinical management of parenteral and enteral nutrition. This perspective reviews the physiology and metabolism in infants with RS and provides suggested approaches to their clinical monitoring and nutritional management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel T Robinson
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA. .,Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Sarah N Taylor
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Fernando Moya
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Wilmington, NC, USA
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17
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Reshetnikov EA, Stepanov VA, Serebrova VN, Bocharova AV, Trifonova EA, Ponomarenko IV, Reshetnikova YN, Efremova OA, Orlova VS, Batlutskaya IV, Sorokina IN, Churnosov MI. Genes TMEM136 and PPP1R12C Differentially Expressed in the Placenta Are Associated with Preeclampsia. RUSS J GENET+ 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s1022795422120110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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18
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Golestanzadeh M, Goodarzi-Khoigani M, Shahrbanoo Daniali S, Ebrahimpour K, Zarean E, Yazdi M, Basirat Z, Kelishadi R. Association between phthalate metabolites in human amniotic fluid and offspring birth size: a sub-study of the PERSIAN birth cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:76970-76982. [PMID: 35676571 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-20839-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
As phthalate metabolites might cross the placenta, it is possible to find them in the amniotic fluid. This cross-sectional study aims to investigate the levels of phthalate metabolites in the amniotic fluid of a sample of Iranian women and its association with neonatal anthropometric measures. The other objective was to study the potential sources of maternal exposure to phthalates. This study was conducted from June 2019 to June 2021 in Isfahan, Iran. Pregnant women were recruited from their first trimester of pregnancy and followed up until their delivery. Amniotic fluid samples were collected from those who were assigned to have delivery by cesarean section. Overall, 158 samples of amniotic fluid were collected, of which 139 samples had sufficient volume and were free of blood. Data from 142 newborns were included in this study. Four phthalate metabolites were measured using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). After extraction of phthalate metabolites, 4 phthalate metabolites including mono-butyl phthalate (MBP; normal: 0.08 ± 0.79; overweight: 0.20 ± 1.11; obese: 0.07 ± 1.07; p-value: 0.405), mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP; normal: 7.54 ± 6.69; overweight: 7.48 ± 7.16; obese: 8.67 ± 12.75; p-value: 0.729), mono(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP; normal: 4.27 ± 6.36; overweight: 3.03 ± 8.44; obese: 3.53 ± 7.04; p-value: 0.245), and mono(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP; normal: 246.18 ± 189.80; overweight: 238.48 ± 200.23; obese: 287.65 ± 206.70; p-value: 0.723) were simultaneously detected in samples of maternal amniotic fluid. Our findings suggest that maternal exposure to phthalate metabolites is positively associated with in utero exposure of the developing fetus. The geometric means and medians of MBP, MBzP, MEOHP, and MEHHP of detected samples were 10.17 (9.52), 6.24 (3.47), 5.03 (11.72), and 174.79 (229.94) (μg/L), respectively. The median anthropometric measures of newborns were as follows: weight 3171.8 g, height 49.6 cm, head circumferences 34.9 cm, chest 33.3 cm, hip 31.5 cm, and arm circumferences 10.8 cm. There was no statistically significant association between phthalate metabolites concentration and newborn's anthropometric measures (p > 0.05). Future studies should focus on the collection of amniotic fluid at different trimesters and the corresponding maternal samples to better characterize the association and health impacts of these endocrine-disrupting chemicals during fetal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohsen Golestanzadeh
- Environment Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-Communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
- Child Growth and Development Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-Communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Hezarjerib Ave, Isfahan, 8174673461, Iran
| | - Masoomeh Goodarzi-Khoigani
- Child Growth and Development Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-Communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Hezarjerib Ave, Isfahan, 8174673461, Iran
| | - Seyede Shahrbanoo Daniali
- Child Growth and Development Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-Communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Hezarjerib Ave, Isfahan, 8174673461, Iran
| | - Karim Ebrahimpour
- Environment Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-Communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Elaheh Zarean
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fetal Medicine Unit, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Maryam Yazdi
- Child Growth and Development Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-Communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Hezarjerib Ave, Isfahan, 8174673461, Iran
| | - Zohreh Basirat
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fetal Medicine Unit, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Roya Kelishadi
- Child Growth and Development Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-Communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Hezarjerib Ave, Isfahan, 8174673461, Iran.
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19
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Salmeri N, Carbone IF, Cavoretto PI, Farina A, Morano D. Epigenetics Beyond Fetal Growth Restriction: A Comprehensive Overview. Mol Diagn Ther 2022; 26:607-626. [PMID: 36028645 DOI: 10.1007/s40291-022-00611-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Fetal growth restriction is a pathological condition occurring when the fetus does not reach the genetically determined growth potential. The etiology of fetal growth restriction is expected to be multifactorial and include fetal, maternal, and placental factors, the latter being the most frequent cause of isolated fetal growth restriction. Severe fetal growth restriction has been related to both an increased risk of perinatal morbidity and mortality, and also a greater susceptibility to developing diseases (especially cardio-metabolic and neurological disorders) later in life. In the last decade, emerging evidence has supported the hypothesis of the Developmental Origin of Health and Disease, which states that individual developmental 'programming' takes place via a delicate fine tuning of fetal genetic and epigenetic marks in response to a large variety of 'stressor' exposures during pregnancy. As the placenta is the maternal-fetal interface, it has a crucial role in fetal programming, such that any perturbation altering placental function interferes with both in-utero fetal growth and also with the adult life phenotype. Several epigenetic mechanisms have been highlighted in modulating the dynamic placental epigenome, including alterations in DNA methylation status, post-translational modification of histones, and non-coding RNAs. This review aims to provide a comprehensive and critical overview of the available literature on the epigenetic background of fetal growth restriction. A targeted research strategy was performed using PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, and The Cochrane Library up to January 2022. A detailed and fully referenced synthesis of available literature following the Scale for the Assessment of Narrative Review Articles guidelines is provided. A variety of epigenetic marks predominantly interfering with placental development, function, and metabolism were found to be potentially associated with fetal growth restriction. Available evidence on the role of environmental exposures in shaping the placental epigenome and the fetal phenotype were also critically discussed. Because of the highly dynamic crosstalk between epigenetic mechanisms and the extra level of complexity in interpreting the final placental transcriptome, a full comprehension of these phenomenon is still lacking and advances in multi-omics approaches are urgently needed. Elucidating the role of epigenetics in the developmental origins of health and disease represents a new challenge for the coming years, with the goal of providing early interventions and prevention strategies and, hopefully, new treatment opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noemi Salmeri
- Gynecology/Obstetrics Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Ilma Floriana Carbone
- Unit of Obstetrics, Department of Woman, Child and Neonate, Mangiagalli Center, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Ivo Cavoretto
- Gynecology/Obstetrics Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonio Farina
- Division of Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, Department of Medicine and Surgery (DIMEC), IRCCS Sant'Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, 40138, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Danila Morano
- Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, Section of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria S. Anna, University of Ferrara, Cona, Ferrara, Italy
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20
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Cindrova-Davies T, Sferruzzi-Perri AN. Human placental development and function. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2022; 131:66-77. [PMID: 35393235 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.03.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The placenta is a transient fetal organ that plays a critical role in the health and wellbeing of both the fetus and its mother. Functionally, the placenta sustains the growth of the fetus as it facilitates delivery of oxygen and nutrients and removal of waste products. Not surprisingly, defective early placental development is the primary cause of common disorders of pregnancy, including recurrent miscarriage, fetal growth restriction, pre-eclampsia and stillbirth. Adverse pregnancy conditions will also affect the life-long health of the fetus via developmental programming[1]. Despite its critical importance in reproductive success and life-long health, our understanding of placental development is not extensive, largely due to ethical limitations to studying early or chronological placental development, lack of long-term in vitro models, or comparative animal models. In this review, we examine current knowledge of early human placental development, discuss the critical role of the maternal endometrium and of the fetal-maternal dialogue in pregnancy success, and we explore the latest models of trophoblast and endometrial stem cells. In addition, we discuss the role of oxygen in placental formation and function, how nutrient delivery is mediated during the periods of histotrophic nutrition (uptake of uterine secretions) and haemotrophic nutrition (exchange between the maternal and fetal circulations), and how placental endocrine function facilitates fetal growth and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tereza Cindrova-Davies
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK
| | - Amanda N Sferruzzi-Perri
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK.
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21
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Immunohistochemical evaluation of glucose transporter protein-1 density in the placenta in preeclampsia patients and its association with intrauterine growth retardation. JOURNAL OF SURGERY AND MEDICINE 2022. [DOI: 10.28982/josam.7347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background/Aim: Preeclampsia (PE) complicates 2–8% of all pregnancies worldwide. Placental malperfusion and dysfunction are observed in PE. The supply of glucose, the main energy substrate for the fetus and placenta, is regulated by placental expression and activity of specific glucose transporter proteins (GLUTs), primarily GLUT1. GLUT1 expression is affected by uteroplacental malperfusion and oxidative stress, which are important components of PE. Very few studies have investigated GLUT1 expression in preeclamptic placentas. In this study, we aimed to compare GLUT1 staining intensity in the terminal villi of the placenta in healthy subjects and patients with E-PE or L-PE and determine whether there was a relationship between GLUT1 staining intensity and IUGR.
Methods: This case-control study was carried out in our hospital’s gynecology and obstetrics clinic, a tertiary center for perinatology cases. A total of 94 placentas, 47 of which were preeclamptic and 47 were from uneventful pregnancies (controls), were included in the study. PE was diagnosed according to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists 2019 diagnostic criteria for gestational hypertension and PE. Placentas in the control group were obtained from pregnancies without maternal, placental, or fetal pathology and resulted in spontaneous idiopathic preterm or term delivery. The PE group was divided into two subgroups as early onset PE (E-PE [≤33+6 gestational week]) and late-onset PE (L-PE [≥34+0 gestational week]), according to the gestational week of PE onset. Sections prepared from placental tissues were stained for GLUT-1 by immunohistochemical method. Slides were evaluated by light microscopy, and each slide was scored from 0 to 4 to determine the staining intensity. The results were compared between the control and PE group/PE sub-groups.
Results: GLUT1 scores were significantly higher in both early- and late-onset PE subgroups compared to controls (P < 0.001 for both). In the late-onset PE subgroup, GLUT1 scores were significantly higher in those with severe PE features than those without them (P = 0.039). While intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) was not found in any cases in the control group, IUGR was present in 11 (23.4%) of 47 pregnant women with PE, including eight (53.3%) of the 15 pregnant women with early-onset PE and 3 (9.38%) of the 32 pregnant women with late-onset PE. GLUT1 scores were similar in placentas obtained from pregnant women who had PE with and without IUGR (P = 0.756). In the late-onset PE subgroup, GLUT1 scores were correlated negatively with maternal body mass index (r = -0.377, P = 0.033) and positively with placental weight-to-fetal weight ratio (r = 0.444, P = 0.011).
Conclusions: Our findings show that GLUT1 expression might be increased due to placental adaptation to new conditions in PE and, thus, is unlikely to be the main factor in PE-related IUGR.
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Expression of ABCA1 Transporter and LXRA/LXRB Receptors in Placenta of Women with Late Onset Preeclampsia. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11164809. [PMID: 36013052 PMCID: PMC9410380 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11164809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Appropriate levels of cholesterol are necessary for the mother and developing fetus, but theirexcess may cause preeclampsia. The ABCA1 transporter mediates the secretion of cholesterol and is highly regulated at the transcriptional level via the nuclear liver X receptors (LXRs). Methods: Sixteen preeclamptic and 39 normotensives healthy women with uncomplicated pregnancies were involved in the case-control study. The placental levels of ABCA1, LXRA and LXRB mRNA were quantified by real-time quantitative PCR. The concentrations of ABCA1, LXRA and LXRB proteins from the placenta were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay Results: We found in the logistic regression model significantly lower placental expression of LXRB mRNA (crude OR = 0.26, 95% CI: 0.07–0.94, p = 0.040) and LXRA protein level (crude OR = 0.19, 95% CI: 0.05–0.69, p = 0.012) in late-onset preeclamptic women compared to healthy pregnant women. The values remained statistically significant after adjustment for possible confounders. Conclusions: Our results suggest that high placenta LXRA mRNA and LXRA protein expression levels decrease the risk of late-onset preeclampsia. These nuclear receptors could play a role in the development of preeclampsia through disturbances of lipid metabolism.
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Primary Human Trophoblasts Mimic the Preeclampsia Phenotype after Acute Hypoxia-Reoxygenation Insult. Cells 2022; 11:cells11121898. [PMID: 35741027 PMCID: PMC9221019 DOI: 10.3390/cells11121898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Preeclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-specific disorder that affects 3 to 5% of pregnancies worldwide and is one of the leading causes of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Nevertheless, how these events occur remains unclear. We hypothesized that the induction of hypoxic conditions in vitro in primary human trophoblast cells would mimic several characteristics of PE found in vivo. We applied and characterized a model of primary cytotrophoblasts isolated from healthy pregnancies that were placed under different oxygen concentrations: ambient O2 (5% pCO2, 21%pO2, 24 h, termed “normoxia”), low O2 concentration (5% pCO2, 1.5% pO2, 24 h, termed “hypoxia”), or “hypoxia/reoxygenation” (H/R: 6 h intervals of normoxia and hypoxia for 24 h). Various established preeclamptic markers were assessed in this cell model and compared to placental tissues obtained from PE pregnancies. Seventeen PE markers were analyzed by qPCR, and the protein secretion of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlT-1) and the placenta growth factor (PlGF) was determined by ELISA. Thirteen of seventeen genes associated with angiogenesis, the renin–angiotensin system, oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and the inflammasome complex were susceptible to H/R and hypoxia, mimicking the expression pattern of PE tissue. In cell culture supernatants, the secretion of sFlT-1 was increased in hypoxia, while PlGF release was significantly reduced in H/R and hypoxia. In the supernatants of our cell models, the sFlT-1/PlGF ratio in hypoxia and H/R was higher than 38, which is a strong indicator for PE in clinical practice. These results suggest that our cellular models reflect important pathological processes occurring in PE and are therefore suitable as PE in vitro models.
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24
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McColl ER, Hurtarte M, Piquette-Miller M. Impact of inflammation and infection on the expression of amino acid transporters in the placenta: A minireview. Drug Metab Dispos 2022; 50:DMD-MR-2021-000703. [PMID: 35512807 DOI: 10.1124/dmd.121.000703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Amino acid transporters expressed in the placenta help to regulate the transfer of amino acids from maternal to fetal circulation. Nutritional or hormonal factors are known to potentially impact the expression of amino acid transporters in the placenta. A relatively new field of inquiry has also demonstrated that inflammation, whether associated with infection or not, also alters the expression of amino acid transporters in the placenta. Indeed, studies over the past 15 years have demonstrated that malaria, viral and bacterial models of infection, preeclampsia, and direct administration of proinflammatory cytokines can alter placental amino acid transporter expression. While such studies have largely focused on System A and System L transporters, other transporters are also affected. p38 MAPK, STAT3, mTORC1, and AMPK signaling have all been implicated in these changes, but the underlying mechanism(s) remain to be fully elucidated. Furthermore, the implications of such changes warrant further investigation. This review will summarize studies that have investigated the impact of inflammation on placental amino acid transporter expression, identify questions that remain unanswered, and propose future areas of research to advance the field. As amino acid transporters are now being considered for drug targeting and drug delivery, furthering our understanding of the regulation of these transporters during disease states will be of increasing clinical value. Significance Statement While this is a relatively new field of research, multiple studies have demonstrated that inflammation alters placental amino acid transporter expression. This review will serve to summarize, for the first time, studies in this field and identify gaps in current knowledge as research in this area moves beyond identifying changes in transporter expression to investigating the implications of such changes and the mechanisms underlying them.
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25
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Hăşmăşanu MG, Bolboacă SD, Procopciuc LM, Matyas M, Blaga L, Mureșan D, Zaharie GC. Association of Parental Factors and Insulin-like Growth Factor 2 Polymorphism with Intrauterine Growth Restriction. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 9:children9050630. [PMID: 35626807 PMCID: PMC9139154 DOI: 10.3390/children9050630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Polymorphism of insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) is known to play a role in cell development. Only the paternal IGF2 copy is active, while the copy inherited from the mother is inactive. This study aimed to explore whether maternal and paternal factors influence IGF2 polymorphism in newborns with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) compared to appropriate for gestational age (AGA). A cross-sectional exploratory study was conducted from June 2014 to November 2015 at the Neonatology, Gynecology 1 Clinic, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The ApaI IGF2 genotypes and allele frequencies were similar in the IUGR and AGA groups (p-value > 0.10). The IUGR babies with a protective IGF2 genetic profile had significantly younger parents (a difference in the median age of 8 years for mothers and 9 years for fathers; p-value < 0.009). The IUGR babies had parents with lower birth weights than AGA babies (mothers’ medians: 2800 g vs. 3100 g; fathers’ medians: 3000 g vs. 3400 g; p-value < 0.02). In univariable regression analysis, the mother’s and father’s birth weight proved to be associated with IUGR. The father’s birth weight proved to be the only factor significantly associated with IUGR, independent of the mother’s birth weight or the presence of a protective IGF2 genetic profile (odd ratio = 0.998 [0.996 to 1.000], p-value = 0.032).
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica G. Hăşmăşanu
- Department of Neonatology, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (M.G.H.); (M.M.); (L.B.); (G.C.Z.)
| | - Sorana D. Bolboacă
- Department of Medical Informatics and Biostatistics, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Correspondence:
| | - Lucia Maria Procopciuc
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
| | - Melinda Matyas
- Department of Neonatology, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (M.G.H.); (M.M.); (L.B.); (G.C.Z.)
| | - Ligia Blaga
- Department of Neonatology, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (M.G.H.); (M.M.); (L.B.); (G.C.Z.)
| | - Daniel Mureșan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
| | - Gabriela C. Zaharie
- Department of Neonatology, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (M.G.H.); (M.M.); (L.B.); (G.C.Z.)
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26
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Jia X, Cao Y, Ye L, Liu X, Huang Y, Yuan X, Lu C, Xu J, Zhu H. Vitamin D stimulates placental L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) in preeclampsia. Sci Rep 2022; 12:4651. [PMID: 35301401 PMCID: PMC8931068 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08641-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency has been linked to an increased risk of preeclampsia. Impaired placental amino acid transport is suggested to contribute to abnormal fetal intrauterine growth in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia. However, if vitamin D-regulated amino acid transporter is involved in the pathophysiologic mechanism of preeclampsia has not been clarified yet. The aberrant expression of key isoform of L-type amino acid transporter LAT1 was determined by western blot and immunohistochemistry in the placenta from normotensive and preeclamptic pregnancies. The role for vitamin D on placental LAT1 expression was investigated through the exposure of HTR-8/SVneo human trophoblast cells to the biologically active 1,25(OH)2D3 and the oxidative stress-inducer cobalt chloride (CoCl2). Our results showed that placental LAT1 expression was reduced in women with preeclampsia compared to normotensive pregnancies, which was associated with decreased expression of vitamin D receptor (VDR). 1,25(OH)2D3 significantly upregulated LAT1 expression in placental trophoblasts, and also prevented the decrease of mTOR activity under CoCl2-induced oxidative stress. siRNA targeting VDR significantly attenuated 1,25(OH)2D3-stimulated LAT1 expression and mTOR signaling activity. Moreover, treatment of rapamycin specifically inhibited the activity of mTOR signaling and resulted in decrease of LAT1 expression. In conclusion, LAT1 expression was downregulated in the placenta from women with preeclampsia. 1,25(OH)2D3/VDR could stimulate LAT1 expression, which was likely mediated by mTOR signaling in placental trophoblasts. Regulation on placental amino acid transport may be one of the mechanisms by which vitamin D affects fetal growth in preeclampsia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotong Jia
- Department of Physiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Yang Cao
- Department of Physiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Lingyu Ye
- Department of Physiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Xueqing Liu
- Department of Physiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Yujia Huang
- Department of Physiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Xiaolei Yuan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Chunmei Lu
- Department of Physiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Jie Xu
- Department of Physiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China.
| | - Hui Zhu
- Department of Physiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China.
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27
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Karahoda R, Zaugg J, Fuenzalida B, Kallol S, Moser-Haessig R, Staud F, Albrecht C. Trophoblast Differentiation Affects Crucial Nutritive Functions of Placental Membrane Transporters. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:820286. [PMID: 35273963 PMCID: PMC8901483 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.820286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytotrophoblasts are progenitor cells that proliferate and fuse to form the multinucleated syncytiotrophoblast layer, implicated in placental endocrine and transport functions. While membrane transporters play a critical role in the distribution of nutrients, hormones, and xenobiotics at the maternal-fetal interface, their selectivity to the syncytiotrophoblast layer is poorly characterized. We aimed to evaluate the regulation of placental transporters in response to trophoblast differentiation in vitro. Experiments were carried out in isolated primary human trophoblast cells before and after syncytialization. Gene expression of six molecular markers and thirty membrane transporters was investigated by qPCR analysis. Subsequently, functional expression was evaluated for proteins involved in the transplacental transfer of essential nutrients i.e., cholesterol (ABCA1, ABCG1), glucose (SLC2A1), leucine (SLC3A2, SLC7A5), and iron (transferrin receptor, TfR1). We identified that human chorionic gonadotropin, placental lactogen, endoglin, and cadherin-11 serve as optimal gene markers for the syncytialization process. We showed that trophoblast differentiation was associated with differential gene expression (mostly up-regulation) of several nutrient and drug transporters. Further, we revealed enhanced protein expression and activity of ABCG1, SLC3A2, SLC7A5, and TfR1 in syncytialized cells, with ABCA1 and GLUT1 displaying no change. Taken together, these results indicate that the syncytiotrophoblast has a dominant role in transporting essential nutrients cholesterol, leucine, and iron. Nonetheless, we present evidence that the cytotrophoblast cells may also be linked to transport functions that could be critical for the cell fusion processes. Our findings collectively yield new insights into the cellular functions associated with or altered by the trophoblast fusion. Importantly, defective syncytialization could lead to nutrient transfer imbalance, ultimately compromising fetal development and programming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rona Karahoda
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Jonas Zaugg
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research, NCCR TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Barbara Fuenzalida
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sampada Kallol
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research, NCCR TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Frantisek Staud
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Christiane Albrecht
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research, NCCR TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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28
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Blanco-Castañeda R, Zapata-Vázquez Y, Lazalde-Ramos BP, Enríquez-Mendiola D, Lares-Asseff I, Galaviz-Hernández C, Martínez G, Sosa-Macías M. Effect of levetiracetam on the gene expression of placental transporters in a murine model. Epilepsia 2022; 63:1266-1275. [PMID: 35174498 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Levetiracetam (LEV) is an antiseizure medication prescribed to women during childbearing age. The impact of LEV on placental transporters is poorly understood. This study aimed to assess the effect of LEV exposure on the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of placental transporters for hormones and nutrients and to correlate their expression with the drug's serum concentration in pregnant mice. METHODS Studies were conducted on gestational days (GD) 13 and 18, following oral treatment with 100 mg/kg LEV or the vehicle every 24 h after weaning. Serum LEV measurements were performed by High-performance liquid chromatography with a UV detector (HPLC-UV). The weight, height, and width of the fetuses were also analyzed. In addition, the placental expression of transporters xCt, Lat1, Oatp4a1, Fr-α, Rfc, and Snat4 was evaluated through semi-quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The Kruskal-Wallis and the Mann-Whitney U tests were used to determine the statistical significance (p < .05). The correlation between serum LEV concentration and placental gene expression was evaluated using the Spearman test. RESULTS The weight, height, and width were lower in the fetuses exposed to LEV compared with the control group (p < .05). The number of fetuses was lower in the LEV-exposed group than in the control GD 13 group (p < .001). No significant differences were detected in the mRNA expression level at GD 13. At GD 18, the expression of Lat1, Oatp4a1, xCT, and Snat4 was higher in the group treated with LEV compared with the control group (p < .05), whereas the expression of Rfc was lower (p < .05). No correlation was identified between serum LEV concentrations and gene expression levels. SIGNIFICANCE The repression of the Rfc transcript by LEV at GD 18 suggests that the protein expression would be abolished contributing to the observed intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). Furthermore, the significant increase in mRNA of xCt, Snat4, Oatp4a1, and Lat1 might be a compensatory mechanism for fetal survival at GD 18.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yessica Zapata-Vázquez
- Laboratory of Biomedical Ethnopharmacology, Academic Unit of Chemical Sciences, Autonomous University of Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico
| | - Blanca P Lazalde-Ramos
- Laboratory of Biomedical Ethnopharmacology, Academic Unit of Chemical Sciences, Autonomous University of Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico
| | | | - Ismael Lares-Asseff
- Genomics Academy, CIIDIR Durango Unit, National Polytechnic Institute, Durango, Mexico
| | | | - Gerardo Martínez
- Biomedical Research Unit - Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) Durango, Durango, Mexico
| | - Martha Sosa-Macías
- Genomics Academy, CIIDIR Durango Unit, National Polytechnic Institute, Durango, Mexico
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29
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Diniz WJ, Reynolds LP, Ward AK, Borowicz PP, Sedivec KK, McCarthy KL, Kassetas CJ, Baumgaertner F, Kirsch JD, Dorsam ST, Neville TL, Forcherio JC, Scott RR, Caton JS, Dahlen CR. Untangling the placentome gene network of beef heifers in early gestation. Genomics 2022; 114:110274. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2022.110274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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30
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Kleinbrink EL, Gomez-Lopez N, Ju D, Done B, Goustin AS, Tarca AL, Romero R, Lipovich L. Gestational Age Dependence of the Maternal Circulating Long Non-Coding RNA Transcriptome During Normal Pregnancy Highlights Antisense and Pseudogene Transcripts. Front Genet 2021; 12:760849. [PMID: 34880903 PMCID: PMC8645989 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.760849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
In the post-genomic era, our understanding of the molecular regulators of physiologic and pathologic processes in pregnancy is expanding at the whole-genome level. Longitudinal changes in the known protein-coding transcriptome during normal pregnancy, which we recently reported (Gomez-Lopez et al., 2019), have improved our definition of the major operant networks, yet pregnancy-related functions of the non-coding RNA transcriptome remain poorly understood. A key finding of the ENCODE (Encyclopedia of DNA Elements) Consortium, the successor of the Human Genome Project, was that the human genome contains approximately 60,000 genes, the majority of which do not encode proteins. The total transcriptional output of non-protein-coding RNA genes, collectively referred to as the non-coding transcriptome, is comprised mainly of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) transcripts (Derrien et al., 2012). Although the ncRNA transcriptome eclipses its protein-coding counterpart in abundance, it has until recently lacked a comprehensive, unbiased, genome-scale characterization over the timecourse of normal human pregnancy. Here, we annotated, characterized, and selectively validated the longitudinal changes in the non-coding transcriptome of maternal whole blood during normal pregnancy to term. We identified nine long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), including long intergenic non-coding RNAs (lincRNAs) as well as lncRNAs antisense to or otherwise in the immediate vicinity of protein-coding genes, that were differentially expressed with advancing gestation in normal pregnancy: AL355711, BC039551 (expressed mainly in the placenta), JHDM1D-AS1, A2M-AS1, MANEA-AS1, NR_034004, LINC00649, LINC00861, and LINC01094. By cross-referencing our dataset against major public pseudogene catalogs, we also identified six transcribed pseudogenes that were differentially expressed over time during normal pregnancy in maternal blood: UBBP4, FOXO3B, two Makorin (MKRN) pseudogenes (MKRN9P and LOC441455), PSME2P2, and YBX3P1. We also identified three non-coding RNAs belonging to other classes that were modulated during gestation: the microRNA MIR4439, the small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA) SNORD41, and the small Cajal-body specific ncRNA SCARNA2. The expression profiles of most hits were broadly suggestive of functions in pregnancy. These time-dependent changes of the non-coding transcriptome during normal pregnancy, which may confer specific regulatory impacts on their protein-coding gene targets, will facilitate a deeper molecular understanding of pregnancy and lncRNA-mediated molecular pathways at the maternal-fetal interface and of how these pathways impact maternal and fetal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica L Kleinbrink
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - 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, Detroit, MI, United States.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States.,Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Donghong Ju
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Bogdan Done
- 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, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Anton-Scott Goustin
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Adi L Tarca
- 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, Detroit, MI, United States.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States.,Department of Computer Science, Wayne State University College of Engineering, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Roberto Romero
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States.,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, Detroit, MI, United States.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States.,Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Leonard Lipovich
- Department of Basic Sciences, College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
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31
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Cheng JC, Fang L, Li Y, Thakur A, Hoodless PA, Guo Y, Wang Z, Wu Z, Yan Y, Jia Q, Gao Y, Han X, Yu Y, Sun YP. G protein-coupled estrogen receptor stimulates human trophoblast cell invasion via YAP-mediated ANGPTL4 expression. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1285. [PMID: 34773076 PMCID: PMC8589964 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02816-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Insufficient invasion of trophoblast cells into the uterine decidua is associated with preeclampsia (PE). G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) is a membrane estrogen receptor involved in non-genomic estrogen signaling. GPER is expressed in human trophoblast cells and downregulated GPER levels are noted in PE. However, to date, the role of GPER in trophoblast cells remains largely unknown. Here, we applied RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to HTR-8/SVneo human trophoblast cells in response to G1, an agonist of GPER, and identified angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) as a target gene of GPER. Treatment of trophoblast cells with G1 or 17β-estradiol (E2) activated Yes-associated protein (YAP), the major downstream effector of the Hippo pathway, via GPER but in a mammalian STE20-like protein kinase 1 (MST1)-independent manner. Using pharmacological inhibitors as well as loss- and gain-of-function approaches, our results revealed that YAP activation was required for GPER-stimulated ANGPTL4 expression. Transwell invasion assays demonstrated that activation of GPER-induced ANGPTL4 promoted cell invasion. In addition, the expression levels of GPER, YAP, and ANGPTL4 were downregulated in the placenta of patients with PE. Our findings reveal a mechanism by which GPER exerts its stimulatory effect on human trophoblast cell invasion by upregulating YAP-mediated ANGPTL4 expression. Cheng, Fan, Li et al. identified ANGPTL4 as a G1-induced target gene of GPER/YAP in HRT8 cells using RNA-seq and highlighted its importance in regulating trophoblast cell invasion. The authors also reported GPER downregulation in the placenta and lower estradiol levels in patients who developed preeclampsia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung-Chien Cheng
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Henan Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, 450052, Zhengzhou, China.
| | - Lanlan Fang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Henan Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, 450052, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yuxi Li
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Henan Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, 450052, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Avinash Thakur
- Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V5Z 1L3.,Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4
| | - Pamela A Hoodless
- Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V5Z 1L3.,Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4.,School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4
| | - Yanjie Guo
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Henan Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, 450052, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Henan Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, 450052, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ze Wu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Henan Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, 450052, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yang Yan
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Henan Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, 450052, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Qiongqiong Jia
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Henan Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, 450052, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yibo Gao
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Henan Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, 450052, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyu Han
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Henan Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, 450052, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yiping Yu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Henan Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, 450052, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ying-Pu Sun
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Henan Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, 450052, Zhengzhou, China.
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Antioxidant supplementation of mouse embryo culture or vitrification media support more in-vivo-like gene expression post-transfer. Reprod Biomed Online 2021; 44:393-410. [DOI: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2021.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Dysregulated Autophagy Leads to Oxidative Stress and Aberrant Expression of ABC Transporters in Women with Early Miscarriage. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:antiox10111742. [PMID: 34829614 PMCID: PMC8614945 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10111742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Early miscarriage (EMC) is a devastating obstetrical complication. ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters mediate cholesterol transfer across the placenta and enhance cell survival by effluxing substrates from target cells in the presence of stressors. Recent evidence reports an intricate interplay between autophagy and ABC transporters. We hypothesized that dysregulated autophagy and oxidative stress (OS) in the placenta leads to abnormal expression of membrane transporters contributing to poor pregnancy survival in EMC. We determined mRNA and protein expression of autophagy genes (Beclin-1/Bcl-2/LC3I/LC3II/p62) and ABC transporters (ABCA1/ABCG1/ABCG2) in placentae from EMC patients (n = 20), term controls (n = 19), first trimester (n = 6), and term controls (n = 5) controls. Oxidative/antioxidant status and biomarkers of oxidative damage were evaluated in maternal serum and placentae from EMC and healthy controls. In EMC, placental expression of LC3II/LC3I as well as of the key autophagy regulatory proteins Beclin-1 and Bcl-2 were reduced, whereas p62 was increased. Both in the serum and placentae of EMC patients, total OS was elevated reflected by increased oxidative damage markers (8-OHdG/malondialdehyde/carbonyl formation) accompanied by diminished levels of total antioxidant status, catalase, and total glutathione. Furthermore, we found reduced ABCG1 and increased ABCG2 expression. These findings suggest that a decreased autophagy status triggers Bcl-2-dependent OS leading to macromolecule damage in EMC placentae. The decreased expression of ABCG1 contributes to reduced cholesterol export to the growing fetus. Increasing ABCG2 expression could represent a protective feedback mechanism under inhibited autophagy conditions. In conclusion, dysregulated autophagy combined with increased oxidative toxicity and aberrant expression of placental ABC transporters affects materno-fetal health in EMC.
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Alias AB, Huang HY, Yao DJ. A Review on Microfluidics: An Aid to Assisted Reproductive Technology. Molecules 2021; 26:4354. [PMID: 34299629 PMCID: PMC8303723 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26144354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Infertility is a state of the male or female reproductive system that is defined as the failure to achieve pregnancy even after 12 or more months of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. Assisted reproductive technology (ART) plays a crucial role in addressing infertility. Various ART are now available for infertile couples. Fertilization in vitro (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and intrauterine insemination (IUI) are the most common techniques in this regard. Various microfluidic technologies can incorporate various ART procedures such as embryo and gamete (sperm and oocyte) analysis, sorting, manipulation, culture and monitoring. Hence, this review intends to summarize the current knowledge about the application of this approach towards cell biology to enhance ART.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anand Baby Alias
- Institute of NanoEngineering and MicroSystems, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan;
| | - Hong-Yuan Huang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chang Gung University and College of Medicine, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan
| | - Da-Jeng Yao
- Institute of NanoEngineering and MicroSystems, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan;
- Department of Power Mechanical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan
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Sex-Biased lncRNA Signature in Fetal Growth Restriction (FGR). Cells 2021; 10:cells10040921. [PMID: 33923632 PMCID: PMC8072961 DOI: 10.3390/cells10040921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Impaired fetal growth is one of the most important causes of prematurity, stillbirth and infant mortality. The pathogenesis of idiopathic fetal growth restriction (FGR) is poorly understood but is thought to be multifactorial and comprise a range of genetic causes. This research aimed to investigate non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the placentas of male and female fetuses affected by FGR. RNA-Seq data were analyzed to detect lncRNAs, their potential target genes and circular RNAs (circRNAs); a differential analysis was also performed. The multilevel bioinformatic analysis enabled the detection of 23,137 placental lncRNAs and 4263 of them were classified as novel. In FGR-affected female fetuses’ placentas (ff-FGR), among 19 transcriptionally active regions (TARs), five differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs) and 12 differentially expressed protein-coding genes (DEGs) were identified. Within 232 differentially expressed TARs identified in male fetuses (mf-FGR), 33 encompassed novel and 176 known lncRNAs, and 52 DEGs were upregulated, while 180 revealed decreased expression. In ff-FGR ACTA2-AS1, lncRNA expression was significantly correlated with five DEGs, and in mf-FGR, 25 TARs were associated with DELs correlated with 157 unique DEGs. Backsplicing circRNA processes were detected in the range of H19 lncRNA, in both ff- and mf-FGR placentas. The performed global lncRNAs characteristics in terms of fetal sex showed dysregulation of DELs, DEGs and circRNAs that may affect fetus growth and pregnancy outcomes. In female placentas, DELs and DEGs were associated mainly with the vasculature, while in male placentas, disturbed expression predominantly affected immune processes.
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Diniz WJS, Reynolds LP, Borowicz PP, Ward AK, Sedivec KK, McCarthy KL, Kassetas CJ, Baumgaertner F, Kirsch JD, Dorsam ST, Neville TL, Forcherio JC, Scott RR, Caton JS, Dahlen CR. Maternal Vitamin and Mineral Supplementation and Rate of Maternal Weight Gain Affects Placental Expression of Energy Metabolism and Transport-Related Genes. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12030385. [PMID: 33803164 PMCID: PMC8001966 DOI: 10.3390/genes12030385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal nutrients are essential for proper fetal and placental development and function. However, the effects of vitamin and mineral supplementation under two rates of maternal weight gain on placental genome-wide gene expression have not been investigated so far. Furthermore, biological processes and pathways in the placenta that act in response to early maternal nutrition are yet to be elucidated. Herein, we examined the impact of maternal vitamin and mineral supplementation (from pre-breeding to day 83 post-breeding) and two rates of gain during the first 83 days of pregnancy on the gene expression of placental caruncles (CAR; maternal placenta) and cotyledons (COT; fetal placenta) of crossbred Angus beef heifers. We identified 267 unique differentially expressed genes (DEG). Among the DEGs from CAR, we identified ACAT2, SREBF2, and HMGCCS1 that underlie the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway. Furthermore, the transcription factors PAX2 and PAX8 were over-represented in biological processes related to kidney organogenesis. The DEGs from COT included SLC2A1, SLC2A3, SLC27A4, and INSIG1. Our over-representation analysis retrieved biological processes related to nutrient transport and ion homeostasis, whereas the pathways included insulin secretion, PPAR signaling, and biosynthesis of amino acids. Vitamin and mineral supplementation and rate of gain were associated with changes in gene expression, biological processes, and KEGG pathways in beef cattle placental tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wellison J. S. Diniz
- Center for Nutrition and Pregnancy, Department of Animal Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA; (L.P.R.); (P.P.B.); (A.K.W.); (C.J.K.); (F.B.); (J.D.K.); (S.T.D.); (T.L.N.); (J.S.C.); (C.R.D.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-701-5411997
| | - Lawrence P. Reynolds
- Center for Nutrition and Pregnancy, Department of Animal Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA; (L.P.R.); (P.P.B.); (A.K.W.); (C.J.K.); (F.B.); (J.D.K.); (S.T.D.); (T.L.N.); (J.S.C.); (C.R.D.)
| | - Pawel P. Borowicz
- Center for Nutrition and Pregnancy, Department of Animal Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA; (L.P.R.); (P.P.B.); (A.K.W.); (C.J.K.); (F.B.); (J.D.K.); (S.T.D.); (T.L.N.); (J.S.C.); (C.R.D.)
| | - Alison K. Ward
- Center for Nutrition and Pregnancy, Department of Animal Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA; (L.P.R.); (P.P.B.); (A.K.W.); (C.J.K.); (F.B.); (J.D.K.); (S.T.D.); (T.L.N.); (J.S.C.); (C.R.D.)
| | - Kevin K. Sedivec
- Central Grasslands Research and Extension Center, North Dakota State University, Streeter, ND 58483, USA;
| | - Kacie L. McCarthy
- Department of Animal Science, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA;
| | - Cierrah J. Kassetas
- Center for Nutrition and Pregnancy, Department of Animal Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA; (L.P.R.); (P.P.B.); (A.K.W.); (C.J.K.); (F.B.); (J.D.K.); (S.T.D.); (T.L.N.); (J.S.C.); (C.R.D.)
| | - Friederike Baumgaertner
- Center for Nutrition and Pregnancy, Department of Animal Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA; (L.P.R.); (P.P.B.); (A.K.W.); (C.J.K.); (F.B.); (J.D.K.); (S.T.D.); (T.L.N.); (J.S.C.); (C.R.D.)
| | - James D. Kirsch
- Center for Nutrition and Pregnancy, Department of Animal Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA; (L.P.R.); (P.P.B.); (A.K.W.); (C.J.K.); (F.B.); (J.D.K.); (S.T.D.); (T.L.N.); (J.S.C.); (C.R.D.)
| | - Sheri T. Dorsam
- Center for Nutrition and Pregnancy, Department of Animal Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA; (L.P.R.); (P.P.B.); (A.K.W.); (C.J.K.); (F.B.); (J.D.K.); (S.T.D.); (T.L.N.); (J.S.C.); (C.R.D.)
| | - Tammi L. Neville
- Center for Nutrition and Pregnancy, Department of Animal Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA; (L.P.R.); (P.P.B.); (A.K.W.); (C.J.K.); (F.B.); (J.D.K.); (S.T.D.); (T.L.N.); (J.S.C.); (C.R.D.)
| | - J. Chris Forcherio
- Purina Animal Nutrition LLC, Gray Summit, MO 63039, USA; (J.C.F.); (R.R.S.)
| | - Ronald R. Scott
- Purina Animal Nutrition LLC, Gray Summit, MO 63039, USA; (J.C.F.); (R.R.S.)
| | - Joel S. Caton
- Center for Nutrition and Pregnancy, Department of Animal Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA; (L.P.R.); (P.P.B.); (A.K.W.); (C.J.K.); (F.B.); (J.D.K.); (S.T.D.); (T.L.N.); (J.S.C.); (C.R.D.)
| | - Carl R. Dahlen
- Center for Nutrition and Pregnancy, Department of Animal Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA; (L.P.R.); (P.P.B.); (A.K.W.); (C.J.K.); (F.B.); (J.D.K.); (S.T.D.); (T.L.N.); (J.S.C.); (C.R.D.)
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Ren Z, Gao Y, Gao Y, Liang G, Chen Q, Jiang S, Yang X, Fan C, Wang H, Wang J, Shi YW, Xiao C, Zhong M, Yang X. Distinct placental molecular processes associated with early-onset and late-onset preeclampsia. Am J Cancer Res 2021; 11:5028-5044. [PMID: 33754042 PMCID: PMC7978310 DOI: 10.7150/thno.56141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Patients with preeclampsia display a spectrum of onset time and severity of clinical presentation, yet the underlying molecular bases for the early-onset and late-onset clinical subtypes are not known. Although several transcriptome studies have been done on placentae from PE patients, only a small number of differentially expressed genes have been identified due to very small sample sizes and no distinguishing of clinical subtypes. Methods: We carried out RNA-seq on 65 high-quality placenta samples, including 33 from 30 patients and 32 from 30 control subjects, to search for dysregulated genes and the molecular network and pathways they are involved in. Results: We identified two functionally distinct sets of dysregulated genes in the two major subtypes: 2,977 differentially expressed genes in early-onset severe preeclampsia, which are enriched with metabolism-related pathways, notably transporter functions; and 375 differentially expressed genes in late-onset severe preeclampsia, which are enriched with immune-related pathways. We also identified some key transcription factors, which may drive the widespread gene dysregulation in both early-onset and late-onset patients. Conclusion: These results suggest that early-onset and late-onset severe preeclampsia have different molecular mechanisms, whereas the late-onset mild preeclampsia may have no placenta-specific causal factors. A few regulators may be the key drivers of the dysregulated molecular pathways.
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D'Errico JN, Fournier SB, Stapleton PA. Considering intrauterine location in a model of fetal growth restriction after maternal titanium dioxide nanoparticle inhalation. FRONTIERS IN TOXICOLOGY 2021; 3:643804. [PMID: 33997857 PMCID: PMC8121264 DOI: 10.3389/ftox.2021.643804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a condition with several underlying etiologies including gestational disease (e.g., preeclampsia, gestational diabetes) and xenobiotic exposure (e.g., environmental contaminants, pharmaceuticals, recreational drugs). Rodent models allow study of FGR pathogenesis. However, given the multiparous rodent pregnancy, fetal growth variability within uterine horns may arise. To ascertain whether intrauterine position is a determinant of fetal growth, we redesigned fetal weight analysis to include litter size and maternal weight. Our FGR model is produced by exposing pregnant Sprague Dawley rats to aerosolized titanium dioxide nanoparticles at 9.44 ± 0.26 mg/m3 on gestational day (GD) 4, GD 12 or GD 17 or 9.53 ± 1.01 mg/m3 between GD 4-GD 19. In this study fetal weight data was reorganized by intrauterine location [i.e., right/left uterine horn and ovarian/middle/vaginal position] and normalized by maternal weight and number of feti per uterine horn. A significant difference in fetal weight in the middle location in controls (0.061g ± 0.001 vs. 0.055g ± 0.002), GD 4 (0.033g ± 0.003 vs. 0.049g ± 0.004), and GD 17 (0.047g ± 0.002 vs. 0.038g ± 0.002) exposed animals was identified. Additionally, GD 4 exposure produced significantly smaller feti in the right uterine horn at the ovarian end (0.052g ± 0.003 vs. 0.029g ± 0.003) and middle of the right uterine horn (0.060g ± 0.001 vs. 0.033g ± 0.003). GD 17 exposure produced significantly smaller feti in the left uterine horn middle location (0.055g ± 0.002 vs. 0.033 ± 0.002). Placental weights were unaffected, and placental efficiency was reduced in the right uterine horn middle location after GD 17 exposure (5.74g ± 0.16 vs. 5.09g ± 0.14). These findings identified: 1) differences in fetal weight of controls between the right and left horns in the middle position, and 2) differential effects of single whole-body pulmonary exposure to titanium dioxide nanoparticles on fetal weight by position and window of maternal exposure. In conclusion, these results indicate that consideration for intrauterine position, maternal weight, and number of feti per horn provides a more sensitive assessment of FGR from rodent reproductive and developmental studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. N. D'Errico
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States
| | - S. B. Fournier
- Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Piscataway, NJ, United States
| | - P. A. Stapleton
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States
- Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Piscataway, NJ, United States
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Relationship between Serum Leptin Values and Abdominal Circumference Assessed in the First Trimester of Pregnancy in Obese Women. CURRENT HEALTH SCIENCES JOURNAL 2021; 47:428-432. [PMID: 35003776 PMCID: PMC8679153 DOI: 10.12865/chsj.47.03.14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Higher serum leptin values have been correlated with several complications of pregnancy, while the abdominal circumference (AC) is an anthropometric measurement usually used to diagnose abdominal obesity. For this study we compared serum leptin levels between two groups of pregnant women: those with abdominal obesity (AC>88cm) and those without abdominal obesity (AC<88cm), diagnosed at the beginning of pregnancy. Serum leptin levels were obtained through measurements performed between 11-14 and 28-32 weeks of gestation. Higher serum leptin levels were found in the group of pregnant women with abdominal obesity comparing to the group without abdominal obesity, but a positive correlation between abdominal circumference and the leptin values was found only at 11-14 weeks of pregnancy. Our study showed that a simple measurement of AC performed at the beginning of pregnancy may predict the average serum levels of leptin throughout the gestation period. A better understanding of the role of leptin during development is needed to make us able to know how maternal-placental-fetal leptin exchange influence the fetal development.
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Colson A, Sonveaux P, Debiève F, Sferruzzi-Perri AN. Adaptations of the human placenta to hypoxia: opportunities for interventions in fetal growth restriction. Hum Reprod Update 2020; 27:531-569. [PMID: 33377492 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmaa053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The placenta is the functional interface between the mother and the fetus during pregnancy, and a critical determinant of fetal growth and life-long health. In the first trimester, it develops under a low-oxygen environment, which is essential for the conceptus who has little defense against reactive oxygen species produced during oxidative metabolism. However, failure of invasive trophoblasts to sufficiently remodel uterine arteries toward dilated vessels by the end of the first trimester can lead to reduced/intermittent blood flow, persistent hypoxia and oxidative stress in the placenta with consequences for fetal growth. Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is observed in ∼10% of pregnancies and is frequently seen in association with other pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia (PE). FGR is one of the main challenges for obstetricians and pediatricians, as smaller fetuses have greater perinatal risks of morbidity and mortality and postnatal risks of neurodevelopmental and cardio-metabolic disorders. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE The aim of this review was to examine the importance of placental responses to changing oxygen environments during abnormal pregnancy in terms of cellular, molecular and functional changes in order to highlight new therapeutic pathways, and to pinpoint approaches aimed at enhancing oxygen supply and/or mitigating oxidative stress in the placenta as a mean of optimizing fetal growth. SEARCH METHODS An extensive online search of peer-reviewed articles using PubMed was performed with combinations of search terms including pregnancy, placenta, trophoblast, oxygen, hypoxia, high altitude, FGR and PE (last updated in May 2020). OUTCOMES Trophoblast differentiation and placental establishment are governed by oxygen availability/hypoxia in early pregnancy. The placental response to late gestational hypoxia includes changes in syncytialization, mitochondrial functions, endoplasmic reticulum stress, hormone production, nutrient handling and angiogenic factor secretion. The nature of these changes depends on the extent of hypoxia, with some responses appearing adaptive and others appearing detrimental to the placental support of fetal growth. Emerging approaches that aim to increase placental oxygen supply and/or reduce the impacts of excessive oxidative stress are promising for their potential to prevent/treat FGR. WIDER IMPLICATIONS There are many risks and challenges of intervening during pregnancy that must be considered. The establishment of human trophoblast stem cell lines and organoids will allow further mechanistic studies of the effects of hypoxia and may lead to advanced screening of drugs for use in pregnancies complicated by placental insufficiency/hypoxia. Since no treatments are currently available, a better understanding of placental adaptations to hypoxia would help to develop therapies or repurpose drugs to optimize placental function and fetal growth, with life-long benefits to human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Colson
- Pole of Obstetrics, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.,Pole of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.,Department of Obstetrics, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Pierre Sonveaux
- Pole of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Frédéric Debiève
- Pole of Obstetrics, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.,Department of Obstetrics, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Amanda N Sferruzzi-Perri
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Abstract
Almost 2 billion adults in the world are overweight, and more than half of them are classified as obese, while nearly one-third of children globally experience poor growth and development. Given the vast amount of knowledge that has been gleaned from decades of research on growth and development, a number of questions remain as to why the world is now in the midst of a global epidemic of obesity accompanied by the "double burden of malnutrition," where overweight coexists with underweight and micronutrient deficiencies. This challenge to the human condition can be attributed to nutritional and environmental exposures during pregnancy that may program a fetus to have a higher risk of chronic diseases in adulthood. To explore this concept, frequently called the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD), this review considers a host of factors and physiological mechanisms that drive a fetus or child toward a higher risk of obesity, fatty liver disease, hypertension, and/or type 2 diabetes (T2D). To that end, this review explores the epidemiology of DOHaD with discussions focused on adaptations to human energetics, placental development, dysmetabolism, and key environmental exposures that act to promote chronic diseases in adulthood. These areas are complementary and additive in understanding how providing the best conditions for optimal growth can create the best possible conditions for lifelong health. Moreover, understanding both physiological as well as epigenetic and molecular mechanisms for DOHaD is vital to most fully address the global issues of obesity and other chronic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Hoffman
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Program in International Nutrition, and Center for Childhood Nutrition Research, New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Theresa L Powell
- Department of Pediatrics and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Emily S Barrett
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Division of Exposure Science and Epidemiology, Rutgers Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Daniel B Hardy
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Division of Exposure Science and Epidemiology, Rutgers Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey
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Mosavati B, Oleinikov AV, Du E. Development of an Organ-on-a-Chip-Device for Study of Placental Pathologies. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E8755. [PMID: 33228194 PMCID: PMC7699553 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21228755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The human placenta plays a key role in reproduction and serves as a major interface for maternofetal exchange of nutrients. Study of human placenta pathology presents a great experimental challenge because it is not easily accessible. In this paper, a 3D placenta-on-a-chip model is developed by bioengineering techniques to simulate the placental interface between maternal and fetal blood in vitro. In this model, trophoblasts cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells are cultured on the opposite sides of a porous polycarbonate membrane, which is sandwiched between two microfluidic channels. Glucose diffusion across this barrier is analyzed under shear flow conditions. Meanwhile, a numerical model of the 3D placenta-on-a-chip model is developed. Numerical results of concentration distributions and the convection-diffusion mass transport is compared to the results obtained from the experiments for validation. Finally, effects of flow rate and membrane porosity on glucose diffusion across the placental barrier are studied using the validated numerical model. The placental model developed here provides a potentially helpful tool to study a variety of other processes at the maternal-fetal interface, for example, effects of drugs or infections like malaria on transport of various substances across the placental barrier.
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Affiliation(s)
- Babak Mosavati
- Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA;
| | - Andrew V. Oleinikov
- Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA;
| | - E. Du
- Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA;
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA
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43
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Zaugg J, Huang X, Ziegler F, Rubin M, Graff J, Müller J, Moser-Hässig R, Powell T, Gertsch J, Altmann KH, Albrecht C. Small molecule inhibitors provide insights into the relevance of LAT1 and LAT2 in materno-foetal amino acid transport. J Cell Mol Med 2020; 24:12681-12693. [PMID: 33001560 PMCID: PMC7687008 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.15840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The placenta supplies the foetus with critical nutrients such as essential amino acids (AA, eg leucine) for development and growth. It also represents a cellular barrier which is formed by a polarized, differentiated syncytiotrophoblast (STB) monolayer. Active Na+‐independent leucine transport across the placenta is mainly attributed to the System L transporters LAT1/SLC7A5 and LAT2/SLC7A8. This study explored the influence of trophoblast differentiation on the activity of LAT1/LAT2 and the relevance of LAT1/LAT2 in leucine uptake and transfer in trophoblasts by applying specific small molecule inhibitors (JPH203/JG336/JX009). L‐leucine uptake (total dose = 167 μmol/L) was sensitive to LAT1‐specific inhibition by JPH203 (EC50 = 2.55 µmol/L). The inhibition efficiency of JPH203 was increased by an additional methoxy group in the JPH203‐derivate JG336 (EC50 = 1.99 µmol/L). Interestingly, JX009 showed efficient System L inhibition (EC50 = 2.35 µmol/L) and was the most potent inhibitor of leucine uptake in trophoblasts. The application of JPH203 and JX009 in Transwell®‐based leucine transfer revealed LAT1 as the major accumulative transporter at the apical membrane, but other System L transporters such as LAT2 as rate‐limiting for leucine efflux across the basal membrane. Therefore, differential specificity of the applied inhibitors allowed for estimation of the contribution of LAT1 and LAT2 in materno‐foetal AA transfer and their potential impact in pregnancy diseases associated with impaired foetal growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Zaugg
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Xiao Huang
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Fabian Ziegler
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Rubin
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Julien Graff
- Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jennifer Müller
- Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ruedi Moser-Hässig
- Division of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Lindenhofgruppe, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Theresa Powell
- Department of Pediatrics, Neonatology Section, University of Colorado, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Jürg Gertsch
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Karl-Heinz Altmann
- Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Christiane Albrecht
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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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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Cordier AG, Bouvier AS, Vibert F, Martinovic J, Couturier-Tarrade A, Lai-Kuen R, Curis E, Fournier T, Benachi A, Peoc'H K, Gil S. Preserved efficiency of sickle cell disease placentas despite altered morphology and function. Placenta 2020; 100:81-88. [PMID: 32871493 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2020.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Pregnant women with sickle cell disease (SCD) are at high risk for sickle cell-related complications, obstetrical complications, and perinatal morbidity. Chronic inflammation and the proangiogenic environment associated with SCD have been associated with endothelial damage. It is unknown whether SCD complications could be associated with placental dysfunction or abnormal placental morphology. Moreover, circulating angiogenic factors in pregnant women with SCD are unexplored. METHODS Clinical records, placental and blood samples were collected at term delivery for 21 pregnant patients with SCD and 19 HbAA pregnant controls with adapted to gestational age birth weight newborns. Histological and stereological analyses and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the placenta, and PlGF and sFlt1 measurements in blood were performed. RESULTS In the SCD group, the parenchyma-forming villi of placentas were thinner than in controls, and increased fibrinoid necrosis and an overabundance of syncytial knots were seen. SEM revealed elongated intermediate villous endings with a reduction in the number of terminal villi compared to controls, indicating a significant branching defect in SCD placentas. Finally, SCD patients had an imbalance in the angiogenic ratio of sFlt1/PlGF (p = 0.008) with a drop of PlGF concentrations. DISCUSSION We evidence for the first time both abnormal placenta morphology and altered sFlt1/PlGF ratio in SCD patients, uncorrelated with maintained placental efficiency and fetal growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Gael Cordier
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Service de Gynécologie Obstétrique, Centre hospitalier universitaire Antoine Béclère, Université Paris-Sud, 92140, Clamart, France; Université de Paris, INSERM UMR-S1139 (3PHM), Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, F-75006, France; PremUp Foundation, Paris, F-75014, France; Centre de référence maladies rares. Syndromes drépanocytaires majeurs, thalassémies et autres pathologies rares du globule rouge et de l'érythropoïèse, Paris, France.
| | - Anne-Sophie Bouvier
- Université de Paris, INSERM UMR-S1139 (3PHM), Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, F-75006, France; PremUp Foundation, Paris, F-75014, France
| | - Francoise Vibert
- Université de Paris, INSERM UMR-S1139 (3PHM), Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, F-75006, France; PremUp Foundation, Paris, F-75014, France
| | - Jelena Martinovic
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Service de Fœtopathologie, Centre hospitalier universitaire Antoine Béclère, Université Paris-Sud, Clamart, France; INSERM, UMR, 1195, Université Paris Sud, Paris Saclay, France
| | | | - René Lai-Kuen
- Plateau technique Imagerie Cellulaire et Moléculaire (ICM), UMS, 3612, CNRS, US25 INSERM, Faculté de Pharmacie de Paris, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, France
| | - Emmanuel Curis
- Service de biostatistiques et informatique médicale, Hôpital Saint-Louis, APHP, Paris, France; Laboratoire de biomathématiques, Faculté de pharmacie, Université Paris Descartes, France
| | - Thierry Fournier
- Université de Paris, INSERM UMR-S1139 (3PHM), Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, F-75006, France
| | - Alexandra Benachi
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Service de Gynécologie Obstétrique, Centre hospitalier universitaire Antoine Béclère, Université Paris-Sud, 92140, Clamart, France; Centre de référence maladies rares. Syndromes drépanocytaires majeurs, thalassémies et autres pathologies rares du globule rouge et de l'érythropoïèse, Paris, France
| | - Katell Peoc'H
- Université de Paris, INSERM UMR-S1139 (3PHM), Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, F-75006, France; Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Laboratoire de Biochimie Clinique, HUPNVS, Hôpital Beaujon, Clichy and Université de Paris, UFR de Médecine Xavier Bichat, Paris, France
| | - Sophie Gil
- Université de Paris, INSERM UMR-S1139 (3PHM), Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, F-75006, France; PremUp Foundation, Paris, F-75014, France
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Stroup BM, Marom R, Li X, Hsu CW, Chang CY, Truong LD, Dawson B, Grafe I, Chen Y, Jiang MM, Lanza D, Green JR, Sun Q, Barrish JP, Ani S, Christiansen AE, Seavitt JR, Dickinson ME, Kheradmand F, Heaney JD, Lee B, Burrage LC. A global Slc7a7 knockout mouse model demonstrates characteristic phenotypes of human lysinuric protein intolerance. Hum Mol Genet 2020; 29:2171-2184. [PMID: 32504080 PMCID: PMC7399531 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Lysinuric protein intolerance (LPI) is an inborn error of cationic amino acid (arginine, lysine, ornithine) transport caused by biallelic pathogenic variants in SLC7A7, which encodes the light subunit of the y+LAT1 transporter. Treatments for the complications of LPI, including growth failure, renal disease, pulmonary alveolar proteinosis, autoimmune disorders and osteoporosis, are limited. Given the early lethality of the only published global Slc7a7 knockout mouse model, a viable animal model to investigate global SLC7A7 deficiency is needed. Hence, we generated two mouse models with global Slc7a7 deficiency (Slc7a7em1Lbu/em1Lbu; Slc7a7Lbu/Lbu and Slc7a7em1(IMPC)Bay/em1(IMPC)Bay; Slc7a7Bay/Bay) using CRISPR/Cas9 technology by introducing a deletion of exons 3 and 4. Perinatal lethality was observed in Slc7a7Lbu/Lbu and Slc7a7Bay/Bay mice on the C57BL/6 and C57BL/6NJ inbred genetic backgrounds, respectively. We noted improved survival of Slc7a7Lbu/Lbu mice on the 129 Sv/Ev × C57BL/6 F2 background, but postnatal growth failure occurred. Consistent with human LPI, these Slc7a7Lbu/Lbu mice exhibited reduced plasma and increased urinary concentrations of the cationic amino acids. Histopathological assessment revealed loss of brush border and lipid vacuolation in the renal cortex of Slc7a7Lbu/Lbu mice, which combined with aminoaciduria suggests proximal tubular dysfunction. Micro-computed tomography of L4 vertebrae and skeletal radiographs showed delayed skeletal development and suggested decreased mineralization in Slc7a7Lbu/Lbu mice, respectively. In addition to delayed skeletal development and delayed development in the kidneys, the lungs and liver were observed based on histopathological assessment. Overall, our Slc7a7Lbu/Lbu mouse model on the F2 mixed background recapitulates multiple human LPI phenotypes and may be useful for future studies of LPI pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridget M Stroup
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ronit Marom
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Xiaohui Li
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Chih-Wei Hsu
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Cheng-Yen Chang
- Department of Medicine-Pulmonary, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Luan D Truong
- Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Brian Dawson
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ingo Grafe
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Bone Diseases, Department of Medicine III, Center for Healthy Aging, University Clinic, Dresden D-01307, Germany
| | - Yuqing Chen
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ming-Ming Jiang
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Denise Lanza
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jennie Rose Green
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Qin Sun
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Baylor Genetics, Houston, TX 77021, USA
| | - J P Barrish
- Department of Pathology, Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Safa Ani
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Audrey E Christiansen
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - John R Seavitt
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Mary E Dickinson
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Farrah Kheradmand
- Department of Medicine-Pulmonary, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jason D Heaney
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Brendan Lee
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Lindsay C Burrage
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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Elmetwally MA, Halawa AA, Tang W, Wu G, Bazer FW. Effects of Bisphenol A on expression of genes related to amino acid transporters, insulin- like growth factor, aquaporin and amino acid release by porcine trophectoderm cells. Reprod Toxicol 2020; 96:241-248. [PMID: 32710935 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2020.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The peri-implantation period of pregnancy is critical for conceptus development, implantation, and signaling for establishment of pregnancy. This study evaluated the effects of bisphenol A (BPA) on proliferation, adhesion, and migration of porcine trophectoderm (pTr2) cells, expression of transporters of arginine and synthesis of amino acids. All concentrations of BPA decreased proliferation and adhesion of pTr2 cells after 96 h compared to the control group. Lower concentrations of BPA (1 × 10-9, 1 × 10-8, 10-7M) increased (P < 0.05), but higher concentrations of BPA (1 × 10-5, 1 × 10-4 M) decreased migration of pTr2 cells. BPA increased expression of SLC7A1 mRNA at lower concentrations (1 × 10-9 to 1 × 10-6M) and SL7A6, another cationic acid transporter, at higher concentrations (1 × 10-5, 1 × 10-4 M). BPA also down-regulated the expression of IGF1 and IGF1 receptor at concentrations of 1 × 10-7 to 1 × 10-4 M compared to the control group. The expression of mRNAs for aquaporins (AQP) 3 and 4 were reduced at all concentrations of BPA, but at lower concentrations of BPA, (1 × 10-9 to 1 × 10-8M) expression of AQP9 mRNA increased and the expression of AQP11 was not affected by BPA (P > 0.05). There was an inhibitory effect of BPA on the release of synthesis of asparagine, threonine, taurine, tryptophan, and ornithine into the culture medium by pTr2 cells. Collectively, BPA adversely affected the expression of transporters for cationic amino acids like arginine, as well as AQPs, IGF1, and IGF1R associated with proliferation, migration, and adhesion of pTr2 cells. Those adverse effects would likely increase pregnancy losses during the peri-implantation period of pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed A Elmetwally
- Department of Animal Science, United States; Center for Animal Biotechnology and Genomics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States; Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt
| | - Amal A Halawa
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt
| | - Wanjin Tang
- Department of Animal Science, United States; Center for Animal Biotechnology and Genomics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States
| | - Guoyao Wu
- Department of Animal Science, United States; Center for Animal Biotechnology and Genomics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States
| | - Fuller W Bazer
- Department of Animal Science, United States; Center for Animal Biotechnology and Genomics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States.
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Medina-Bastidas D, Guzmán-Huerta M, Borboa-Olivares H, Ruiz-Cruz C, Parra-Hernández S, Flores-Pliego A, Salido-Guadarrama I, Camargo-Marín L, Arambula-Meraz E, Estrada-Gutierrez G. Placental Microarray Profiling Reveals Common mRNA and lncRNA Expression Patterns in Preeclampsia and Intrauterine Growth Restriction. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21103597. [PMID: 32443673 PMCID: PMC7279523 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21103597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 05/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Preeclampsia (PE) and Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) are major contributors to perinatal morbidity and mortality. These pregnancy disorders are associated with placental dysfunction and share similar pathophysiological features. The aim of this study was to compare the placental gene expression profiles including mRNA and lncRNAs from pregnant women from four study groups: PE, IUGR, PE-IUGR, and normal pregnancy (NP). Gene expression microarray analysis was performed on placental tissue obtained at delivery and results were validated using RTq-PCR. Differential gene expression analysis revealed that the largest transcript variation was observed in the IUGR samples compared to NP (n = 461; 314 mRNAs: 252 up-regulated and 62 down-regulated; 133 lncRNAs: 36 up-regulated and 98 down-regulated). We also detected a group of differentially expressed transcripts shared between the PE and IUGR samples compared to NP (n = 39), including 9 lncRNAs with a high correlation degree (p < 0.05). Functional enrichment of these shared transcripts showed that cytokine signaling pathways, protein modification, and regulation of JAK-STAT cascade are over-represented in both placental ischemic diseases. These findings contribute to the molecular characterization of placental ischemia showing common epigenetic regulation implicated in the pathophysiology of PE and IUGR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Medina-Bastidas
- Unidad de Investigación en Reproducción Humana, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología-Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 11000, Mexico;
| | - Mario Guzmán-Huerta
- Departamento de Medicina Traslacional, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología, Mexico City 11000, Mexico; (M.G.-H.); (L.C.-M.)
| | - Hector Borboa-Olivares
- Subdirección de Investigación en Intervenciones Comunitarias, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología, Mexico City 11000, Mexico;
| | - César Ruiz-Cruz
- Hospital de Ginecología y Obstetricia No. 4, Luis Castelazo Ayala, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City 01090, Mexico;
| | - Sandra Parra-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Inmunobioquímica, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología, Mexico City 11000, Mexico; (S.P.-H.); (A.F.-P.)
| | - Arturo Flores-Pliego
- Laboratorio de Inmunobioquímica, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología, Mexico City 11000, Mexico; (S.P.-H.); (A.F.-P.)
| | - Ivan Salido-Guadarrama
- Laboratorio de Biología Computacional, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias Ismael Cosío Villegas, Mexico City 14080, Mexico;
| | - Lisbeth Camargo-Marín
- Departamento de Medicina Traslacional, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología, Mexico City 11000, Mexico; (M.G.-H.); (L.C.-M.)
| | - Eliakym Arambula-Meraz
- Laboratorio de Genética y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa, Culiacan 80040, Mexico;
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Drożdżyk K, Sawicka M, Bahamonde-Santos MI, Jonas Z, Deneka D, Albrecht C, Dutzler R. Cryo-EM structures and functional properties of CALHM channels of the human placenta. eLife 2020; 9:e55853. [PMID: 32374262 PMCID: PMC7242029 DOI: 10.7554/elife.55853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The transport of substances across the placenta is essential for the development of the fetus. Here, we were interested in the role of channels of the calcium homeostasis modulator (CALHM) family in the human placenta. By transcript analysis, we found the paralogs CALHM2, 4, and 6 to be highly expressed in this organ and upregulated during trophoblast differentiation. Based on electrophysiology, we observed that activation of these paralogs differs from the voltage- and calcium-gated channel CALHM1. Cryo-EM structures of CALHM4 display decameric and undecameric assemblies with large cylindrical pore, while in CALHM6 a conformational change has converted the pore shape into a conus that narrows at the intracellular side, thus describing distinct functional states of the channel. The pore geometry alters the distribution of lipids, which occupy the cylindrical pore of CALHM4 in a bilayer-like arrangement whereas they have redistributed in the conical pore of CALHM6 with potential functional consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marta Sawicka
- Department of Biochemistry, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | | | - Zaugg Jonas
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - Dawid Deneka
- Department of Biochemistry, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Christiane Albrecht
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - Raimund Dutzler
- Department of Biochemistry, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
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Zaugg J, Melhem H, Huang X, Wegner M, Baumann M, Surbek D, Körner M, Albrecht C. Gestational diabetes mellitus affects placental iron homeostasis: Mechanism and clinical implications. FASEB J 2020; 34:7311-7329. [PMID: 32285992 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201903054r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Clinical studies suggest that pregnant women with elevated iron levels are more vulnerable to develop gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), but the causes and underlying mechanisms are unknown. We hypothesized that hyperglycemia induces cellular stress responses leading to dysregulated placental iron homeostasis. Hence, we compared the expression of genes/proteins involved in iron homeostasis in placentae from GDM and healthy pregnancies (n = 11 each). RT-qPCR and LC-MS/MS analyses revealed differential regulation of iron transporters/receptors (DMT1/FPN1/ZIP8/TfR1), iron sensors (IRP1), iron regulators (HEPC), and iron oxidoreductases (HEPH/Zp). To identify the underlying mechanisms, we adapted BeWo trophoblast cells to normoglycemic (N), hyperglycemic (H), and hyperglycemic-hyperlipidemic (HL) conditions and assessed Fe3+ -uptake, expression patterns, and cellular pathways involving oxidative stress (OS), ER-stress, and autophagy. H and HL induced alterations in cellular morphology, differential iron transporter expression, and reduced Fe3+ -uptake confirming the impact of hyperglycemia on iron transport observed in GDM patients. Pathway analysis and rescue experiments indicated that dysregulated OS and disturbed autophagy processes contribute to the reduced placental iron transport under hyperglycemic conditions. These adaptations could represent a protective mechanism preventing the oxidative damage for both fetus and placenta caused by highly oxidative iron. In pregnancies with risk for GDM, antioxidant treatment, and controlled iron supplementation could help to balance placental OS levels protecting mother and fetus from impaired iron homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Zaugg
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Hassan Melhem
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Xiao Huang
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Malgorzata Wegner
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Marc Baumann
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Surbek
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Christiane Albrecht
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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