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Kent NL, Atluri SC, Moritz KM, Cuffe JSM. Maternal hypothyroidism in rats impairs placental nutrient transporter expression, increases labyrinth zone size, and impairs fetal growth. Placenta 2023; 139:148-158. [PMID: 37406552 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2023.06.010] [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: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Hypothyroidism during pregnancy is associated with fetal growth restriction (FGR). FGR is commonly caused by placental insufficiency and yet the role of hypothyroidism in placental regulation of fetal growth is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the effects of maternal hypothyroidism on placental nutrient transporter expression, placental morphology, and placental metabolism. METHODS Hypothyroidism was induced in female Sprague-Dawley rats by adding methimazole (MMI) to drinking water at moderate (MOD, MMI at 0.005% w/v) and severe (SEV, MMI at 0.02% w/v) doses from one week prior to pregnancy and throughout gestation. Maternal and fetal tissues were collected on embryonic day 20 (E20). RESULTS Hypothyroidism reduced fetal weight (PTrt<0.001) despite causing fetal hyperglycaemia (PTrt = 0.016). Placental weight was not affected by hypothyroidism however placental efficiency was reduced (PTrt<0.001), as was the junctional zone (JZ):labyrinth zone (LZ) weight ratio (PTrt = 0.005). LZ glycogen content was increased (PTrt = 0.029) and while mRNA expression of glucose transporters was reduced by hypothyroidism, only GLUT1 protein expression was reduced in male LZs. Maternal hypothyroidism reduced mitochondrial content (PTrt = 0.031), particularly in SEV males relative to CON males (P = 0.004). Protein expression of Complex V (P < 0.001) and Complex III (P = 0.002) of the electron transport chain were also reduced in males. Maternal hypothyroidism reduced LZ (PTrt<0.001) and fetal plasma triglycerides (P = 0.019) while fetal free fatty acids and the expression of LZ lipid transporters was not affected. DISCUSSION Overall, maternal hypothyroidism may lead to FGR through reduced maternal T4 availability, changes to placental morphology, altered nutrient transporter expression and sex-specific effects on placental metabolism. Changes to LZ glycogen and triglyceride stores as well as mitochondrial content suggest a metabolic shift from oxidative phosphorylation to anaerobic glycolysis in males. These changes also likely impact fetal substrate availability and therefore fetal growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nykola L Kent
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Sharat C Atluri
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Karen M Moritz
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - James S M Cuffe
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
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Santos BR, Cordeiro JMDA, Santos LC, Santana LDS, Nascimento AEDJ, Silva JF. Kisspeptin Suppresses Inflammasome-NLRP3 Activation and Pyroptosis Caused by Hypothyroidism at the Maternal-Fetal Interface of Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076820. [PMID: 37047793 PMCID: PMC10095583 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Gestational diseases such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes cause inflammasome activation and pyroptosis in the placenta and changes in placental kisspeptin levels. Although maternal hypothyroidism also reduces the kisspeptin/Kiss1R system at the maternal-fetal interface, there is still no information on whether this dysfunction causes inflammasome activation and pyroptosis in the placenta or influences the modulatory role of kisspeptin in these processes. This study aimed to evaluate whether hypothyroidism activates the inflammasome-NLRP3 pathway and pyroptosis at the maternal-fetal interface of rats and whether kisspeptin can modulate these processes. Hypothyroidism was induced in Wistar rats by the administration of propylthiouracil. Kisspeptin-10 (Kp10) treatment began on the 8th day of gestation (DG). Gene and/or protein expressions of NLRP3, Caspase 1, IL-1β, IL-18, and Gasdermin D (Gsmd) were evaluated in the deciduae and placentae at the 18th DG. Hypothyroidism increased the decidual and placental stainings of NLRP3, IL-1β, and Gasdermin D, and increased the gene expressions of Nlrp3, Ilβ, and Il18 in the placenta and of Gsmd in the decidua. Treatment with Kp10 suppressed the increase in NLRP3/Nlrp3, IL-1β, Il18, and Gasdermin D/Gsmd caused by hypothyroidism at the maternal-fetal interface. However, Kp10 increased the placental gene expressions of Casp1 and Il1β. The findings demonstrated that maternal hypothyroidism activated the inflammasome-NLRP3 pathway and pyroptosis at the maternal-fetal interface of rats and that treatment with Kp10 was able to block these processes, thus suggesting that kisspeptin analogues may be promising in the treatment of gestational diseases that involve inflammasome activation and pyroptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Reis Santos
- Centro de Microscopia Eletronica, Departamento de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Campus Soane Nazare de Andrade, Ilheus 45662-900, Brazil
| | - Jeane Martinha Dos Anjos Cordeiro
- Centro de Microscopia Eletronica, Departamento de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Campus Soane Nazare de Andrade, Ilheus 45662-900, Brazil
| | - Luciano Cardoso Santos
- Centro de Microscopia Eletronica, Departamento de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Campus Soane Nazare de Andrade, Ilheus 45662-900, Brazil
| | - Larissa da Silva Santana
- Centro de Microscopia Eletronica, Departamento de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Campus Soane Nazare de Andrade, Ilheus 45662-900, Brazil
| | - Acácia Eduarda de Jesus Nascimento
- Centro de Microscopia Eletronica, Departamento de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Campus Soane Nazare de Andrade, Ilheus 45662-900, Brazil
| | - Juneo Freitas Silva
- Centro de Microscopia Eletronica, Departamento de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Campus Soane Nazare de Andrade, Ilheus 45662-900, Brazil
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Dos Anjos Cordeiro JM, Santos LC, de Oliveira LS, Santos BR, Santos EO, Barbosa EM, de Macêdo IO, de Freitas GJC, Santos DDA, de Lavor MSL, Silva JF. Maternal hypothyroidism causes oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress in the maternal-fetal interface of rats. Free Radic Biol Med 2022; 191:24-39. [PMID: 36038036 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2022.08.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Maternal hypothyroidism is associated with pre-eclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction, gestational diseases involving oxidative stress (OS) and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) in the placenta. However, it is not known whether hypothyroidism also causes OS and ERS at the maternal-fetal interface. The aim was to evaluate the fetal-placental development and the expression of mediators of OS and of the unfolded protein response (UPR) in the maternal-fetal interface of hypothyroid rats. Hypothyroidism was induced in Wistar rats with propylthiouracil and the fetal-placental development and placental and decidual expression of antioxidant, hypoxia, and UPR mediators were analyzed at 14 and 18 days of gestation (DG), as well the expression of 8-OHdG and MDA, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) and peroxynitrite levels. Hypothyroidism reduced fetal weight at 14 and 18 DG, in addition to increasing the percentage of fetal death and reducing the weight of the uteroplacental unit at 18 DG. At 14 DG, there was greater decidual and/or placental immunostaining of Hif1α, 8-OHdG, MDA, SOD1, GPx1/2, Grp78 and CHOP in hypothyroid rats, while there was a reduction in placental and/or decidual gene expression of Sod1, Gpx1, Atf6, Perk, Ho1, Xbp1, Grp78 and Chop in the same gestational period. At 18 DG, hypothyroidism increased the placental ROS levels and the decidual and/or placental immunostaining of HIF1α, 8-OHdG, MDA, ATF4, GRP78 and CHOP, while it reduced the immunostaining and enzymatic activity of SOD1, CAT, GST. Hypothyroidism increased the placental mRNA expression of Hifα, Nrf2, Sod2, Gpx1, Cat, Perk, Atf6 and Chop at 18 DG, while decreasing the decidual expression of Sod2, Cat and Atf6. These findings demonstrated that fetal-placental restriction in female rats with hypothyroidism is associated with hypoxia and dysregulation in placental and decidual expression of UPR mediators and antioxidant enzymes, and activation of oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress at the maternal-fetal interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeane Martinha Dos Anjos Cordeiro
- Centro de Microscopia Eletronica, Departamento de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Campus SoaneNazare de Andrade, 45662-900, Ilheus, Brazil
| | - Luciano Cardoso Santos
- Centro de Microscopia Eletronica, Departamento de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Campus SoaneNazare de Andrade, 45662-900, Ilheus, Brazil
| | - Luciana Santos de Oliveira
- Centro de Microscopia Eletronica, Departamento de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Campus SoaneNazare de Andrade, 45662-900, Ilheus, Brazil
| | - Bianca Reis Santos
- Centro de Microscopia Eletronica, Departamento de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Campus SoaneNazare de Andrade, 45662-900, Ilheus, Brazil
| | - Emilly Oliveira Santos
- Centro de Microscopia Eletronica, Departamento de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Campus SoaneNazare de Andrade, 45662-900, Ilheus, Brazil
| | - Erikles Macêdo Barbosa
- Centro de Microscopia Eletronica, Departamento de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Campus SoaneNazare de Andrade, 45662-900, Ilheus, Brazil
| | - Isabela Oliveira de Macêdo
- Centro de Microscopia Eletronica, Departamento de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Campus SoaneNazare de Andrade, 45662-900, Ilheus, Brazil
| | - Gustavo José Cota de Freitas
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Daniel de Assis Santos
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Mário Sérgio Lima de Lavor
- Hospital Veterinario, Departamento de Ciencias Agrarias e Ambientais, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Campus Soane Nazare de Andrade, 45662-900, Ilheus, Brazil
| | - Juneo Freitas Silva
- Centro de Microscopia Eletronica, Departamento de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Campus SoaneNazare de Andrade, 45662-900, Ilheus, Brazil.
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