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Shah RG, Salafia CM, Girardi T, Rukat C, Brunner J, Barrett ES, O'Connor TG, Misra DP, Miller RK. Maternal affective symptoms and sleep quality have sex-specific associations with placental topography. J Affect Disord 2024; 360:62-70. [PMID: 38806063 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.05.108] [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: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The impacts of prenatal maternal affective symptoms on the placental structure are not well-established. Employing Geographic Information System (GIS) spatial autocorrelation, Moran's I, can help characterize placental thickness uniformity/variability and evaluate the impacts of maternal distress on placental topography. METHODS This study (N = 126) utilized cohort data on prenatal maternal affective symptoms and placental 2D and 3D morphology. Prenatal maternal depression, stress, anxiety and sleep quality were scored for each trimester using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), Stressful Life Event Scale (SLE), Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), respectively. Placental shape was divided into Voronoi cells and thickness variability among these cells was computed using Moran's I for 4-nearest neighbors and neighbors within a 10 cm radius. Sex-stratified Spearman correlations and linear regression were used to study associations between mean placental thickness, placental GIS variables, placental weight and the average score of each maternal variable. RESULTS For mothers carrying boys, poor sleep was associated with higher mean thickness (r = 0.308,p = 0.035) and lower placental thickness uniformity (r = -0.36,p = 0.012). Lower placental weight (r = 0.395,p = 0.003), higher maternal depression (r = -0.318,p = 0.019) and worry/anxiety (r = -0.362,p = 0.007) were associated with lower placental thickness uniformity for mothers carrying girls. LIMITATIONS The study is exploratory and not all GIS models were developed. Excluding high-risk pregnancies prevented investigating pregnancy complications related hypotheses. A larger sample size is needed for greater confidence for clinical application. CONCLUSIONS Placental topography can be studied using GIS theory and has shown that prenatal maternal affective symptoms and sleep have sex-specific associations with placental thickness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruchit G Shah
- Placental Analytics, LLC, New Rochelle, USA and New York State Institute for Basic Research, Staten Island, USA.
| | - Carolyn M Salafia
- Placental Analytics, LLC, New Rochelle, USA and New York State Institute for Basic Research, Staten Island, USA
| | - Theresa Girardi
- Placental Analytics, LLC, New Rochelle, USA and New York State Institute for Basic Research, Staten Island, USA
| | - Cate Rukat
- Placental Analytics, LLC, New Rochelle, USA and New York State Institute for Basic Research, Staten Island, USA
| | - Jessica Brunner
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, USA
| | - Emily S Barrett
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health; Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Piscataway, USA
| | - Thomas G O'Connor
- Departments of Psychiatry, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Pediatrics, University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, USA
| | - Dawn P Misra
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, MI, USA
| | - Richard K Miller
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Environmental Medicine, Pathology, and Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, USA
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Siwakoti RC, Park S, Ferguson KK, Hao W, Cantonwine DE, Mukherjee B, McElrath TF, Meeker JD. Prenatal per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and maternal oxidative stress: Evidence from the LIFECODES study. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 360:142363. [PMID: 38768789 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes. Although their underlying biological mechanisms are not fully understood, evidence suggests PFAS may disrupt endocrine functions and contribute to oxidative stress (OS) and inflammation. OBJECTIVE We examined associations between early pregnancy PFAS exposure and OS biomarkers, exploring potential effect modifications by fetal sex and maternal race. METHODS We used data from 469 LIFECODES participants with measured plasma PFAS (median 10 weeks gestation) and repeated measures (median 10, 18, 26, and 35 weeks gestation) of urinary OS biomarkers [8-iso-prostaglandin-F2α (8-isoprostane) and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG)]. Protein damage biomarkers (chlorotyrosine, dityrosine, and nitrotyrosine) were additionally measured in plasma from a subset (N = 167) during the third visit. Associations between each PFAS and OS biomarkers were examined using linear mixed-effects models and multivariable linear regressions, adjusting for potential confounders, including maternal age, race, education level, pre-pregnancy BMI, insurance status, and parity. Effect modifications were evaluated by including an interaction term between each PFAS and fetal sex or maternal race in the models. RESULTS We observed significant positive associations between PFOS and 8-isoprostane, with a 9.68% increase in 8-isoprostane levels (95% CI: 0.10%, 20.18%) per interquartile range increase in PFOS. In contrast, PFUA was negatively associated [9.32% (95% CI: -17.68%, -0.11%)], while there were suggestive positive associations for MPAH and PFOA with 8-isoprostane. The associations of several PFAS with 8-OHdG varied by fetal sex, showing generally positive trends in women who delivered females, but negative or null in those who delivered males. No significant effect modification by maternal race was observed. CONCLUSIONS This study provides evidence linking PFAS exposure to OS during pregnancy, with potential sex-specific effects of certain PFAS on 8-OHdG. Further research should explore additional OS/inflammatory biomarkers and assess the modifying effects of dietary and behavioral patterns across diverse populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ram C Siwakoti
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Seonyoung Park
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Kelly K Ferguson
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Wei Hao
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - David E Cantonwine
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bhramar Mukherjee
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Thomas F McElrath
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John D Meeker
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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Louwen F, Kreis NN, Ritter A, Yuan J. Maternal obesity and placental function: impaired maternal-fetal axis. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2024; 309:2279-2288. [PMID: 38494514 PMCID: PMC11147848 DOI: 10.1007/s00404-024-07462-w] [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] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
The prevalence of maternal obesity rapidly increases, which represents a major public health concern worldwide. Maternal obesity is characteristic by metabolic dysfunction and chronic inflammation. It is associated with health problems in both mother and offspring. Increasing evidence indicates that the placenta is an axis connecting maternal obesity with poor outcomes in the offspring. In this brief review, we have summarized the current data regarding deregulated placental function in maternal obesity. The data show that maternal obesity induces numerous placental defects, including lipid and glucose metabolism, stress response, inflammation, immune regulation and epigenetics. These placental defects affect each other and result in a stressful intrauterine environment, which transduces and mediates the adverse effects of maternal obesity to the fetus. Further investigations are required to explore the exact molecular alterations in the placenta in maternal obesity, which may pave the way to develop specific interventions for preventing epigenetic and metabolic programming in the fetus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Louwen
- Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Frankfurt, J. W. Goethe-University, Theodor Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Nina-Naomi Kreis
- Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Frankfurt, J. W. Goethe-University, Theodor Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Andreas Ritter
- Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Frankfurt, J. W. Goethe-University, Theodor Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Juping Yuan
- Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Frankfurt, J. W. Goethe-University, Theodor Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany.
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4
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Gaynor JW, Moldenhauer JS, Zullo EE, Burnham NB, Gerdes M, Bernbaum JC, D’Agostino JA, Linn RL, Klepczynski B, Randazzo I, Gionet G, Choi GH, Karaj A, Russell WW, Zackai EH, Johnson MP, Gebb JS, Soni S, DeBari SE, Szwast AL, Ahrens-Nicklas RC, Drivas TG, Jacobwitz M, Licht DJ, Vossough A, Nicolson SC, Spray TL, Rychik J, Putt ME. Progesterone for Neurodevelopment in Fetuses With Congenital Heart Defects: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open 2024; 7:e2412291. [PMID: 38805228 PMCID: PMC11134212 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.12291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Importance Neurodevelopmental outcomes for children with congenital heart defects (CHD) have improved minimally over the past 20 years. Objectives To assess the feasibility and tolerability of maternal progesterone therapy as well as the magnitude of the effect on neurodevelopment for fetuses with CHD. Design, Setting, and Participants This double-blinded individually randomized parallel-group clinical trial of vaginal natural progesterone therapy vs placebo in participants carrying fetuses with CHD was conducted between July 2014 and November 2021 at a quaternary care children's hospital. Participants included maternal-fetal dyads where the fetus had CHD identified before 28 weeks' gestational age and was likely to need surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass in the neonatal period. Exclusion criteria included a major genetic or extracardiac anomaly other than 22q11 deletion syndrome and known contraindication to progesterone. Statistical analysis was performed June 2022 to April 2024. Intervention Participants were 1:1 block-randomized to vaginal progesterone or placebo by diagnosis: hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), transposition of the great arteries (TGA), and other CHD diagnoses. Treatment was administered twice daily between 28 and up to 39 weeks' gestational age. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was the motor score of the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-III; secondary outcomes included language and cognitive scales. Exploratory prespecified subgroups included cardiac diagnosis, fetal sex, genetic profile, and maternal fetal environment. Results The 102 enrolled fetuses primarily had HLHS (n = 52 [50.9%]) and TGA (n = 38 [37.3%]), were more frequently male (n = 67 [65.7%]), and without genetic anomalies (n = 61 [59.8%]). The mean motor score differed by 2.5 units (90% CI, -1.9 to 6.9 units; P = .34) for progesterone compared with placebo, a value not statistically different from 0. Exploratory subgroup analyses suggested treatment heterogeneity for the motor score for cardiac diagnosis (P for interaction = .03) and fetal sex (P for interaction = .04), but not genetic profile (P for interaction = .16) or maternal-fetal environment (P for interaction = .70). Conclusions and Relevance In this randomized clinical trial of maternal progesterone therapy, the overall effect was not statistically different from 0. Subgroup analyses suggest heterogeneity of the response to progesterone among CHD diagnosis and fetal sex. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02133573.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. William Gaynor
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Julie S. Moldenhauer
- Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Erin E. Zullo
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Nancy B. Burnham
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Marsha Gerdes
- Department of Psychology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Judy C. Bernbaum
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Jo Ann D’Agostino
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Rebecca L. Linn
- Division of Anatomic Pathology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Brenna Klepczynski
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Isabel Randazzo
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Gabrielle Gionet
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Grace H. Choi
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Antoneta Karaj
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - William W. Russell
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Elaine H. Zackai
- Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Mark P. Johnson
- Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Juliana S. Gebb
- Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Shelly Soni
- Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Suzanne E. DeBari
- Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Anita L. Szwast
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Rebecca C. Ahrens-Nicklas
- Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Theodore G. Drivas
- Division of Translational Medicine and Human Genetics, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Marin Jacobwitz
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Daniel J. Licht
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Arastoo Vossough
- Division of Radiology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Susan C. Nicolson
- Division of Cardiac Anesthesia, Department of Anesthesia and Critical Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Thomas L. Spray
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Jack Rychik
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Mary E. Putt
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
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Seifar F, Fox EJ, Shantaraman A, Liu Y, Dammer EB, Modeste E, Duong DM, Yin L, Trautwig AN, Guo Q, Xu K, Ping L, Reddy JS, Allen M, Quicksall Z, Heath L, Scanlan J, Wang E, Wang M, Linden AV, Poehlman W, Chen X, Baheti S, Ho C, Nguyen T, Yepez G, Mitchell AO, Oatman SR, Wang X, Carrasquillo MM, Runnels A, Beach T, Serrano GE, Dickson DW, Lee EB, Golde TE, Prokop S, Barnes LL, Zhang B, Haroutunian V, Gearing M, Lah JJ, Jager PD, Bennett DA, Greenwood A, Ertekin-Taner N, Levey AI, Wingo A, Wingo T, Seyfried NT. Large-scale Deep Proteomic Analysis in Alzheimer's Disease Brain Regions Across Race and Ethnicity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.22.590547. [PMID: 38712030 PMCID: PMC11071432 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.22.590547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Introduction Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease, yet our comprehension predominantly relies on studies within the non-Hispanic White (NHW) population. Here we aimed to provide comprehensive insights into the proteomic landscape of AD across diverse racial and ethnic groups. Methods Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and superior temporal gyrus (STG) brain tissues were donated from multiple centers (Mayo Clinic, Emory University, Rush University, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine) and were harmonized through neuropathological evaluation, specifically adhering to the Braak staging and CERAD criteria. Among 1105 DLPFC tissue samples (998 unique individuals), 333 were from African American donors, 223 from Latino Americans, 529 from NHW donors, and the rest were from a mixed or unknown racial background. Among 280 STG tissue samples (244 unique individuals), 86 were African American, 76 Latino American, 116 NHW and the rest were mixed or unknown ethnicity. All tissues were uniformly homogenized and analyzed by tandem mass tag mass spectrometry (TMT-MS). Results As a Quality control (QC) measure, proteins with more than 50% missing values were removed and iterative principal component analysis was conducted to remove outliers within brain regions. After QC, 9,180 and 9,734 proteins remained in the DLPC and STG proteome, respectively, of which approximately 9,000 proteins were shared between regions. Protein levels of microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) and amyloid-precursor protein (APP) demonstrated AD-related elevations in DLPFC tissues with a strong association with CERAD and Braak across racial groups. APOE4 protein levels in brain were highly concordant with APOE genotype of the individuals. Discussion This comprehensive region resolved large-scale proteomic dataset provides a resource for the understanding of ethnoracial-specific protein differences in AD brain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Edward J Fox
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA
| | | | - Yue Liu
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Eric B Dammer
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Erica Modeste
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Duc M Duong
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Luming Yin
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA
| | | | - Qi Guo
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Kaiming Xu
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Lingyan Ping
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Joseph S Reddy
- Mayo Clinic Florida, Department of Neuroscience, Jacksonville, FL USA
| | - Mariet Allen
- Mayo Clinic Florida, Department of Neuroscience, Jacksonville, FL USA
| | - Zachary Quicksall
- Mayo Clinic Florida, Department of Neuroscience, Jacksonville, FL USA
| | | | | | - Erming Wang
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA
- Mount Sinai Center for Transformative Disease Modeling, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA
| | - Minghui Wang
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA
- Mount Sinai Center for Transformative Disease Modeling, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA
| | | | | | - Xianfeng Chen
- Mayo Clinic Florida, Department of Neuroscience, Jacksonville, FL USA
| | - Saurabh Baheti
- Mayo Clinic Florida, Department of Neuroscience, Jacksonville, FL USA
| | - Charlotte Ho
- Mayo Clinic Florida, Department of Neuroscience, Jacksonville, FL USA
| | - Thuy Nguyen
- Mayo Clinic Florida, Department of Neuroscience, Jacksonville, FL USA
| | - Geovanna Yepez
- Mayo Clinic Florida, Department of Neuroscience, Jacksonville, FL USA
| | | | | | - Xue Wang
- Mayo Clinic Florida, Department of Neuroscience, Jacksonville, FL USA
| | | | | | - Thomas Beach
- Banner Sun Health Research Institute, Sun City, AR USA
| | | | - Dennis W Dickson
- Mayo Clinic Florida, Department of Neuroscience, Jacksonville, FL USA
| | - Edward B Lee
- Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelpha, PA, USA
| | - Todd E Golde
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA
| | | | - Lisa L Barnes
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL USA
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA
- Mount Sinai Center for Transformative Disease Modeling, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA
| | - Varham Haroutunian
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA
| | - Marla Gearing
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - James J Lah
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA
| | | | - David A Bennett
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL USA
| | | | - Nilüfer Ertekin-Taner
- Mayo Clinic Florida, Department of Neuroscience, Jacksonville, FL USA
- Mayo Clinic Florida, Department of Neurology, Jacksonville, FL USA
| | - Allan I Levey
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Aliza Wingo
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Thomas Wingo
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA
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Ren ZR, Luo SS, Qin XY, Huang HF, Ding GL. Sex-Specific Alterations in Placental Proteomics Induced by Intrauterine Hyperglycemia. J Proteome Res 2024; 23:1272-1284. [PMID: 38470452 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.3c00735] [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: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) with intrauterine hyperglycemia induces a series of changes in the placenta, which have adverse effects on both the mother and the fetus. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in the placenta in GDM and its gender differences. In this study, we established an intrauterine hyperglycemia model using ICR mice. We collected placental specimens from mice before birth for histological observation, along with tandem mass tag (TMT)-labeled proteomic analysis, which was stratified by sex. When the analysis was not segregated by sex, the GDM group showed 208 upregulated and 225 downregulated proteins in the placenta, primarily within the extracellular matrix and mitochondria. Altered biological processes included cholesterol metabolism and oxidative stress responses. After stratification by sex, the male subgroup showed a heightened tendency for immune-related pathway alterations, whereas the female subgroup manifested changes in branched-chain amino acid metabolism. Our study suggests that the observed sex differences in placental protein expression may explain the differential impact of GDM on offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuo-Ran Ren
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Development, Shanghai 200032, China
- Research Units of Embryo Original Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Si-Si Luo
- Research Units of Embryo Original Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
- Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Shanghai 201204, China
| | - Xue-Yun Qin
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Development, Shanghai 200032, China
- Research Units of Embryo Original Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - He-Feng Huang
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Development, Shanghai 200032, China
- Research Units of Embryo Original Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics (Ministry of Education), Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Guo-Lian Ding
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Development, Shanghai 200032, China
- Research Units of Embryo Original Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
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7
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Chowdhury SF, Prout N, Rivera-Núñez Z, Barrett E, Brunner J, Duberstein Z, Kannan K, Salafia CM, Shah R, Miller RK, O'Connor TG. PFAS alters placental arterial vasculature in term human placentae: A prospective pregnancy cohort study. Placenta 2024; 149:54-63. [PMID: 38518389 PMCID: PMC10997442 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2024.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals used in industrial and consumer goods that are widely detected in human populations and are associated with adverse health outcomes, including perinatal health risks and child health. One mechanism of influence may be the impact of PFAS exposure on placental structure and function. OBJECTIVES The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between maternal prenatal exposure to PFAS and measures of placental vascularization, and to assess whether changes in vascularization play a role in mediating the impact of PFAS on birth outcomes. METHODS Using data from a prospective cohort study, we examined associations between second trimester PFAS (individually and as mixtures using Bayesian kernel machine regression) and placental arterial vasculature in term placentae (N = 158); secondarily we evaluated the degree to which alterations in placental arterial vasculature explained associations between PFAS exposure and birth outcomes. Placental arterial vasculature features were collected from arterial tracings of each placental image. RESULTS In both linear regression and mixture models, natural log-transformed perfluorooctanoic acid concentrations were negatively associated with surface vasculature, indexed by the mean distance from arterial end point to perimeter (β = -0.23, 95% CI: -0.41, -0.041); additionally, maximum arterial tortuosity was negatively associated with placental weight (β = -0.19, 95% CI: -0.34, -0.051). There were no reliable differences in effect by fetal sex. DISCUSSION The findings provide some of the first evidence of PFAS exposure shaping a key measure of placental vascular function, which may underlie the impact of PFAS on perinatal and child health risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadia Firoza Chowdhury
- Wynne Center for Family Research, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Avenue., Rochester, NY, 14642, USA; Translational Biomedical Sciences Program, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Avenue., Rochester, NY, 14642, USA.
| | - Nashae Prout
- Wynne Center for Family Research, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Avenue., Rochester, NY, 14642, USA; Toxicology Graduate Program, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Avenue., Rochester, NY, 14642, USA.
| | - Zorimar Rivera-Núñez
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, 683 Hoes Lane West, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA; Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers University, 170 Frelinghuysen Rd., Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA.
| | - Emily Barrett
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, 683 Hoes Lane West, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA; Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers University, 170 Frelinghuysen Rd., Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, USA.
| | - Jessica Brunner
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, USA.
| | - Zoe Duberstein
- Wynne Center for Family Research, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Avenue., Rochester, NY, 14642, USA; Psychology, University of Rochester, Meliora Hall, P.O. Box 270266, Rochester, NY, 14627, USA.
| | - Kurunthachalam Kannan
- Department of Pediatrics and Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 550 1st Ave., New York, NY, 10016, USA.
| | - Carolyn M Salafia
- Placental Analytics LLC, 187 Overlook Circle, New Rochelle, NY, 10804, USA; Institute for Basic Research, 1550 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA; New York Presbyterian- Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, 550 6th Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11215, USA; Queens Hospital Center, 82-68 164th Street, Queens, New York, 11432, USA.
| | - Ruchit Shah
- Placental Analytics LLC, 187 Overlook Circle, New Rochelle, NY, 10804, USA.
| | - Richard K Miller
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, USA.
| | - Thomas G O'Connor
- Wynne Center for Family Research, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Avenue., Rochester, NY, 14642, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, USA; Psychology, University of Rochester, Meliora Hall, P.O. Box 270266, Rochester, NY, 14627, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester, 300 Crittenden Blvd., Rochester, NY, 14642, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Avenue., Rochester, NY, 14642, USA.
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8
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Hercus JC, Metcalfe KX, Christians JK. Sex differences in growth and mortality in pregnancy-associated hypertension. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0296853. [PMID: 38206980 PMCID: PMC10783718 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is hypothesized that male fetuses prioritize growth, resulting in increased mortality, whereas females reduce growth in the presence of adversity. Preeclampsia reflects a chronic condition, in which fetuses have the opportunity to adjust growth. If females reduce their growth in response to preeclampsia, but males attempt to maintain growth at the cost of survival, we predict that differences in birthweight between preeclamptic and non-preeclamptic pregnancies will be greater among females, whereas differences in mortality will be greater among males. METHODS We analysed data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We compared pregnancies with pregnancy-associated hypertension (PAH) and controls. RESULTS The difference in birthweight between pregnancies affected by PAH and controls varied by fetal sex and gestational age. Among pregnancies of White individuals, at 34-35 weeks, the difference between PAH and controls was higher among females, as predicted. However, this pattern was reversed earlier in pregnancy and around term. Such variation was not significant in Black pregnancies. In both Black and White pregnancies, early in gestation, males had lower odds of death in PAH pregnancies, but higher odds of death in control pregnancies, counter to our prediction. Later, males had higher odds of death in PAH and controls, although the increased odds of death in males was not higher in PAH pregnancies than in controls. Overall, the difference in birthweight between surviving and non-surviving infants was greater in males than in females, opposite to our prediction. CONCLUSIONS The impact of PAH on birthweight and survival varies widely throughout gestation. Differences in birthweight and survival between male and female PAH and controls are generally not consistent with the hypothesis that males prioritize fetal growth more than females, and that this is a cause of increased mortality in males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jess C. Hercus
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Katherine X. Metcalfe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Julian K. Christians
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, 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, British Columbia, Canada
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9
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Legault LM, Breton-Larrivée M, Langford-Avelar A, Lemieux A, McGraw S. Sex-based disparities in DNA methylation and gene expression in late-gestation mouse placentas. Biol Sex Differ 2024; 15:2. [PMID: 38183126 PMCID: PMC10770955 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-023-00577-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The placenta is vital for fetal development and its contributions to various developmental issues, such as pregnancy complications, fetal growth restriction, and maternal exposure, have been extensively studied in mice. The placenta forms mainly from fetal tissue and therefore has the same biological sex as the fetus it supports. Extensive research has delved into the placenta's involvement in pregnancy complications and future offspring development, with a notable emphasis on exploring sex-specific disparities. However, despite these investigations, sex-based disparities in epigenetic (e.g., DNA methylation) and transcriptomic features of the late-gestation mouse placenta remain largely unknown. METHODS We collected male and female mouse placentas at late gestation (E18.5, n = 3/sex) and performed next-generation sequencing to identify genome-wide sex differences in transcription and DNA methylation. RESULTS Our comparison between male and female revealed 358 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) on autosomes, which were associated with signaling pathways involved in transmembrane transport and the responses to viruses and external stimuli. X chromosome DEGs (n = 39) were associated with different pathways, including those regulating chromatin modification and small GTPase-mediated signal transduction. Differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were more common on the X chromosomes (n = 3756) than on autosomes (n = 1705). Interestingly, while most X chromosome DMRs had higher DNA methylation levels in female placentas and tended to be included in CpG dinucleotide-rich regions, 73% of autosomal DMRs had higher methylation levels in male placentas and were distant from CpG-rich regions. Several DEGs were correlated with DMRs. A subset of the DMRs present in late-stage placentas were already established in mid-gestation (E10.5) placentas (n = 348 DMRs on X chromosome and 19 DMRs on autosomes), while others were acquired later in placental development. CONCLUSION Our study provides comprehensive lists of DEGs and DMRs between male and female that collectively cause profound differences in the DNA methylation and gene expression profiles of late-gestation mouse placentas. Our results demonstrate the importance of incorporating sex-specific analyses into epigenetic and transcription studies to enhance the accuracy and comprehensiveness of their conclusions and help address the significant knowledge gap regarding how sex differences influence placental function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa-Marie Legault
- CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, 3175 Chemin de La Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 Boulevard Edouard‑Montpetit, Montréal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Mélanie Breton-Larrivée
- CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, 3175 Chemin de La Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 Boulevard Edouard‑Montpetit, Montréal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Alexandra Langford-Avelar
- CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, 3175 Chemin de La Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 Boulevard Edouard‑Montpetit, Montréal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Anthony Lemieux
- CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, 3175 Chemin de La Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Serge McGraw
- CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, 3175 Chemin de La Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada.
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 Boulevard Edouard‑Montpetit, Montréal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Université de Montréal, 2900 Boulevard Edouard‑Montpetit, Montréal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada.
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10
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Christians JK, Reue K. The role of gonadal hormones and sex chromosomes in sex-dependent effects of early nutrition on metabolic health. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1304050. [PMID: 38189044 PMCID: PMC10770830 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1304050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Early-life conditions such as prenatal nutrition can have long-term effects on metabolic health, and these effects may differ between males and females. Understanding the biological mechanisms underlying sex differences in the response to early-life environment will improve interventions, but few such mechanisms have been identified, and there is no overall framework for understanding sex differences. Biological sex differences may be due to chromosomal sex, gonadal sex, or interactions between the two. This review describes approaches to distinguish between the roles of chromosomal and gonadal sex, and summarizes findings regarding sex differences in metabolism. The Four Core Genotypes (FCG) mouse model allows dissociation of the sex chromosome genotype from gonadal type, whereas the XY* mouse model can be used to distinguish effects of X chromosome dosage vs the presence of the Y chromosome. Gonadectomy can be used to distinguish between organizational (permanent) and activational (reversible) effects of sex hormones. Baseline sex differences in a variety of metabolic traits are influenced by both activational and organizational effects of gonadal hormones, as well as sex chromosome complement. Thus far, these approaches have not been widely applied to examine sex-dependent effects of prenatal conditions, although a number of studies have found activational effects of estradiol to be protective against the development of hypertension following early-life adversity. Genes that escape X chromosome inactivation (XCI), such as Kdm5c, contribute to baseline sex-differences in metabolism, while Ogt, another XCI escapee, leads to sex-dependent responses to prenatal maternal stress. Genome-wide approaches to the study of sex differences include mapping genetic loci influencing metabolic traits in a sex-dependent manner. Seeking enrichment for binding sites of hormone receptors among genes showing sexually-dimorphic expression can elucidate the relative roles of hormones. Using the approaches described herein to identify mechanisms underlying sex-dependent effects of early nutrition on metabolic health may enable the identification of fundamental mechanisms and potential interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian K. Christians
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, 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
| | - Karen Reue
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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11
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Vinnars MT, Bixo M, Damdimopoulou P. Pregnancy-related maternal physiological adaptations and fetal chemical exposure. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2023; 578:112064. [PMID: 37683908 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2023.112064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal life represents a susceptible window of development during which chemical exposures can permanently alter fetal development, leading to an increased likelihood of disease later in life. Therefore, it is essential to assess exposure in the fetus. However, direct assessment in human fetuses is challenging, so most research measures maternal exposure. Pregnancy induces a range of significant physiological changes in women that may affect chemical metabolism and responses. Moreover, placental function, fetal sex, and pregnancy complications may further modify these exposures. The purpose of this narrative review is to give an overview of major pregnancy-related physiological changes, including placental function and impacts of pregnancy complications, to summarize existing studies assessing chemical exposure in human fetal organs, and to discuss possible interactions between physiological changes and exposures. Our review reveals major knowledge gaps in factors affecting fetal chemical exposure, highlighting the need to develop more sophisticated tools for chemical health risk assessment in fetuses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Therese Vinnars
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Marie Bixo
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Pauliina Damdimopoulou
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden.
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12
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Jo S, Alejandro EU. RISING STARS: Mechanistic insights into maternal-fetal cross talk and islet beta-cell development. J Endocrinol 2023; 259:e230069. [PMID: 37855321 PMCID: PMC10692651 DOI: 10.1530/joe-23-0069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
The metabolic health trajectory of an individual is shaped as early as prepregnancy, during pregnancy, and lactation period. Both maternal nutrition and metabolic health status are critical factors in the programming of offspring toward an increased propensity to developing type 2 diabetes in adulthood. Pancreatic beta-cells, part of the endocrine islets, which are nutrient-sensitive tissues important for glucose metabolism, are primed early in life (the first 1000 days in humans) with limited plasticity later in life. This suggests the high importance of the developmental window of programming in utero and early in life. This review will focus on how changes to the maternal milieu increase offspring's susceptibility to diabetes through changes in pancreatic beta-cell mass and function and discuss potential mechanisms by which placental-driven nutrient availability, hormones, exosomes, and immune alterations that may impact beta-cell development in utero, thereby affecting susceptibility to type 2 diabetes in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seokwon Jo
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Emilyn U Alejandro
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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13
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Saddiki H, Zhang X, Colicino E, Wilson A, Kloog I, Wright RO, Wright RJ, Lesseur C. DNA methylation profiles reveal sex-specific associations between gestational exposure to ambient air pollution and placenta cell-type composition in the PRISM cohort study. Clin Epigenetics 2023; 15:188. [PMID: 38041176 PMCID: PMC10693032 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-023-01601-x] [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: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gestational exposure to ambient air pollution has been associated with adverse health outcomes for mothers and newborns. The placenta is a central regulator of the in utero environment that orchestrates development and postnatal life via fetal programming. Ambient air pollution contaminants can reach the placenta and have been shown to alter bulk placental tissue DNA methylation patterns. Yet the effect of air pollution on placental cell-type composition has not been examined. We aimed to investigate whether the exposure to ambient air pollution during gestation is associated with placental cell types inferred from DNA methylation profiles. METHODS We leveraged data from 226 mother-infant pairs in the Programming of Intergenerational Stress Mechanisms (PRISM) longitudinal cohort in the Northeastern US. Daily concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) at 1 km spatial resolution were estimated from a spatiotemporal model developed with satellite data and linked to womens' addresses during pregnancy and infants' date of birth. The proportions of six cell types [syncytiotrophoblasts, trophoblasts, stromal, endothelial, Hofbauer and nucleated red blood cells (nRBCs)] were derived from placental tissue 450K DNA methylation array. We applied compositional regression to examine overall changes in placenta cell-type composition related to PM2.5 average by pregnancy trimester. We also investigated the association between PM2.5 and individual cell types using beta regression. All analyses were performed in the overall sample and stratified by infant sex adjusted for covariates. RESULTS In male infants, first trimester (T1) PM2.5 was associated with changes in placental cell composition (p = 0.03), driven by a decrease [per one PM2.5 interquartile range (IQR)] of 0.037 in the syncytiotrophoblasts proportion (95% confidence interval (CI) [- 0.066, - 0.012]), accompanied by an increase in trophoblasts of 0.033 (95% CI: [0.009, 0.064]). In females, second and third trimester PM2.5 were associated with overall changes in placental cell-type composition (T2: p = 0.040; T3: p = 0.049), with a decrease in the nRBC proportion. Individual cell-type analysis with beta regression showed similar results with an additional association found for third trimester PM2.5 and stromal cells in females (decrease of 0.054, p = 0.024). CONCLUSION Gestational exposure to air pollution was associated with placenta cell composition. Further research is needed to corroborate these findings and evaluate their role in PM2.5-related impact in the placenta and consequent fetal programming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hachem Saddiki
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Xueying Zhang
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, The Kravis Children's Hospital, New York, NY, USA
- Institute of Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Elena Colicino
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Institute of Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ander Wilson
- Department of Statistics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Itai Kloog
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Geography and Environmental Development, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel
| | - Robert O Wright
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Institute of Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rosalind J Wright
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, The Kravis Children's Hospital, New York, NY, USA
- Institute of Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Corina Lesseur
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
- Institute of Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
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14
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Ruebel ML, Borengasser SJ, Zhong Y, Kang P, Faske J, Shankar K. Maternal Exercise Prior to and during Gestation Induces Sex-Specific Alterations in the Mouse Placenta. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16441. [PMID: 38003633 PMCID: PMC10671464 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216441] [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: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
While exercise (EX) during pregnancy is beneficial for both mother and child, little is known about the mechanisms by which maternal exercise mediates changes in utero. Six-week-old female C57BL/6 mice were divided into two groups: with (exercise, EX; N = 7) or without (sedentary, SED; N = 8) access to voluntary running wheels. EX was provided via 24 h access to wheels for 10 weeks prior to conception until late pregnancy (18.5 days post coitum). Sex-stratified placentas and fetal livers were collected. Microarray analysis of SED and EX placentas revealed that EX affected gene transcript expression of 283 and 661 transcripts in male and female placentas, respectively (±1.4-fold, p < 0.05). Gene Set Enrichment and Ingenuity Pathway Analyses of male placentas showed that EX led to inhibition of signaling pathways, biological functions, and down-regulation of transcripts related to lipid and steroid metabolism, while EX in female placentas led to activation of pathways, biological functions, and gene expression related to muscle growth, brain, vascular development, and growth factors. Overall, our results suggest that the effects of maternal EX on the placenta and presumably on the offspring are sexually dimorphic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan L. Ruebel
- Microbiome and Metabolism Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Southeast Area, Little Rock, AR 72202, USA;
- Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72202, USA; (Y.Z.); (J.F.)
| | - Sarah J. Borengasser
- Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust Health Promotion Research Center, Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA;
- Harold Hamm Diabetes Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
- Department of Pediatrics—Endocrinology & Diabetes, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Ying Zhong
- Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72202, USA; (Y.Z.); (J.F.)
| | - Ping Kang
- Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72202, USA; (Y.Z.); (J.F.)
| | - Jennifer Faske
- Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72202, USA; (Y.Z.); (J.F.)
- Division of Genetic and Molecular Toxicology, National Center for Toxicological Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR 72079, USA
| | - Kartik Shankar
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Nutrition, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
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15
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Bake S, Rouzer SK, Mavuri S, Miranda RC, Mahnke AH. The interaction of genetic sex and prenatal alcohol exposure on health across the lifespan. Front Neuroendocrinol 2023; 71:101103. [PMID: 37802472 PMCID: PMC10922031 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2023.101103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can reprogram the development of cells and tissues, resulting in a spectrum of physical and neurobehavioral teratology. PAE immediately impacts fetal growth, but its effects carry forward post-parturition, into adolescence and adulthood, and can result in a cluster of disabilities, collectively termed Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Emerging preclinical and clinical research investigating neurological and behavioral outcomes in exposed offspring point to genetic sex as an important modifier of the effects of PAE. In this review, we discuss the literature on sex differences following PAE, with studies spanning the fetal period through adulthood, and highlight gaps in research where sex differences are likely, but currently under-investigated. Understanding how sex and PAE interact to affect offspring health outcomes across the lifespan is critical for identifying the full complement of PAE-associated secondary conditions, and for refining targeted interventions to improve the quality of life for individuals with PAE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shameena Bake
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Medical Research and Education Building I, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX 77807-3620, United States
| | - Siara K Rouzer
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Medical Research and Education Building I, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX 77807-3620, United States
| | - Shruti Mavuri
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Medical Research and Education Building I, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX 77807-3620, United States
| | - Rajesh C Miranda
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Medical Research and Education Building I, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX 77807-3620, United States
| | - Amanda H Mahnke
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Medical Research and Education Building I, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX 77807-3620, United States.
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16
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Baines KJ, West RC. Sex differences in innate and adaptive immunity impact fetal, placental, and maternal health†. Biol Reprod 2023; 109:256-270. [PMID: 37418168 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioad072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The differences between males and females begin shortly after birth, continue throughout prenatal development, and eventually extend into childhood and adult life. Male embryos and fetuses prioritize proliferation and growth, often at the expense of the fetoplacental energy reserves. This singular focus on growth over adaptability leaves male fetuses and neonates vulnerable to adverse outcomes during pregnancy and birth and can have lasting impacts throughout life. Beyond this prioritization of growth, male placentas and fetuses also respond to infection and inflammation differently than female counterparts. Pregnancies carrying female fetuses have a more regulatory immune response, whereas pregnancies carrying male fetuses have a stronger inflammatory response. These differences can be seen as early as the innate immune response with differences in cytokine and chemokine signaling. The sexual dimorphism in immunity then continues into the adaptive immune response with differences in T-cell biology and antibody production and transfer. As it appears that these sex-specific differences are amplified in pathologic pregnancies, it stands to reason that differences in the placental, fetal, and maternal immune responses in pregnancy contribute to increased male perinatal morbidity and mortality. In this review, we will describe the genetic and hormonal contributions to the sexual dimorphism of fetal and placental immunity. We will also discuss current research efforts to describe the sex-specific differences of the maternal-fetal interface and how it impacts fetal and maternal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly J Baines
- Anatomy, Physiology, Pharmacology Department, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Rachel C West
- Anatomy, Physiology, Pharmacology Department, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
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17
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Shook LL, James KE, Roberts DJ, Powe CE, Perlis RH, Thornburg KL, O'Tierney-Ginn PF, Edlow AG. Sex-specific impact of maternal obesity on fetal placental macrophages and cord blood triglycerides. Placenta 2023; 140:100-108. [PMID: 37566941 PMCID: PMC10529163 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2023.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Maternal obesity is associated with increased risk of offspring obesity and cardiometabolic disease. Altered fetoplacental immune programming is a potential candidate mechanism. Differences in fetal placental macrophages, or Hofbauer cells (HBCs), have been observed in maternal obesity, and lipid metabolism is a key function of resident macrophages that may be deranged in inflammation/immune activation. We sought to test the following hypotheses: 1) maternal obesity is associated with altered HBC density and phenotype in the term placenta and 2) obesity-associated HBC changes are associated with altered placental lipid transport to the fetus. The impact of fetal sex was evaluated in all experiments. METHODS We quantified the density and morphology of CD163-and CD68-positive HBCs in placental villi in 34 full-term pregnancies undergoing cesarean delivery (N = 15, maternal BMI ≥30 kg/m2; N = 19, BMI <30 kg/m2). Antibody-positive cells in terminal villi were detected and cell size and circularity analyzed using a semi-automated method for thresholding of bright-field microscopy images (ImageJ). Placental expression of lipid transporter genes was quantified using RTqPCR, and cord plasma triglycerides (TGs) were profiled using modified Wahlefeld method. The impact of maternal obesity and fetal sex on HBC features, lipid transporters, and cord TGs were evaluated by two-way ANOVA. Spearman correlations of cord TGs, HBC metrics and gene expression levels were calculated. RESULTS Maternal obesity was associated with significantly increased density of HBCs, with male placentas most affected (fetal sex by maternal obesity interaction p = 0.04). CD163+ HBCs were larger and rounder in obesity-exposed male placentas. Sexually dimorphic expression of placental FATP4, FATP6, FABPPM, AMPKB1 and AMPKG and cord TGs was noted in maternal obesity, such that levels were higher in males and lower in females relative to sex-matched controls. Cord TGs were positively correlated with HBC density and FATP1 expression. DISCUSSION Maternal obesity is associated with sex-specific alterations in HBC density and placental lipid transporter expression, which may impact umbilical cord blood TG levels and offspring cardiometabolic programming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia L Shook
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 0114, USA; Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Kaitlyn E James
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 0114, USA
| | - Drucilla J Roberts
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Camille E Powe
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 0114, USA; Department of Medicine, Diabetes Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Roy H Perlis
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA; Center for Quantitative Health, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Kent L Thornburg
- Center for Developmental Health, Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Perrie F O'Tierney-Ginn
- Tufts Medical Center, Mother Infant Research Institute, Box# 394, 800 Washington Street, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
| | - Andrea G Edlow
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 0114, USA; Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
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18
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O'Brien K, Wang Y. The Placenta: A Maternofetal Interface. Annu Rev Nutr 2023; 43:301-325. [PMID: 37603428 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-nutr-061121-085246] [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: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
The placenta is the gatekeeper between the mother and the fetus. Over the first trimester of pregnancy, the fetus is nourished by uterine gland secretions in a process known as histiotrophic nutrition. During the second trimester of pregnancy, placentation has evolved to the point at which nutrients are delivered to the placenta via maternal blood (hemotrophic nutrition). Over gestation, the placenta must adapt to these variable nutrient supplies, to alterations in maternal physiology and blood flow, and to dynamic changes in fetal growth rates. Numerous questions remain about the mechanisms used to transport nutrients to the fetus and the maternal and fetal determinants of this process. Growing data highlight the ability of the placenta to regulate this process. As new technologies and omics approaches are utilized to study this maternofetal interface, greater insight into this unique organ and its impact on fetal development and long-term health has been obtained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly O'Brien
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, College of Human Ecology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA; ,
| | - Yiqin Wang
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, College of Human Ecology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA; ,
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Roberts VH, Castro JN, Wessel BM, Conrad DF, Lewis AD, Lo JO. Rhesus macaque fetal and placental growth demographics: A resource for laboratory animal researchers. Am J Primatol 2023; 85:e23526. [PMID: 37244752 PMCID: PMC10528524 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23526] [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: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) are amongst the most common nonhuman primate species used in biomedical research. These animals provide a precious resource for translational studies and opportunities to maximize rhesus data use are encouraged. Here we compile data produced from 10 years of investigator-driven pregnancy studies conducted at the Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC). All pregnancies were generated within the consistent and reproducible protocols of the ONPRC time-mated breeding program. The data included are from control animals who did not experience in utero perturbations or experimental manipulations. A total of 86 pregnant rhesus macaques were delivered by cesarean section over a range of gestational days (G) 50 to G159 (where term is G165 ± 10 days in the rhesus macaque), with subsequent immediate tissue harvesting following standardized protocols. Fetal and placental growth measures, and all major organ weights are reported. All data are presented relative to gestational age for the entire cohort and in addition, data are stratified by fetal sex. The outcome is a large reference resource for use by laboratory animal researchers in future comparative fetal development studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria H.J. Roberts
- Division of Reproductive and Developmental Science, Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC), Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Beaverton, OR, USA
| | - Jenna N. Castro
- Division of Reproductive and Developmental Science, Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC), Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Beaverton, OR, USA
| | - Brady M. Wessel
- Division of Reproductive and Developmental Science, Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC), Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Beaverton, OR, USA
| | - Donald F. Conrad
- Division of Genetics, ONPRC, OHSU, Beaverton, OR, USA
- Center for Embryonic Cell and Gene Therapy, OHSU, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Anne D. Lewis
- Division of Animal Research Resources and Services, ONPRC, OHSU, Beaverton, OR, USA
| | - Jamie O. Lo
- Division of Reproductive and Developmental Science, Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC), Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Beaverton, OR, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, OHSU, Portland, OR, USA
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S C, G G, LA S, W N, P M, L A, A W, V F, P W, D G, T BT. Transcriptomic profiling reveals differential cellular response to copper oxide nanoparticles and polystyrene nanoplastics in perfused human placenta. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 177:108015. [PMID: 37315489 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The growing nanoparticulate pollution (e.g. engineered nanoparticles (NPs) or nanoplastics) has been shown to pose potential threats to human health. In particular, sensitive populations such as pregnant women and their unborn children need to be protected from harmful environmental exposures. However, developmental toxicity from prenatal exposure to pollution particles is not yet well studied despite evidence of particle accumulation in human placenta. Our study aimed to investigate how copper oxide NPs (CuO NPs; 10-20 nm) and polystyrene nanoplastics (PS NPs; 70 nm) impact on gene expression in ex vivo perfused human placental tissue. Whole genome microarray analysis revealed changes in global gene expression profile after 6 h of perfusion with sub-cytotoxic concentrations of CuO (10 µg/mL) and PS NPs (25 µg/mL). Pathway and gene ontology enrichment analysis of the differentially expressed genes suggested that CuO and PS NPs trigger distinct cellular response in placental tissue. While CuO NPs induced pathways related to angiogenesis, protein misfolding and heat shock responses, PS NPs affected the expression of genes related to inflammation and iron homeostasis. The observed effects on protein misfolding, cytokine signaling, and hormones were corroborated by western blot (accumulation of polyubiquitinated proteins) or qPCR analysis. Overall, the results of the present study revealed extensive and material-specific interference of CuO and PS NPs with placental gene expression from a single short-term exposure which deserves increasing attention. In addition, the placenta, which is often neglected in developmental toxicity studies, should be a key focus in the future safety assessment of NPs in pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chortarea S
- Laboratory for Particles-Biology Interactions, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), 9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Gupta G
- Laboratory for Particles-Biology Interactions, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), 9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Saarimäki LA
- Finnish Hub for Development and Validation of Integrated Approaches (FHAIVE), Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Netkueakul W
- Laboratory for Particles-Biology Interactions, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), 9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Manser P
- Laboratory for Particles-Biology Interactions, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), 9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Aengenheister L
- Laboratory for Particles-Biology Interactions, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), 9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland; Human Biomonitoring Research Unit, Department of Precision Health, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), 1 A-B, Rue Thomas Edison, L-1445 Strassen, Luxembourg
| | - Wichser A
- Laboratory for Advanced Analytical Technologies, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials, Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Fortino V
- Institute of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Wick P
- Laboratory for Particles-Biology Interactions, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), 9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Greco D
- Finnish Hub for Development and Validation of Integrated Approaches (FHAIVE), Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland; Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Buerki-Thurnherr T
- Laboratory for Particles-Biology Interactions, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), 9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland.
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López-Gatius F, Garcia-Ispierto I. Sexing of Embryos at the Time of Twin Reduction: A Clinical Approach. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13081326. [PMID: 37106889 PMCID: PMC10134968 DOI: 10.3390/ani13081326] [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: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
This study provides new unique information on bovine twin pairs during the late embryonic period (28-34 days of pregnancy) in relation to (1) a predictive ultrasound measurement that was differential for sexing heterosexual twins; (2) intrauterine embryonic growth patterns in twin pairs; and (3) a higher vulnerability of female embryos compared to males following an induced embryo reduction in heterosexual twins. The study population comprised 92 dairy cows carrying bilateral twins. A length difference between co-twins equal to or greater than 25% in around 50% of pregnancies served to determine the sex of embryos with 100% accuracy in heterosexual twins, which was assessed four weeks later on the remaining fetus after twin reduction. The apparent rates of growth of twin pairs and of individual male and female embryos from day 28 to 34 of gestation were similar to established growth pattern standards for singletons. Mean embryo sizes in relation to gestational age were smaller by some 5 days' growth equivalent in twins compared to singletons. After the reduction in the female embryo in heterosexual twins, the risk of male embryo loss was null. This new information allowed for sex selection at the time of twin reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando López-Gatius
- Agrotecnio Centre, 25198 Lleida, Spain
- Transfer in Bovine Reproduction SLu, 22300 Barbastro, Spain
| | - Irina Garcia-Ispierto
- Agrotecnio Centre, 25198 Lleida, Spain
- Department of Animal Science, University of Lleida, 25198 Lleida, Spain
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Campesi I, Ruoppolo M, Franconi F, Caterino M, Costanzo M. Sex-Gender-Based Differences in Metabolic Diseases. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2023; 282:241-257. [PMID: 37528324 DOI: 10.1007/164_2023_683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism creates different biological and cellular activities and selective regulation mechanisms in males and females, thus generating differential responses in health and disease. In this scenario, the sex itself is a source of physiologic metabolic disparities that depend on constitutive genetic and epigenetic features that characterize in a specific manner one sex or the other. This has as a direct consequence a huge impact on the metabolic routes that drive the phenotype of an individual. The impact of sex is being clearly recognized also in disease, whereas male and females are more prone to the development of some disorders, or have selective responses to drugs and therapeutic treatments. Actually, very less is known regarding the probable differences guided by sex in the context of inherited metabolic disorders, owing to the scarce consideration of sex in such restricted field, accompanied by an intrinsic bias connected with the rarity of such diseases. Metabolomics technologies have been ultimately developed and adopted for being excellent tools for the investigation of metabolic mechanisms, for marker discovery or monitoring, and for supporting diagnostic procedures of metabolic disorders. Hence, metabolomic approaches can excellently embrace the discovery of sex differences, especially when associated to the outcome or the management of certain inborn errors of the metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Campesi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
- Laboratory of Sex-Gender Medicine, National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems, Sassari, Italy
| | - Margherita Ruoppolo
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
- CEINGE - Biotecnologie Avanzate Franco Salvatore s.c.ar.l., Naples, Italy
| | - Flavia Franconi
- Laboratory of Sex-Gender Medicine, National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems, Sassari, Italy
| | - Marianna Caterino
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
- CEINGE - Biotecnologie Avanzate Franco Salvatore s.c.ar.l., Naples, Italy
| | - Michele Costanzo
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
- CEINGE - Biotecnologie Avanzate Franco Salvatore s.c.ar.l., Naples, Italy.
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