1
|
Postic PY, Leprince Y, Brosset S, Drutel L, Peyric E, Ben Abdallah I, Bekha D, Neumane S, Duchesnay E, Dinomais M, Chevignard M, Hertz-Pannier L. Brain growth until adolescence after a neonatal focal injury: sex related differences beyond lesion effect. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1405381. [PMID: 39247049 PMCID: PMC11378422 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1405381] [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: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Early focal brain injuries lead to long-term disabilities with frequent cognitive impairments, suggesting global dysfunction beyond the lesion. While plasticity of the immature brain promotes better learning, outcome variability across individuals is multifactorial. Males are more vulnerable to early injuries and neurodevelopmental disorders than females, but long-term sex differences in brain growth after an early focal lesion have not been described yet. With this MRI longitudinal morphometry study of brain development after a Neonatal Arterial Ischemic Stroke (NAIS), we searched for differences between males and females in the trajectories of ipsi- and contralesional gray matter growth in childhood and adolescence, while accounting for lesion characteristics. Methods We relied on a longitudinal cohort (AVCnn) of patients with unilateral NAIS who underwent clinical and MRI assessments at ages 7 and 16 were compared to age-matched controls. Non-lesioned volumes of gray matter (hemispheres, lobes, regions, deep structures, cerebellum) were extracted from segmented T1 MRI images at 7 (Patients: 23 M, 16 F; Controls: 17 M, 18 F) and 16 (Patients: 18 M, 11 F; Controls: 16 M, 15 F). These volumes were analyzed using a Linear Mixed Model accounting for age, sex, and lesion characteristics. Results Whole hemisphere volumes were reduced at both ages in patients compared to controls (gray matter volume: -16% in males, -10% in females). In ipsilesional hemisphere, cortical gray matter and thalamic volume losses (average -13%) mostly depended on lesion severity, suggesting diaschisis, with minimal effect of patient sex. In the contralesional hemisphere however, we consistently found sex differences in gray matter volumes, as only male volumes were smaller than in male controls (average -7.5%), mostly in territories mirroring the contralateral lesion. Females did not significantly deviate from the typical trajectories of female controls. Similar sex differences were found in both cerebellar hemispheres. Discussion These results suggest sex-dependent growth trajectories after an early brain lesion with a contralesional growth deficit in males only. The similarity of patterns at ages 7 and 16 suggests that puberty has little effect on these trajectories, and that most of the deviation in males occurs in early childhood, in line with the well-described perinatal vulnerability of the male brain, and with no compensation thereafter.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pierre-Yves Postic
- CEA Paris-Saclay, Frederic Joliot Institute, NeuroSpin, UNIACT, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- INSERM, Université Paris Cité, UMR 1141 NeuroDiderot, InDEV, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, INSERM, Laboratoire d'Imagerie Biomédicale (LIB), Paris, France
| | - Yann Leprince
- CEA Paris-Saclay, Frederic Joliot Institute, NeuroSpin, UNIACT, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Soraya Brosset
- CEA Paris-Saclay, Frederic Joliot Institute, NeuroSpin, UNIACT, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- INSERM, Université Paris Cité, UMR 1141 NeuroDiderot, InDEV, Paris, France
| | - Laure Drutel
- LP3C, Rennes 2 University, Rennes, France
- French National Reference Center for Pediatric Stroke, CHU de Saint-Etienne, Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Emeline Peyric
- Pediatric Neurology Department, HFME, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Ines Ben Abdallah
- CEA Paris-Saclay, Frederic Joliot Institute, NeuroSpin, UNIACT, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- INSERM, Université Paris Cité, UMR 1141 NeuroDiderot, InDEV, Paris, France
| | - Dhaif Bekha
- CEA Paris-Saclay, Frederic Joliot Institute, NeuroSpin, UNIACT, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- INSERM, Université Paris Cité, UMR 1141 NeuroDiderot, InDEV, Paris, France
| | - Sara Neumane
- CEA Paris-Saclay, Frederic Joliot Institute, NeuroSpin, UNIACT, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- INSERM, Université Paris Cité, UMR 1141 NeuroDiderot, InDEV, Paris, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ - APHP, Pediatric Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Raymond Poincaré University Hospital, Garches, France
| | - Edouard Duchesnay
- CEA Paris-Saclay, Frederic Joliot Institute, NeuroSpin, BAOBAB/GAIA/SIGNATURE, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Mickael Dinomais
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Angers University Hospital Centre, Angers, France
| | - Mathilde Chevignard
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, INSERM, Laboratoire d'Imagerie Biomédicale (LIB), Paris, France
- Rehabilitation Department for Children with Acquired Brain Injury, Saint Maurice Hospitals, Saint Maurice, France
- Sorbonne University, GRC 24 Handicap Moteur Cognitif et Réadaptation (HaMCRe), Paris, France
| | - Lucie Hertz-Pannier
- CEA Paris-Saclay, Frederic Joliot Institute, NeuroSpin, UNIACT, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- INSERM, Université Paris Cité, UMR 1141 NeuroDiderot, InDEV, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Does fetal sex influence the risk of venous thrombosis in pregnancy? A cohort study. J Thromb Haemost 2023; 21:599-605. [PMID: 36696192 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtha.2022.11.024] [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: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Venous thromboembolism is a prominent cause of maternal death. OBJECTIVE As inflammation is a well-known risk factor for venous thromboembolism and several studies have found a higher grade of inflammation in pregnancies bearing a male compared with female fetuses, we investigated the risk of pregnancy-related venous thromboembolism associated with sex of the fetus. METHODS This cohort study linked data from national registries and compared event rates and hazard ratios of venous thrombosis for pregnancies bearing a male fetus with those bearing a female fetus during pregnancy and in the first 3 months postpartum. National data from 1995 to 2017 were used. All Danish women aged 15 to 49 years with a live or stillbirth were eligible for inclusion; 1 370 583 pregnancies were included. Women with venous thrombosis, ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, thrombophilia, or cancer before conception were excluded. RESULTS The event rate for a venous thrombosis was 8.0 per 10.000 pregnancy years with a male fetus compared with 6.8 for a female fetus. The adjusted hazard ratio for venous thrombosis during pregnancies bearing a male was 1.2 (95% CI, 1.1-1.4), whereas in the postpartum period, it was 0.9 (95% CI, 0.7-1.0). The risk was elevated until week 30. CONCLUSION These findings indicate a slightly greater risk of venous thrombosis during pregnancies bearing a male fetus than during pregnancies bearing a female fetus. There was no increased risk associated with fetal male sex in the postpartum period.
Collapse
|
3
|
Yu P, Zhou J, Ge C, Fang M, Zhang Y, Wang H. Differential expression of placental 11β-HSD2 induced by high maternal glucocorticoid exposure mediates sex differences in placental and fetal development. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 827:154396. [PMID: 35259391 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
A variety of adverse environmental factors during pregnancy cause maternal chronic stress. Caffeine is a common stressor, and its consumption during pregnancy is widespread. Our previous study showed that prenatal caffeine exposure (PCE) increased maternal blood glucocorticoid levels and caused abnormal development of offspring. However, the placental mechanism for fetal development inhibition caused by PCE-induced high maternal glucocorticoid has not been reported. This study investigated the effects of PCE-induced high maternal glucocorticoid level on placental and fetal development by regulating placental 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2 (11β-HSD2) expression and its underlying mechanism. First, human placenta and umbilical cord blood samples were collected from women without prenatal use of synthetic glucocorticoids. We found that placental 11β-HSD2 expression was significantly correlated with umbilical cord blood cortisol level and birth weight in male newborns but not in females. Furthermore, we established a rat model of high maternal glucocorticoids induced by PCE (caffeine, 60 mg/kg·d, ig), and found that the expression of 11β-HSD2 in male PCE placenta was decreased and negatively correlated with the maternal/fetal/placental corticosterone levels. Meanwhile, we found abnormal placental structure and nutrient transporter expression. In vitro, BeWo cells were used and confirm that 11β-HSD2 mediated inhibition of placental nutrient transporter expression induced by high levels of glucocorticoid. Finally, combined with the animal and cell experiments, we further confirmed that high maternal glucocorticoid could activate the GR-C/EBPα-Egr1 signaling pathway, leading to decreased expression of 11β-HSD2 in males. However, there was no significant inhibition of placental 11β-HSD2 expression, placental and fetal development in females. In summary, we confirmed that high maternal glucocorticoids could regulate placental 11β-HSD2 expression in a sex-specific manner, leading to differences in placental and fetal development. This study provides the theoretical and experimental basis for analyzing the inhibition of fetoplacental development and its sex difference caused by maternal stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pengxia Yu
- Department of Pharmacology, Basic Medical School of Wuhan University, 185 Donghu Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Jin Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology, Basic Medical School of Wuhan University, 185 Donghu Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Caiyun Ge
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, 169 Donghu Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Man Fang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, 169 Donghu Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Yuanzhen Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, 169 Donghu Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan 430071, China; Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Basic Medical School of Wuhan University, 185 Donghu Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan 430071, China; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, 169 Donghu Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan 430071, China; Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, Wuhan 430071, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Gupta R, Sharma A. Amyoplasia in monochorionic monozygotic pregnancy following interstitial laser. Am J Med Genet A 2022; 188:2178-2183. [PMID: 35324072 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.62735] [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: 01/09/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Amyoplasia is a specific form of arthrogryposis, without any genetic cause. Six to ten percent of amyoplasia cases are one of the monozygotic twins, with the other twin being normal. Failure of maturation of anterior horn cells (AHCs) due to ischemic injury has been postulated as the primary pathological change, leading to arrest in the development of muscle fibers supplied by the affected AHCs with the typical limb positioning seen in amyoplasia. Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) is an important risk factor for ischemic injury in monozygotic twin pregnancies. We present a case of monochorionic diamniotic twin pregnancy with features of TTTS at 12 weeks who underwent interstitial laser followed by the development of lower limb akinesia in the surviving fetus. Possible causes of amyoplasia are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachna Gupta
- Fetal Medicine Department, Sonepat Fetal Medicine & Genetic Centre, Sunehri Devi Hospital, Sonipat, India.,Fetal Medicine Department, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Akshatha Sharma
- Fetal Medicine Department, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi, India
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Christians JK. The Placenta's Role in Sexually Dimorphic Fetal Growth Strategies. Reprod Sci 2021; 29:1895-1907. [PMID: 34699045 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-021-00780-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Fetal sex affects the risk of pregnancy complications and the long-term effects of prenatal environment on health. Some have hypothesized that growth strategies differ between the sexes, whereby males prioritize growth whereas females are more responsive to their environment. This review evaluates the role of the placenta in such strategies, focusing on (1) mechanisms underlying sexual dimorphism in gene expression, (2) the nature and extent of sexual dimorphism in placental gene expression, (3) sexually dimorphic responses to nutrient supply, and (4) sexual dimorphism in morphology and histopathology. The sex chromosomes contribute to sex differences in placental gene expression, and fetal hormones may play a role later in development. Sexually dimorphic placental gene expression may contribute to differences in the prevalence of complications such as preeclampsia, although this link is not clear. Placental responses to nutrient supply frequently show sexual dimorphism, but there is no consistent pattern where one sex is more responsive. There are sex differences in the prevalence of placental histopathologies, and placental changes in pregnancy complications, but also many similarities. Overall, no clear patterns support the hypothesis that females are more responsive to the maternal environment, or that males prioritize growth. While male fetuses are at greater risk of a variety of complications, total prenatal mortality is higher in females, such that males exposed to early insults may be more likely to survive and be observed in studies of adverse outcomes. Going forward, robust statistical approaches to test for sex-dependent effects must be more widely adopted to reduce the incidence of spurious results.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julian K Christians
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada. .,Centre for Cell Biology, Development and Disease, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada. .,British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada. .,Women's Health Research Institute, BC Women's Hospital and Health Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Inkster AM, Fernández-Boyano I, Robinson WP. Sex Differences Are Here to Stay: Relevance to Prenatal Care. J Clin Med 2021; 10:3000. [PMID: 34279482 PMCID: PMC8268816 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10133000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex differences exist in the incidence and presentation of many pregnancy complications, including but not limited to pregnancy loss, spontaneous preterm birth, and fetal growth restriction. Sex differences arise very early in development due to differential gene expression from the X and Y chromosomes, and later may also be influenced by the action of gonadal steroid hormones. Though offspring sex is not considered in most prenatal diagnostic or therapeutic strategies currently in use, it may be beneficial to consider sex differences and the associated mechanisms underlying pregnancy complications. This review will cover (i) the prevalence and presentation of sex differences that occur in perinatal complications, particularly with a focus on the placenta; (ii) possible mechanisms underlying the development of sex differences in placental function and pregnancy phenotypes; and (iii) knowledge gaps that should be addressed in the development of diagnostic or risk prediction tools for such complications, with an emphasis on those for which it would be important to consider sex.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amy M. Inkster
- BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada; (A.M.I.); (I.F.-B.)
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6H 3N1, Canada
| | - Icíar Fernández-Boyano
- BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada; (A.M.I.); (I.F.-B.)
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6H 3N1, Canada
| | - Wendy P. Robinson
- BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada; (A.M.I.); (I.F.-B.)
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6H 3N1, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Talia C, Raja EA, Bhattacharya S, Fowler PA. Testing the twin testosterone transfer hypothesis-intergenerational analysis of 317 dizygotic twins born in Aberdeen, Scotland. Hum Reprod 2021; 35:1702-1710. [PMID: 32558884 PMCID: PMC7368400 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deaa091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Does having a male co-twin influence the female twin's reproductive outcomes? SUMMARY ANSWER Women with a male co-twin had the same chances of being pregnant and having children compared to same-sex twin pairs. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY According to the twin testosterone transfer (TTT) hypothesis, in an opposite-sex twin pregnancy, testosterone transfer from the male to the female co-twin occurs. A large body of literature supports the negative impact of prenatal testosterone exposure on female's reproductive health in animal models; however, evidence from human studies remains controversial. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION This cohort study included all dizygotic female twins in the Aberdeen Maternity and Neonatal Databank (Scotland) born before 1 January 1979. The 317 eligible women were followed up for 40 years for any pregnancies and the outcome of those pregnancies recorded in the same database. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Fertility outcomes (number of pregnancies, number of livebirths and age at first pregnancy) were compared between women with a male co-twin (exposed group, n = 151) and those with a female co-twin (unexposed group, n = 166). Population averaged models were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% CI for all outcomes with adjusting for potential confounders. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE There were no differences in chances of having pregnancies (adj. OR 1.33; 95% CI 0.72, 2.45) and livebirths (adj. OR 1.22; 95% CI 0.68, 2.18) between women from same-sex and opposite-sex twin pairs. Women with a male co-twin were more likely to smoke during pregnancy and, in the unadjusted model, were younger at their first pregnancy (OR 2.13; 95% CI 1.21, 3.75). After adjusting for confounding variables (year of birth and smoking status) the latter finding was no longer significant (OR 1.67; 95% CI 0.90, 3.20). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION The dataset was relatively small. For women without a pregnancy recorded in the databank, we assumed that they had not been pregnant. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Despite the evidence from animal studies concerning the adverse effects of prenatal testosterone exposure on female health, our results do not support the TTT hypothesis. The finding that women with a male co-twin are more likely to smoke during pregnancy highlights the importance of considering post-socialisation and social effects in twin studies. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie project PROTECTED (grant agreement No. 722634) and FREIA project (grant agreement No. 825100). No competing interests. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Talia
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Edwin-Amalraj Raja
- Institute of Applied Health Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Sohinee Bhattacharya
- Institute of Applied Health Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Paul A Fowler
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Hall JG. The mystery of monozygotic twinning II: What can monozygotic twinning tell us about Amyoplasia from a review of the various mechanisms and types of monozygotic twinning? Am J Med Genet A 2021; 185:1822-1835. [PMID: 33765349 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.62177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Monozygotic (MZ) twins ("identical twins") are essentially unique to human beings. Why and how they arise is not known. This article reviews the possible different types of MZ twinning recognized in the previous article on twins and arthrogryposis. There appear to be at least three subgroups of MZ twinning: spontaneous, familial, and those related to artificial reproductive technologies. Each is likely to have different etiologies and different secondary findings. Spontaneous MZ twinning may relate to "overripe ova." Amyoplasia, a specific nongenetic form of arthrogryposis, appears to occur in spontaneous MZ twinning and may be related to twin-twin transfusion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Judith G Hall
- University of British Columbia and Children's and Women's Health Centre of British Columbia, Department of Pediatrics and Medical Genetics, British Columbia Children's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Hall JG. The mystery of monozygotic twinning I: What can Amyoplasia tell us about monozygotic twinning and the possible role of twin-twin transfusion? Am J Med Genet A 2021; 185:1816-1821. [PMID: 33760374 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.62172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Amyoplasia is a very specific, nongenetic clinically recognizable form of arthrogryposis, representing about one-third of individuals with arthrogryposis surviving the newborn period. There is a markedly increased number of individuals with Amyoplasia who are one of monozygotic (MZ) twins, with the other twin being normal. Thus, it would appear that Amyoplasia is definitely associated with and may be caused by an MZ twinning event. The twin-twin transfusion seen in MZ twins could play an etiologic role in producing Amyoplasia. In this article, Amyoplasia twinning is compared to twinning in other forms of arthrogryposis. The accompanying paper examines various types of MZ twinning (Hall, 2021). Amyoplasia is primarily associated with spontaneous MZ twinning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Judith G Hall
- Department of Pediatrics and Medical Genetics, British Columbia Children's Hospital, University of British Columbia and Children's and Women's Health Centre of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Park KB, Chapman T, Aldinger KA, Mirzaa GM, Zeiger J, Beck A, Glass IA, Hevner RF, Jansen AC, Marshall DA, Oegema R, Parrini E, Saneto RP, Curry CJ, Hall JG, Guerrini R, Leventer RJ, Dobyns WB. The spectrum of brain malformations and disruptions in twins. Am J Med Genet A 2020; 185:2690-2718. [PMID: 33205886 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.61972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Twins have an increased risk for congenital malformations and disruptions, including defects in brain morphogenesis. We analyzed data on brain imaging, zygosity, sex, and fetal demise in 56 proband twins and 7 less affected co-twins with abnormal brain imaging and compared them to population-based data and to a literature series. We separated our series into malformations of cortical development (MCD, N = 39), cerebellar malformations without MCD (N = 13), and brain disruptions (N = 11). The MCD group included 37/39 (95%) with polymicrogyria (PMG), 8/39 (21%) with pia-ependymal clefts (schizencephaly), and 15/39 (38%) with periventricular nodular heterotopia (PNH) including 2 with PNH but not PMG. Cerebellar malformations were found in 19 individuals including 13 with a cerebellar malformation only and another 6 with cerebellar malformation and MCD. The pattern varied from diffuse cerebellar hypoplasia to classic Dandy-Walker malformation. Brain disruptions were seen in 11 individuals with hydranencephaly, porencephaly, or white matter loss without cysts. Our series included an expected statistically significant excess of monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs (22/41 MZ, 54%) compared to population data (482/1448 MZ, 33.3%; p = .0110), and an unexpected statistically significant excess of dizygotic (DZ) twins (19/41, 46%) compared to the literature cohort (1/46 DZ, 2%; p < .0001. Recurrent association with twin-twin transfusion syndrome, intrauterine growth retardation, and other prenatal factors support disruption of vascular perfusion as the most likely unifying cause.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kaylee B Park
- University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Teresa Chapman
- Department of Radiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Kimberly A Aldinger
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Ghayda M Mirzaa
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Jordan Zeiger
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Anita Beck
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Ian A Glass
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Robert F Hevner
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Anna C Jansen
- Neurogenetics Research Group, Reproduction Genetics and Regenerative Medicine Research Cluster, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.,Pediatric Neurology Unit, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Desiree A Marshall
- Department of Anatomic Pathology and Neuropathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Renske Oegema
- University Medical Center Utrecht, Department of Genetics, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Elena Parrini
- Pediatric Neurology, Neurogenetics and Neurobiology Unit and Laboratories, Meyer Children's Hospital, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Russell P Saneto
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Cynthia J Curry
- Genetic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, Fresno, California, USA
| | - Judith G Hall
- Departments of Medical Genetics and Pediatrics, University of British Columbia and BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Renzo Guerrini
- Pediatric Neurology, Neurogenetics and Neurobiology Unit and Laboratories, Meyer Children's Hospital, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Richard J Leventer
- Department of Neurology, Royal Children's Hospital, Murdoch Children's Research Institute and University of Melbourne Department of Pediatrics, Melbourne, Australia
| | - William B Dobyns
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics and Metabolism, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Adam AP, Curry CJ, Hall JG, Keppler-Noreuil KM, Adam MP, Dobyns WB. Recurrent constellations of embryonic malformations re-conceptualized as an overlapping group of disorders with shared pathogenesis. Am J Med Genet A 2020; 182:2646-2661. [PMID: 32924308 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.61847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Several recurrent malformation associations affecting the development of the embryo have been described in which a genetic etiology has not been found, including LBWC, MURCS, OAVS, OEIS, POC, VACTERL, referred to here as "recurrent constellations of embryonic malformations" (RCEM). All are characterized by an excess of reported monozygotic discordant twins and lack of familial recurrence. We performed a comprehensive review of published twin data across all six phenotypes to allow a more robust assessment of the association with twinning and potential embryologic timing of a disruptive event. We recorded the type of twinning, any overlapping features of another RCEM, maternal characteristics, and the use of ART. Statistically significant associations included an excess of monozygotic twins and 80% discordance rate for the phenotype across all twins. There was an 18.5% rate of ART and no consistently reported maternal adverse events during pregnancy. We found 24 instances of co-occurrence of two RCEM, suggesting a shared pathogenesis across all RCEM phenotypes. We hypothesize the following timing for RCEM phenotypes from the earliest perturbation in development to the latest: LBWC, POC, OEIS, VACTERL, OAVS, then MURCS. The RCEM group of conditions should be considered a spectrum that could be studied as a group.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aaron P Adam
- Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Cynthia J Curry
- Genetic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, Fresno, California, USA
| | - Judith G Hall
- Pediatrics and Medical Genetics, Children's and Women's Health Center of BC, UBC, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Medical Genetics, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Kim M Keppler-Noreuil
- Division of Genetics and Metabolism, Rare Disease Institute, Children's National, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Margaret P Adam
- Divison of Genetic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - William B Dobyns
- Division of Genetics and Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Volodarsky-Perel A, Nu TNT, Buckett W, Machado-Gedeon A, Cui Y, Shaul J, Dahan MH. Effect of newborn gender on placental histopathology and perinatal outcome in singleton live births following IVF. Reprod Biomed Online 2020; 41:907-916. [PMID: 32933849 DOI: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2020.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
RESEARCH QUESTION Does newborn gender affect placental histopathology pattern and perinatal outcome in singleton live births following IVF treatment? DESIGN Retrospective cohort study evaluating data of all live births from one academic tertiary hospital following IVF treatment during 2009-2017. All patients had placentas sent for pathological evaluation irrelevant of maternal and fetal complications status. Exclusion criteria were abnormal uterine cavity findings, previous uterine surgery, in-vitro maturation cycles, gestational carrier cycles, oocyte recipient cycles, preimplantation genetic diagnosis cycles and multiple pregnancies. The primary outcomes included anatomical, inflammation, vascular malperfusion and villous maturation placental features. The secondary outcomes included fetal, maternal, perinatal and delivery complications. A multivariate analysis was conducted to adjust the results for factors potentially associated with placental pathology features. RESULTS A total of 1057 live births were included in the final analysis and were allocated to the study groups according to fetal gender: males (n = 527) and females (n = 530). After adjustment for potential confounding factors, male gender was significantly associated with villous agglutination (odds ratio [OR] 9.8; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4-78.2), avascular villi (OR 4.1; 95% CI 1.3-12.6) and maternal vascular malperfusion (OR 1.8; 95% CI 1.2-2.7). Female gender was significantly associated with bilobed placenta (OR 0.2; 95% CI 0.06-0.8) and subchorionic thrombi (OR 0.5; 95% CI 0.3-0.9). The prevalence of adverse fetal, maternal and delivery outcomes was similar between the groups. CONCLUSIONS Newborn gender has a significant impact on the placental histopathology pattern, which can contribute to the development of adverse perinatal outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Volodarsky-Perel
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University, Montreal QC, Canada; Lady Davis Research Institute, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal QC, Canada; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, affiliated with the Sackler faculty of medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
| | - Tuyet Nhung Ton Nu
- Department of Pathology, Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University, Montreal QC, Canada
| | - William Buckett
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University, Montreal QC, Canada
| | - Alexandre Machado-Gedeon
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University, Montreal QC, Canada
| | - Yiming Cui
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University, Montreal QC, Canada
| | - Jonathan Shaul
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University, Montreal QC, Canada
| | - Michael H Dahan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University, Montreal QC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
The Effect of Twin Sex on Menstrual Characteristics. Medicina (B Aires) 2020; 56:medicina56040173. [PMID: 32290215 PMCID: PMC7230271 DOI: 10.3390/medicina56040173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and objectives: The purpose of this project is to evaluate the association between twin sex discordance and menstrual characteristics. We hypothesize that sharing the uterus with a male twin can change ovulation programming, hence changing the menstrual cycle characteristics during adulthood. This project could be novel in discovering new physiological mechanisms of hormone exposure and menstrual cycles. Materials and methods: This is a cross-sectional study. We asked females from sex-concordant (n = 1290) and sex-discordant (n = 168) twin pairs in the Washington State Twin Registry about characteristics of menstrual cycles. Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) analysis was used to compare groups. The main outcome measures included the amount of bleeding, duration of menstruation, the timing of menstruation, length of menstruation, and a number of periods per year. Results: We found a statistically significant association between the amount of menstrual period bleeding and twin sex discordance (0.42 (95% CI 0.18–0.94)). However, twin sex discordance was not associated with period duration, length of menstrual cycle, cycle regularity, or a number of periods per year. Conclusions: Twin sex discordance is not a predictor of clinical characteristics of menstruation during adulthood except for the amount of bleeding. Future studies should focus on the impact of male hormones on the amount of bleeding during menstruation.
Collapse
|
14
|
Elgin TG, Fricke EM, Gong H, Reese J, Mills DA, Kalantera KM, Underwood MA, McElroy SJ. Fetal exposure to maternal inflammation interrupts murine intestinal development and increases susceptibility to neonatal intestinal injury. Dis Model Mech 2019; 12:dmm.040808. [PMID: 31537532 PMCID: PMC6826024 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.040808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Fetal exposure to chorioamnionitis can impact the outcomes of the developing fetus both at the time of birth and in the subsequent neonatal period. Infants exposed to chorioamnionitis have a higher incidence of gastrointestinal (GI) pathology, including necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC); however, the mechanism remains undefined. To simulate the fetal exposure to maternal inflammation (FEMI) induced by chorioamnionitis, pregnant mice (C57BL/6J, IL-6 -/-, RAG -/- or TNFR1 -/-) were injected intraperitoneally on embryonic day (E)15.5 with lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 100 µg/kg body weight). Pups were delivered at term, and reared to postnatal day (P)0, P7, P14, P28 or P56. Serum and intestinal tissue samples were collected to quantify growth, inflammatory markers, histological intestinal injury, and goblet and Paneth cells. To determine whether FEMI increased subsequent susceptibility to intestinal injury, a secondary dose of LPS (100 µg/kg body weight) was given on P5, prior to tissue harvesting on P7. FEMI had no effect on growth of the offspring or their small intestine. FEMI significantly decreased both goblet and Paneth cell numbers while simultaneously increasing serum levels of IL-1β, IL-10, KC/GRO (CXCL1 and CXCL2), TNF and IL-6. These alterations were IL-6 dependent and, importantly, increased susceptibility to LPS-induced intestinal injury later in life. Our data show that FEMI impairs normal intestinal development by decreasing components of innate immunity and simultaneously increasing markers of inflammation. These changes increase susceptibility to intestinal injury later in life and provide novel mechanistic data to potentially explain why preterm infants exposed to chorioamnionitis prior to birth have a higher incidence of NEC and other GI disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Timothy G Elgin
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Erin M Fricke
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Huiyu Gong
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Jeffrey Reese
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - David A Mills
- Department of Food Science and Technology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Karen M Kalantera
- Department of Food Science and Technology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Mark A Underwood
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Steven J McElroy
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA .,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Lin D, Wu S, Fan D, Li P, Chen G, Ma H, Ye S, Rao J, Zhang H, Chen T, Zeng M, Liu Y, Guo X, Liu Z. The effect of placental location identified before delivery on birthweight discordance among diamniotic-dichorionic twin pregnancies: a three-year retrospective cohort study. Sci Rep 2019; 9:12099. [PMID: 31431662 PMCID: PMC6702179 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48667-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
This retrospective cohort study aimed to investigate the effect of placental location on birthweight discordance among diamniotic-dichorionic twin pregnancies. Medical records and sonographic reports of 978 diamniotic-dichorionic twin pregnancies delivered at Foshan Maternal and Fetal Health Hospital were reviewed. Pregnancies with congenital malformation, intrauterine death or placenta previa were excluded. The placental location for each twin was determined by last sonographic examination before delivery, and the pregnancies were grouped by different versus same placental location in each pregnancy. Maternal and fetal characteristics were summarized. The primary outcome of interest was birthweight discordance (BWD) ≥20%, and secondary outcomes included small for gestational age (SGA) as a binary outcome and mean value and absolute difference in birthweight as continuous outcomes. Student’s t test and the chi-square test were used for univariate analyses, while multivariate regressions were used to adjust for confounders. General estimated equation (GEE) models were used to address the correlation between fetuses when assessing SGA. A total of 866 eligible subjects were included in the analysis. In total, 460 pregnancies had placentas with different locations, and 406 had placentas with same locations. The gestational age at delivery was slightly younger in the same placental location group than in the different placental location group (35.8 ± 0.1 vs. 36.1 ± 0.1 weeks, P = 0.067). Other maternal and fetal characteristics were comparable between the two study groups. There was no significant difference in BWD ≥20% (aOR = 1.06; 95% CI: 0.71–1.59) or SGA (aOR = 1.32; 95% CI: 0.76–2.28) between the same and different placental location groups. Neither the mean value nor the absolute difference in birth weight was associated with placental location combination (P = 0.478 and P = 0.162, respectively). In conclusion, discordant birthweight is not affected by same location of diamniotic-dichorionic placentas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dongxin Lin
- Foshan Institute of Fetal Medicine, Southern Medical University Affiliated Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China.,Department of Obstetrics, Southern Medical University Affiliated Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China
| | - Shuzhen Wu
- Foshan Institute of Fetal Medicine, Southern Medical University Affiliated Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China.,Department of Obstetrics, Southern Medical University Affiliated Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China
| | - Dazhi Fan
- Foshan Institute of Fetal Medicine, Southern Medical University Affiliated Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China.,Department of Obstetrics, Southern Medical University Affiliated Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China
| | - Pengsheng Li
- Foshan Institute of Fetal Medicine, Southern Medical University Affiliated Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China.,Department of Obstetrics, Southern Medical University Affiliated Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China
| | - Gengdong Chen
- Foshan Institute of Fetal Medicine, Southern Medical University Affiliated Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China.,Department of Obstetrics, Southern Medical University Affiliated Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China
| | - Huiting Ma
- Foshan Institute of Fetal Medicine, Southern Medical University Affiliated Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China.,Department of Obstetrics, Southern Medical University Affiliated Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China
| | - Shaoxin Ye
- Foshan Institute of Fetal Medicine, Southern Medical University Affiliated Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China.,Department of Obstetrics, Southern Medical University Affiliated Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China
| | - Jiaming Rao
- Foshan Institute of Fetal Medicine, Southern Medical University Affiliated Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China.,Department of Obstetrics, Southern Medical University Affiliated Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China
| | - Huishan Zhang
- Foshan Institute of Fetal Medicine, Southern Medical University Affiliated Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China.,Department of Obstetrics, Southern Medical University Affiliated Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China
| | - Ting Chen
- Department of Obstetrics, Southern Medical University Affiliated Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China
| | - Meng Zeng
- Department of Obstetrics, Southern Medical University Affiliated Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China
| | - Yan Liu
- Department of Obstetrics, Southern Medical University Affiliated Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China
| | - Xiaoling Guo
- Foshan Institute of Fetal Medicine, Southern Medical University Affiliated Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China.,Department of Obstetrics, Southern Medical University Affiliated Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China
| | - Zhengping Liu
- Foshan Institute of Fetal Medicine, Southern Medical University Affiliated Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China. .,Department of Obstetrics, Southern Medical University Affiliated Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Sex-specific maternofetal innate immune responses triggered by group B Streptococci. Sci Rep 2019; 9:8587. [PMID: 31197179 PMCID: PMC6565749 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-45029-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is one of the most common bacteria isolated in human chorioamnionitis, which is a major risk factor for premature birth and brain injuries. Males are at greater risk than females for developing lifelong neurobehavioural disorders, although the origins of this sex bias remain poorly understood. We previously showed that end-gestational inflammation triggered by GBS led to early neurodevelopmental impairments mainly in the male rat progeny. Identifying key inflammatory players involved in maternofetal immune activation by specific pathogens is critical to develop appropriate novel therapeutic interventions. We aimed to map out the GBS-induced profile of innate immune biomarkers in the maternal-placental-fetal axis, and to compare this immune profile between male and female tissues. We describe here that the GBS-induced immune signalling involved significantly higher levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-1 (CINC-1/CXCL1) and polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) infiltration in male compared to female maternofetal tissues. Although male - but not female - fetuses presented increased levels of IL-1β, fetuses from both sexes in-utero exposed to GBS had increased levels of TNF-α in their circulation. Levels of IL-1β detected in fetal sera correlated positively with the levels found in maternal circulation. Here, we report for the first time that the maternofetal innate immune signalling induced by GBS presents a sexually dichotomous profile, with more prominent inflammation in males than females. These sex-specific placental and fetal pro-inflammatory responses are in keeping with the higher susceptibility of the male population for preterm birth, brain injuries and neurodevelopmental disorders such as cerebral palsy and autism spectrum disorders.
Collapse
|
17
|
Zhang Q, Hao J, Li G. Deletion of Prl7d1 causes placental defects at mid-pregnancy in mice. Mol Reprod Dev 2019; 86:696-713. [PMID: 31012985 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2018] [Revised: 03/16/2019] [Accepted: 03/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Prolactin family 7, subfamily d, member 1 (Prl7d1), a member of the expanding prolactin family, is mainly expressed in the placental junctional zone (including trophoblast giant cells and spongiotrophoblast cells) with peak expression observed at 12 days postcoitum (dpc) in mice. Previous studies have shown that PRL7D1 is a key mediator of angiogenesis in vitro; however, its physiological roles in placental development in vivo have not been characterized. To address this issue, we deleted Prl7d1 in mice and demonstrated that its absence results in reduced litter size and fertility. Histologically, Prl7d1 mutants exhibited striking placental abnormalities at 12.5 dpc, including a reduction in the proportion of labyrinth layers and a significant increase in decidual natural killer cells, glycogen trophoblasts, and trophoblast giant cells in the junctional zone. Moreover, placentas from Prl7d1-null mice displayed a thickened decidual spiral artery. Notably, these negative effects were more pronounced in male fetuses. Further RNA-sequencing analysis showed that Prl7d1 deletion results in significant differences in the placental transcriptome profile between the two sexes of fetuses. Together, this study demonstrates that Prl7d1 possesses antiangiogenic properties in deciduas and inhibits the development of junctional zone, which potentially alters the functional capacity of the placenta to support optimal fetal growth. Moreover, of note, the role of Prl7d1 in the placenta is regulated in a fetal sex-specific manner.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Zhang
- Institute of Life Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jie Hao
- Experimental Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Gang Li
- Institute of Life Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Zazara DE, Arck PC. Developmental origin and sex-specific risk for infections and immune diseases later in life. Semin Immunopathol 2018; 41:137-151. [DOI: 10.1007/s00281-018-0713-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
|