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Han X, Wu T, Liu CY. Univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization investigating the effects of telomere length on the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1225600. [PMID: 37600718 PMCID: PMC10435990 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1225600] [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: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Numerous observational studies have revealed a correlation between telomere length (TL) and adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs). However, the impacts of TL on APOs are still unclear. Methods Mendelian randomization (MR) was carried out using summary data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Inverse variance weighted (IVW) was employed as the primary analysis to explore the causal relationship between TL and APOs. The exposure data came from a GWAS dataset of IEU analysis of the United Kingdom Biobank phenotypes consisting of 472,174 European participants. Summary-level data for five APOs were obtained from the GWAS datasets of the FinnGen consortium. We also performed multivariate MR (MVMR), adjusting for smoking, alcohol intake, body mass index (BMI), and number of live births. In addition, we conducted a series of rigorous analyses to further examine the validity of our MR findings. Results After Bonferroni correction and rigorous quality control, univariable MR (UVMR) demonstrated that a shorter TL was significantly associated with an increased risk of spontaneous abortion (SA) (odds ratio [OR]: 0.815; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.714-0.930; P = 0.002) and preterm birth (PTB) (OR: 0.758; 95% CI: 0.632-0.908; P = 0.003) in the IVW model. There was a nominally significant relationship between TL and preeclampsia (PE) in the IVW model (OR: 0.799; 95% CI: 0.651-0.979; P = 0.031). However, no significant association was found between TL and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) (OR: 0.950; 95% CI: 0.804-1.122; P = 0.543) or fetal growth restriction (FGR) (OR: 1.187; 95% CI: 0.901-1.565; P = 0.223) among the five statistical models. Furthermore, we did not find a significant causal effect of APOs on TL in the reverse MR analysis. MVMR analysis showed that the causal effects of TL on SA remained significant after accounting for smoking, alcohol intake, BMI, and number of live births. Conclusion Our MR study provides robust evidence that shorter telomeres were associated with an increased risk of SA. Further work is necessary to investigate the potential mechanisms. UVMR and MVMR findings showed limited evidence that TL affects the risk of PTB, PE, GDM, and FGR, illustrating that the outcomes of previous observational studies may have been confounded.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Han
- Department of First Clinical Medical College, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | - Tianqiang Wu
- Department of First Clinical Medical College, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | - Chun yan Liu
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
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2
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Matoba N, Collins JW, Dizon MLV. Fetal Origins of Health Disparities: Transgenerational Consequences of Racism. Dev Neurosci 2023; 46:112-118. [PMID: 37290414 DOI: 10.1159/000531462] [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: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite advances in perinatal medicine, racial disparity in birth outcomes remains a public health problem in the USA. The underlying mechanisms for this long-standing racial disparity are incompletely understood. This review presents transgenerational risk factors for racial disparities in preterm birth, exploring the impact of interpersonal and structural racism, theoretical models of stress, and biological markers of racial disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nana Matoba
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, University of California San Diego, Rady Children's Hospital San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - James W Collins
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Maria L V Dizon
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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3
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Puglisi CJ, McDonough J, Bianco-Miotto T, A Grieger J. General Practitioners perspectives on infant telomere length screening after a pregnancy complication: a qualitative analysis. Fam Pract 2023:7188177. [PMID: 37262296 DOI: 10.1093/fampra/cmad064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pregnancy complications can impact the mother and child's health in the short and longterm resulting in an increased risk of chronic disease later in life. Telomere length is a biomarker of future cardiometabolic diseases and may offer a novel way of identifying offspring most at risk for future chronic diseases. OBJECTIVE(S) To qualitatively explore General Practitioners' (GPs) perspectives on the feasibility and uptake for recommending a telomere screening test in children who were born after a pregnancy complication. METHODS Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with GPs within metropolitan Adelaide, South Australia. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed for codes and themes. RESULTS Two themes were generated: ethical considerations and practical considerations. Ethically, the GP participants discussed barriers including consenting on behalf of a child, parental guilt, and the impact of health insurance, whereas viewing it for health promotion was a facilitator. For practical considerations, barriers included the difficulty in identifying people eligible for screening, maintaining medical communication between service providers, and time and financial constraints, whereas linking screening for telomere length with existing screening would facilitate uptake. CONCLUSIONS GPs were generally supportive of potential telomere screening in infants, particularly via a saliva test that could be embedded in current antenatal care. However, several challenges, such as lack of knowledge, ethical considerations, and time and financial constraints, need to be overcome before such a test could be implemented into practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn J Puglisi
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia
| | - Joshua McDonough
- School of Public Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia
| | - Tina Bianco-Miotto
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia
- Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia
| | - Jessica A Grieger
- Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia
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4
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Farfán-Labonne B, Leff-Gelman P, Pellón-Díaz G, Camacho-Arroyo I. Cellular senescence in normal and adverse pregnancy. Reprod Biol 2023; 23:100734. [PMID: 36773450 DOI: 10.1016/j.repbio.2023.100734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Cellular senescence (CS) is defined as a state of terminal proliferation arrest accompanied by morphological alterations, pro-inflammatory phenotype, and metabolic changes. In recent years, the implications of senescence in numerous physiological and pathological conditions such as development, tissue repair, aging, or cancer have been evident. Some inductors of senescence are tissue repair pathways, telomere shortening, DNA damage, degenerative disorders, and wound healing. Lately, it has been demonstrated that CS plays a decisive role in the development and progression of healthy pregnancy and labor. Premature maternal-fetal tissues senescence (placenta, choriamniotic membranes, and endothelium) is implicated in many adverse pregnancy outcomes, including fetal growth restriction, preeclampsia, preterm birth, and intrauterine fetal death. Here we discuss cellular senescence and its association with normal pregnancy development and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Current evidence allows us to establish the relevance of CS in processes associated with the appropriate development of placentation, the progression of pregnancy, and the onset of labor; likewise, it allows us to understand the undeniable participation of CS deregulation in pathological processes associated with pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blanca Farfán-Labonne
- Departamento de Fisiología y Desarrollo Celular, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología "Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes", México.
| | - Philippe Leff-Gelman
- Coordinación de Salud Mental, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología "Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes", México
| | - Gabriela Pellón-Díaz
- Coordinación de Salud Mental, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología "Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes", México
| | - Ignacio Camacho-Arroyo
- Unidad de Investigación en Reproducción Humana, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología-Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México.
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5
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Manna S, Mc Elwain CJ, Maher GM, Giralt Martín M, Musumeci A, McCarthy FP, McCarthy C. Heterogenous Differences in Cellular Senescent Phenotypes in Pre-Eclampsia and IUGR following Quantitative Assessment of Multiple Biomarkers of Senescence. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043101. [PMID: 36834513 PMCID: PMC9963163 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Premature ageing of the placenta in pregnancy outcomes is associated with the persistent presence of oxidative stress and placental insufficiency reducing its functional capacity. In this study, we investigated cellular senescence phenotypes of pre-eclampsia and IUGR pregnancies by simultaneously measuring several biomarkers of senescence. Maternal plasma and placental samples were collected at term gestation from nulliparous women undergoing pre-labour elective caesarean section with pre-eclampsia without intrauterine growth restriction (PE; n = 5), pre-eclampsia associated with intrauterine growth restriction (n = 8), intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR < 10th centile; n = 6), and age-matched controls (n = 20). Placental absolute telomere length and senescence gene analysis was performed by RTqPCR. The expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (p21 and p16) was determined by Western blot. Senescence-associated secretory phenotypes (SASPs) were evaluated in maternal plasma by multiplex ELISA assay. Placental expression of senescence-associated genes showed significant increases in CHEK1, PCNA, PTEN, CDKN2A, and CCNB-1 (p < 0.05) in pre-eclampsia, while TBX-2, PCNA, ATM, and CCNB-1 expression were evident (p < 0.05) and were significantly decreased in IUGR compared with controls. Placental p16 protein expression was significantly decreased in pre-eclampsia only compared with controls (p = 0.028). IL-6 was significantly increased in pre-eclampsia (0.54 pg/mL ± 0.271 vs. 0.3 pg/mL ± 0.102; p = 0.017) while IFN-γ was significantly increased in IUGR (4.6 pg/mL ± 2.2 vs. 2.17 pg/mL ± 0.8; p = 0.002) compared with controls. These results provide evidence of premature senescence in IUGR pregnancies, and while cell cycle checkpoint regulators are activated in pre-eclampsia, the cellular phenotype is one of cell repair and subsequent proliferation rather than progression to senescence. The heterogeneity of these cellular phenotypes highlights the complexity of characterising cellular senescence and may equally be indicative of the differing pathophysiological insults unique to each obstetric complication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samprikta Manna
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Cork University Maternity Hospital, University College Cork, T12 YE02 Cork, Ireland
- INFANT Research Centre, University College Cork, T12 K8AF Cork, Ireland
| | - Colm J. Mc Elwain
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Western Gateway Building, University College Cork, T12 XF62 Cork, Ireland
| | - Gillian M. Maher
- INFANT Research Centre, University College Cork, T12 K8AF Cork, Ireland
- School of Public Health, Western Gateway Building, University College Cork, T12 XF62 Cork, Ireland
| | - Marta Giralt Martín
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Western Gateway Building, University College Cork, T12 XF62 Cork, Ireland
| | - Andrea Musumeci
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Western Gateway Building, University College Cork, T12 XF62 Cork, Ireland
| | - Fergus P. McCarthy
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Cork University Maternity Hospital, University College Cork, T12 YE02 Cork, Ireland
- INFANT Research Centre, University College Cork, T12 K8AF Cork, Ireland
- Correspondence:
| | - Cathal McCarthy
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Western Gateway Building, University College Cork, T12 XF62 Cork, Ireland
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6
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Maternal Smoking in the First Trimester and its Consequence on the Early Placenta. J Transl Med 2023; 103:100059. [PMID: 36801640 DOI: 10.1016/j.labinv.2022.100059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as stillbirth and fetal growth restriction. This suggests impaired placental function and restricted nutrient and oxygen supply. Studies investigating placental tissue at the end of pregnancy have revealed increased DNA damage as a potential underlying cause, which is driven by various toxic smoke ingredients and oxidative stress induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, in the first trimester, the placenta develops and differentiates, and many pregnancy pathologies associated with reduced placental function originate here. Therefore, we determined DNA damage in a cohort of first-trimester placental samples of verified smokers and nonsmokers. In fact, we observed an 80% increase in DNA breaks (P < .001) and shortened telomeres by 5.8% (P = .04) in placentas exposed to maternal smoking. Surprisingly, there was a decrease in ROS-mediated DNA damage, ie, 8-oxo-guanidine modifications, in placentas of the smoking group (-41%; P = .021), which paralleled the reduced expression of base excision DNA repair machinery, which restores oxidative DNA damage. Moreover, we observed that the increase in placental oxidant defense machinery expression, which usually occurs at the end of the first trimester in a healthy pregnancy as a result of the full onset of uteroplacental blood flow, was absent in the smoking group. Therefore, in early pregnancy, maternal smoking causes placental DNA damage, contributing to placental malfunction and increased risk of stillbirth and fetal growth restriction in pregnant women. Additionally, reduced ROS-mediated DNA damage along with no increase in antioxidant enzymes suggests a delay in the establishment of physiological uteroplacental blood flow at the end of the first trimester, which may further add to a disturbed placental development and function as a result of smoking in pregnancy.
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7
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Edelson PK, Sawyer MR, Gray KJ, Cantonwine DE, McElrath TF, Phillippe M. Increase in short telomeres during the third trimester in human placenta. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0271415. [PMID: 35830448 PMCID: PMC9278733 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0271415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
An increase in telomere shortening in gestational tissues has been proposed as a mechanism involved in the timing for the initiation of parturition. An increase in very short telomeres with increasing gestational age has been observed in mice; this study sought to explore this phenomenon in human pregnancies. Specifically, this study addressed the hypothesis that prior to labor, the quantity of very short telomeres (<3 kilobase (kb) lengths) increases in human placental tissue as term gestation approaches. The primary outcome was the quantity of very short telomeres present in placental tissue. Quantitative measurements of very short telomeres were performed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) adaptation of the telomere restriction fragment technique. Placental tissue from 69 pregnant individuals were included. Mean gestational age was 39.1 weeks (term) and 36.2 weeks (preterm). For term versus preterm placentas, the observed increase in very short telomeres were as follows: 500 bp telomeres increased by 1.67-fold (p < 0.03); 1 kb telomeres increased 1.67-fold (p < 0.08); and 3 kb telomeres increased 5.20-fold (p < 0.001). This study confirms a significant increase in very short telomeres in human placental tissue at term; thereby supporting the hypothesis that telomere shortening at term contributes to the mechanism that determine the length of pregnancy thereby leading to onset of parturition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula K. Edelson
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Michala R. Sawyer
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Kathryn J. Gray
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - David E. Cantonwine
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Thomas F. McElrath
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Mark Phillippe
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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8
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Antonelli A, Capuani S, Ercolani G, Dolciami M, Ciulla S, Celli V, Kuehn B, Piccioni MG, Giancotti A, Porpora MG, Catalano C, Manganaro L. Human placental microperfusion and microstructural assessment by intra-voxel incoherent motion MRI for discriminating intrauterine growth restriction: a pilot study. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2022; 35:9667-9674. [PMID: 35291892 DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2022.2050365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To evaluate the potential of Intravoxel Incoherent Motion (IVIM) Imaging in the quantification of placental micro-perfusion and microstructural features to identify and discriminate different forms of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and normal fetuses pregnancies. METHODS Small for gestational age SGA (n = 8), fetal growth restriction FGR (n = 10), and normal (n = 49) pregnancies were included in the study. Placental Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) was performed at 1.5 T using a diffusion-weighted sequence with 10 b-values. IVIM fractional perfusion (fp), diffusion (D), and pseudodiffusion (D*) were evaluated on the fetal and maternal placental sides. Correlations between IVIM parameters, Gestational Age (GA), Birth Weight (BW), and the presence or absence of prenatal fetoplacental Doppler abnormalities at the US were investigated in SGA, FGR, and normal placentae. RESULTS fp and D* of the placental fetal side discriminate between SGA and FGR (p = .021; p = .036, respectively), showing lower values in FGR. SGA showed an intermediate perfusion pattern in terms of fp and D* compared to FGR and normal controls. In the intrauterine growth restriction group (SGA + FGR), a significant positive correlation was found between fp and BW (p < .002) in the fetal placenta and a significant negative correlation was found between D and GA in both the fetal (p < .0009) and maternal (p < .006) placentas. CONCLUSIONS Perfusion IVIM parameters fp and D* may be useful to discriminate different micro-vascularization patterns in IUGR being helpful to detect microvascular subtle impairment even in fetuses without any sign of US Doppler impairment in utero. Moreover, fp may predict fetuses' body weight in intrauterine growth restriction pregnancies. The diffusion IVIM parameter D may reflect more rapid microstructural rearrangement of the placenta due to aging processes in the IUGR group than in normal controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Antonelli
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Capuani
- Physics Department, CNR Institute for Complex Systems (ISC), "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giada Ercolani
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Miriam Dolciami
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Sandra Ciulla
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Veronica Celli
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Maria Grazia Piccioni
- Department of Gynaecological-Obstetrical and Urological Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonella Giancotti
- Department of Gynaecological-Obstetrical and Urological Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Grazia Porpora
- Department of Gynaecological-Obstetrical and Urological Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Carlo Catalano
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Lucia Manganaro
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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9
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Goumy C, Veronese L, Stamm R, Domas Q, Hadjab K, Gallot D, Laurichesse H, Delabaere A, Gouas L, Salaun G, Richard C, Vago P, Tchirkov A. Reduced telomere length in amniocytes: an early biomarker of abnormal fetal development? Hum Mol Genet 2022; 31:2669-2677. [PMID: 35244708 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddac054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomeres protect chromosome ends and control cell division and senescence. During organogenesis, telomeres need to be long enough to ensure the cell proliferation necessary at this stage of development. Previous studies have shown that telomere shortening is associated with growth retardation and congenital malformations. However, these studies were performed in newborns or postnatally, and data on telomere length (TL) during the prenatal period are still very limited. We measured TL using quantitative PCR in amniotic fluid (AF) and chorionic villi (CV) samples from 69 control fetuses with normal ultrasound (52 AF and 17 CV) and 213 fetuses (165 AF and 48 CV) with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) or congenital malformations diagnosed by ultrasound. The samples were collected by amniocentesis at the gestational age of 25.0 ± 5.4 weeks and by CV biopsy at 18.1 ± 6.3 weeks. In neither sample type was TL influenced by gestational age or fetal sex. In AF, a comparison of abnormal versus normal fetuses showed a significant telomere shortening in cases of IUGR (reduction of 34%, P < 10-6), single (29%, P < 10-6) and multiple (44%, P < 10-6) malformations. Similar TL shortening was also observed in CV from abnormal fetuses but to a lesser extent (25%, P = 0.0002; 18%, P = 0.016; 20%, P = 0.004, respectively). Telomere shortening was more pronounced in cases of multiple congenital anomalies than in fetuses with a single malformation, suggesting a correlation between TL and the severity of fetal phenotype. Thus, TL measurement in fetal samples during pregnancy could provide a novel predictive marker of pathological development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carole Goumy
- Cytogénétique Médicale, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, CHU Estaing, F-63000, France.,INSERM U1240 Imagerie Moléculaire et Stratégies Théranostiques, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont Ferrand
| | - Lauren Veronese
- Cytogénétique Médicale, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, CHU Estaing, F-63000, France.,EA7453 CHELTER « Clonal Heterogeneity, Leukemic environment, Therapy resistance of chronic leukemias », Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont Ferrand
| | - Rodrigue Stamm
- Cytogénétique Médicale, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, CHU Estaing, F-63000, France
| | - Quentin Domas
- Cytogénétique Médicale, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, CHU Estaing, F-63000, France
| | - Kamil Hadjab
- Cytogénétique Médicale, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, CHU Estaing, F-63000, France
| | - Denis Gallot
- Unité de Médecine Fœtale, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, CHU Estaing, F-63000, France
| | - Hélène Laurichesse
- Unité de Médecine Fœtale, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, CHU Estaing, F-63000, France
| | - Amélie Delabaere
- Unité de Médecine Fœtale, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, CHU Estaing, F-63000, France
| | - Laetitia Gouas
- Cytogénétique Médicale, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, CHU Estaing, F-63000, France.,INSERM U1240 Imagerie Moléculaire et Stratégies Théranostiques, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont Ferrand
| | - Gaelle Salaun
- Cytogénétique Médicale, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, CHU Estaing, F-63000, France.,INSERM U1240 Imagerie Moléculaire et Stratégies Théranostiques, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont Ferrand
| | - Céline Richard
- Cytogénétique Médicale, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, CHU Estaing, F-63000, France
| | - Philippe Vago
- Cytogénétique Médicale, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, CHU Estaing, F-63000, France.,INSERM U1240 Imagerie Moléculaire et Stratégies Théranostiques, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont Ferrand
| | - Andrei Tchirkov
- Cytogénétique Médicale, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, CHU Estaing, F-63000, France.,EA7453 CHELTER « Clonal Heterogeneity, Leukemic environment, Therapy resistance of chronic leukemias », Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont Ferrand
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10
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Garcia-Martin I, Penketh RJA, Garay SM, Jones RE, Grimstead JW, Baird DM, John RM. Symptoms of Prenatal Depression Associated with Shorter Telomeres in Female Placenta. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:7458. [PMID: 34299077 PMCID: PMC8306199 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depression is a common mood disorder during pregnancy impacting one in every seven women. Children exposed to prenatal depression are more likely to be born at a low birth weight and develop chronic diseases later in life. A proposed hypothesis for this relationship between early exposure to adversity and poor outcomes is accelerated aging. Telomere length has been used as a biomarker of cellular aging. We used high-resolution telomere length analysis to examine the relationship between placental telomere length distributions and maternal mood symptoms in pregnancy. METHODS This study utilised samples from the longitudinal Grown in Wales (GiW) study. Women participating in this study were recruited at their presurgical appointment prior to a term elective caesarean section (ELCS). Women completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and trait subscale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Telomere length distributions were generated using single telomere length analysis (STELA) in 109 term placenta (37-42 weeks). Multiple linear regression was performed to examine the relationship between maternally reported symptoms of depression and anxiety at term and mean placental telomere length. RESULTS Prenatal depression symptoms were significantly negatively associated with XpYp telomere length in female placenta (B = -0.098, p = 0.026, 95% CI -0.184, -0.012). There was no association between maternal depression symptoms and telomere length in male placenta (B = 0.022, p = 0.586, 95% CI -0.059, 0.103). There was no association with anxiety symptoms and telomere length for either sex. CONCLUSION Maternal prenatal depression is associated with sex-specific differences in term placental telomeres. Telomere shortening in female placenta may indicate accelerated placental aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Garcia-Martin
- Division of Biomedicine, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales CF10 3AX, UK; (I.G.-M.); (S.M.G.)
| | - Richard J. A. Penketh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital Wales, Cardiff, Wales CF14 4XW, UK;
| | - Samantha M. Garay
- Division of Biomedicine, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales CF10 3AX, UK; (I.G.-M.); (S.M.G.)
| | - Rhiannon E. Jones
- Division of Cancer and Genetics, Cardiff School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales CF14 4XW, UK; (R.E.J.); (J.W.G.); (D.M.B.)
| | - Julia W. Grimstead
- Division of Cancer and Genetics, Cardiff School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales CF14 4XW, UK; (R.E.J.); (J.W.G.); (D.M.B.)
| | - Duncan M. Baird
- Division of Cancer and Genetics, Cardiff School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales CF14 4XW, UK; (R.E.J.); (J.W.G.); (D.M.B.)
| | - Rosalind M. John
- Division of Biomedicine, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales CF10 3AX, UK; (I.G.-M.); (S.M.G.)
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11
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Behram M, Oğlak SC, Dağ İ. Circulating levels of Elabela in pregnant women complicated with intrauterine growth restriction. J Gynecol Obstet Hum Reprod 2021; 50:102127. [PMID: 33781971 DOI: 10.1016/j.jogoh.2021.102127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to detect Elabela concentrations in the serum of normotensive pregnant women complicated with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and compare them with the uncomplicated healthy pregnancies. MATERIAL AND METHODS This prospective case-control study was performed from May 1, 2020 to September 30, 2020. Of the 92 pregnant patients included in the study, we enrolled 49 normotensive patients complicated with IUGR as the study group, and 43 normotensive healthy gestational age-matched and body mass index (BMI)-matched patients without IUGR or additional pregnancy complication as the control group. Demographic and clinical characteristics, and maternal serum Elabela concentrations were recorded. RESULTS Maternal serum Elabela levels were significantly lower in IUGR pregnancies (4.02±3.42 ng/mL) compared to healthy pregnant women (14.01±18.38 ng/mL, p<0.001). There was a positive intermediate correlation between maternal serum Elabela levels and the birth weight (r = 0.308, p = 0.004). CONCLUSION Maternal circulating levels of Elabela were significantly lower in IUGR pregnancies than in healthy pregnant women. Also, birth weight was positively correlated with maternal serum Elabela levels. We consider that Elabela might be a crucial biomarker of the pathophysiologic process in pregnancies complicated by IUGR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mustafa Behram
- Department of Perinatology, Health Sciences University, Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Süleyman Cemil Oğlak
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Health Sciences University, Gazi Yaşargil Training and Research Hospital, Diyarbakır, Turkey.
| | - İsmail Dağ
- Department of Biochemistry, Eyüpsultan Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
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12
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Telomeres and replicative cellular aging of the human placenta and chorioamniotic membranes. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5115. [PMID: 33664422 PMCID: PMC7933277 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84728-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent hypotheses propose that the human placenta and chorioamniotic membranes (CAMs) experience telomere length (TL)-mediated senescence. These hypotheses are based on mean TL (mTL) measurements, but replicative senescence is triggered by short and dysfunctional telomeres, not mTL. We measured short telomeres by a vanguard method, the Telomere shortest length assay, and telomere-dysfunction-induced DNA damage foci (TIF) in placentas and CAMs between 18-week gestation and at full-term. Both the placenta and CAMs showed a buildup of short telomeres and TIFs, but not shortening of mTL from 18-weeks to full-term. In the placenta, TIFs correlated with short telomeres but not mTL. CAMs of preterm birth pregnancies with intra-amniotic infection showed shorter mTL and increased proportions of short telomeres. We conclude that the placenta and probably the CAMs undergo TL-mediated replicative aging. Further research is warranted whether TL-mediated replicative aging plays a role in all preterm births.
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Godhamgaonkar AA, Sundrani DP, Joshi SR. Role of maternal nutrition and oxidative stress in placental telomere attrition in women with preeclampsia. Hypertens Pregnancy 2021; 40:63-74. [PMID: 33406938 DOI: 10.1080/10641955.2020.1869248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Background:Maternal nutrition influences the growth and development of the fetus and influences pregnancy outcome. We have earlier demonstrated altered maternal nutrition and increased oxidative stress in women with preeclampsia. Oxidative stress is known to be associated with reduced telomere length and short telomere aggregates. Increased telomere attrition leads to increased cellular senescence and tissue ageing. Methods:The present review focuses on the role of maternal nutrition and oxidative stress in telomere attrition in preeclampsia. Results and Conclusion:Future studies need to examine the association between maternal nutritional status in early pregnancy, oxidative stress and telomere attrition in preeclampsia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditi A Godhamgaonkar
- Mother and Child Health, Interactive Research School of Health Affairs (IRSHA), Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to Be University) , Pune, India
| | - Deepali P Sundrani
- Mother and Child Health, Interactive Research School of Health Affairs (IRSHA), Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to Be University) , Pune, India
| | - Sadhana R Joshi
- Mother and Child Health, Interactive Research School of Health Affairs (IRSHA), Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to Be University) , Pune, India
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14
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The association between mitochondrial DNA copy number, telomere length, and tubal pregnancy. Placenta 2020; 97:108-114. [PMID: 32792056 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2020.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Growing evidence has demonstrated association between the occurrence of tubal ectopic pregnancy (TP) and oxidative stress (OS) status, in which mitochondria and telomeres play important roles. However, little is known about the underlying correlation between TP and the mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) or telomere length (TL) abnormalities. In this study, we found OS level was elevated in TP patients. We hierarchically detected the relative mtDNAcn and TL of villi from normal pregnancy (NP) and TP samples according to different gestational age, fetal sex, maternal age, and BMI. The results revealed that the relative mtDNAcn was significantly lower in the villi in the TP group compared with the NP cohort, which was negatively correlated with OS status. In the NP group, the mtDNAcn in the female subgroup was apparently lower than that in the male subgroup, while no statistical difference was found in the mtDNAcn in the TP group between the female and male subgroups. Moreover, the relative TL in the TP group was at a similar level to the NP group, and no statistical correlation was observed between relative TL and OS level. In summary, our findings indicate that the abnormal level of mtDNAcn rather than TL is correlated with TP, which provides new insights into the mechanism of TP.
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15
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Telomere erosion as a placental clock: From placental pathologies to adverse pregnancy outcomes. Placenta 2020; 97:101-107. [PMID: 32792055 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2020.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The placenta provides nutritional and gas exchange between fetus and mother. Early in pregnancy, placental trophoblasts proliferate rapidly and invade aggressively. As pregnancy progresses, placental cells begin to age. Indeed, pregnancy itself has a tightly regulated duration, determined in large part by placental lifespan. Late in pregnancy, placental cells reach a senescent apoptotic state, activated by a number of intrinsic and extrinsic factors, including oxidative stress (OS), and DNA damage. Pregnancy complications, stillbirths and neonatal deaths have been related to OS and abnormal placental aging. Telomeres, the protective nucleoprotein structures at the ends of linear chromosomes, shorten both from cell replication and from exposure to OS. When telomeres become critically short they trigger cell cycle arrest and eventually cell death. Telomere attrition thus provide an intrinsic mechanism to explain tissue senescence and aging. Mounting evidence suggests that senescence of placental and fetal membrane cells results from telomere attrition. We review the studies that have addressed the role of telomere length (TL) in placentas from normal and complicated pregnancies, including pre-eclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, gestational diabetes, and stillbirth. To date studies have uncovered associations between TL and a number of obstetrical complications. Future research is needed to determine whether these associations are causative, i.e. whether these clinical conditions result from telomere dysfunction, and whether particular features of telomeres, e.g. mean or shortest length, etc. could serve as clinically useful biomarkers of placental health.
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Niu Z, Li K, Xie C, Wen X. Adverse Birth Outcomes and Birth Telomere Length: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Pediatr 2019; 215:64-74.e6. [PMID: 31630890 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2019.08.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Revised: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To synthesize previous findings on the difference in birth telomere length between newborns with and without intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) or with and without preterm birth. STUDY DESIGN We systematically searched 3 databases (PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science) for publications that examined the relationships of IUGR or preterm birth with birth telomere length. We conducted meta-analysis to pool the estimated difference in birth telomere length either between IUGR and non-IUGR or between preterm birth and full-term birth. Subgroup analyses were conducted by tissues (newborn blood vs placenta) and techniques used for telomere length measurement (quantitative polymerase chain reaction [qPCR] vs telomere restriction fragment). RESULTS We included 11 articles on comparing birth telomere length between IUGR (combined n = 227) and non-IUGR (n = 1897) and 7 articles on comparing birth telomere length between preterm birth (n = 182) and full-term birth (n = 1320). We found IUGR was associated with shorter birth telomere length only when birth telomere length was measured in placenta (pooled standardized mean difference [SMD] = -0.85; 95% CI -1.13 to -0.57; IUGR/non-IUGR n = 87/173), but not in newborn blood (pooled SMD = 0.00, 95% CI -0.18 to 0.19; IUGR/non-IUGR n = 148/1733). Birth telomere length was significantly longer in preterm birth than in full-term birth when birth telomere length was measured by qPCR (pooled SMD = 0.40, 95% CI 0.18-0.63; preterm birth/full-term birth n = 137/682) but not by telomere restriction fragment (pooled SMD = 0.05, 95% CI -0.29 to 0.38; preterm birth/full-term birth n = 44/444). CONCLUSIONS IUGR is associated with shorter placental telomere length and preterm birth is associated with longer birth telomere length measured by qPCR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongzheng Niu
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
| | - Karen Li
- Division of Behavioral Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY; College of Health Professions, Lienhard School of Nursing, Pace University, New York, NY
| | - Chuanbo Xie
- Department of Cancer Prevention Research, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Xiaozhong Wen
- Division of Behavioral Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY.
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Placental Ageing in Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: Telomere Shortening, Cell Senescence, and Mitochondrial Dysfunction. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2019; 2019:3095383. [PMID: 31249642 PMCID: PMC6556237 DOI: 10.1155/2019/3095383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Preeclampsia is a multisystemic pregnancy disorder and a major cause of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. The exact pathophysiology of preeclampsia remains unclear; however, it is speculated that the various pathologies can be attributed to impaired vascular remodelling and elevated oxidative stress within the placenta. Oxidative stress plays a key role in cell ageing, and the persistent presence of elevated oxidative stress precipitates cellular senescence and mitochondrial dysfunction, resulting in premature ageing of the placenta. Premature ageing of the placenta is associated with placental insufficiency, which reduces the functional capacity of this critical organ and leads to abnormal pregnancy outcomes. The changes brought about by oxidative insults are irreversible and often lead to deleterious modifications in macromolecules such as lipids and proteins, DNA mutations, and alteration of mitochondrial functioning and dynamics. In this review, we have summarized the current knowledge of placental ageing in the aetiology of adverse pregnancy outcomes and discussed the hallmarks of ageing which could be potential markers for preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction.
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18
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Paules C, Dantas AP, Miranda J, Crovetto F, Eixarch E, Rodriguez-Sureda V, Dominguez C, Casu G, Rovira C, Nadal A, Crispi F, Gratacós E. Premature placental aging in term small-for-gestational-age and growth-restricted fetuses. ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY 2019; 53:615-622. [PMID: 30125412 DOI: 10.1002/uog.20103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2018] [Revised: 07/26/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To perform a comprehensive assessment of the placental aging process in small term fetuses classified as being small-for-gestational age (SGA) or having fetal growth restriction (FGR) through analysis of senescence and apoptosis markers. METHODS This was a prospective nested case-control study of singleton pregnancies delivered at term, including 21 control pregnancies with normally grown fetuses and 36 with a small fetus classified as SGA (birth weight between the 3rd and 9th percentiles and normal fetoplacental Doppler; n = 18) or FGR (birth weight < 3rd percentile and/or abnormal cerebroplacental ratio and/or uterine artery Doppler; n = 18). Telomerase activity, telomere length (quantified by comparing the amount of amplification product for the telomere sequence (T) to that of a single copy of the gene 36B4 (S)) and RNA expression of senescence (Sirtuins 1, 3 and 6) and apoptosis (p53, p21, BAX and Caspases 3 and 9) markers (analyzed using the 2-ΔΔCt method) were determined in placental samples collected at birth and compared between the three groups. RESULTS Compared to pregnancies with a normally grown fetus, both SGA and FGR pregnancies presented signs of accelerated placental aging, including lower telomerase activity (mean ± SD, 12.8 ± 6.6% in controls vs 7.98 ± 4.2% in SGA vs 7.79 ± 4.6% in FGR; P = 0.008), shorter telomeres (mean ± SD T/S ratio, 1.20 ± 0.6 in controls vs 1.08 ± 0.9 in SGA vs 0.66 ± 0.5 in FGR; P = 0.047) and reduced Sirtuin-1 RNA expression (mean ± SD 2-ΔΔCt , 1.55 ± 0.8 in controls vs 0.91 ± 0.8 in SGA vs 0.63 ± 0.5 in FGR; P = 0.001) together with increased p53 RNA expression (median (interquartile range) 2-ΔΔCt , 1.07 (0.3-3.3) in controls vs 5.39 (0.6-15) in SGA vs 3.75 (0.9-7.8) in FGR; P = 0.040). FGR cases presented signs of apoptosis, with increased Caspase-3 RNA levels (median (interquartile range) 2-ΔΔCt , 0.94 (0.7-1.7) in controls vs 3.98 (0.9-31) in FGR; P = 0.031) and Caspase-9 RNA levels (median (interquartile range) 2-ΔΔCt , 1.21 (0.6-4.0) in controls vs 3.87 (1.5-9.0) in FGR; P = 0.037) compared with controls. In addition, Sirtuin-1 RNA expression, telomerase activity, telomere length and Caspase-3 activity showed significant linear trends across groups as severity of the condition increased. CONCLUSIONS Accelerated placental aging was observed in both clinical forms of late-onset fetal smallness (SGA and FGR), supporting a common pathophysiology and challenging the concept of SGA fetuses being constitutionally small. Copyright © 2018 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Paules
- Fetal Medicine Research Center, BCNatal - Barcelona Center for Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Deu, ICGON, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - A P Dantas
- Cardiovascular Institut, Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - J Miranda
- Fetal Medicine Research Center, BCNatal - Barcelona Center for Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Deu, ICGON, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - F Crovetto
- Fetal Medicine Research Center, BCNatal - Barcelona Center for Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Deu, ICGON, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - E Eixarch
- Fetal Medicine Research Center, BCNatal - Barcelona Center for Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Deu, ICGON, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centre for Biomedical Research on Rare Disease (CIBER-ER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - V Rodriguez-Sureda
- Centre for Biomedical Research on Rare Disease (CIBER-ER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Research Centre for Nanomedicine, Hospital Univeritari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
| | - C Dominguez
- Centre for Biomedical Research on Rare Disease (CIBER-ER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Research Centre for Nanomedicine, Hospital Univeritari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
| | - G Casu
- Fetal Medicine Research Center, BCNatal - Barcelona Center for Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Deu, ICGON, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - C Rovira
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Sant Joan de Deu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
| | - A Nadal
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - F Crispi
- Fetal Medicine Research Center, BCNatal - Barcelona Center for Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Deu, ICGON, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centre for Biomedical Research on Rare Disease (CIBER-ER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - E Gratacós
- Fetal Medicine Research Center, BCNatal - Barcelona Center for Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Deu, ICGON, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centre for Biomedical Research on Rare Disease (CIBER-ER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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Christian LM. At the forefront of psychoneuroimmunology in pregnancy: Implications for racial disparities in birth outcomes: PART 2: Biological mechanisms. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 117:327-333. [PMID: 30885813 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2018] [Revised: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
As reviewed in Part 1 of this two part review, birth prior to full term is a substantial public health issue. In the US, ˜400,000 babies per year are born preterm (< 37 weeks), while>1 million are early term (37-386/7 weeks) and remarkable racial disparities in shortened gestation are observed among African Americans as compared to Whites. Biomechanisms linking stressor exposures with birth outcomes are increasingly being explicated. The current paper reviews the mechanistic role of maternal biological functioning in the link between behavioral exposures and birth outcomes. These include the inter-related roles of neuroendocrine function, inflammatory regulation, biological aging, and the microbiome. An integrative approach which addresses both behavioral and biological factors within the same study, carefully considers the role of race/ethnicity, and rigorously defines birth outcomes (e.g., spontaneous versus medically-indicated and inclusive of early term birth) is needed to move research in this field toward better mechanistic understanding and clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M Christian
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA; The Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA; Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
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Rafiee S, Tamandani DMK, Rigi MS, Ghanbari MA, Pouresmaeili F. Expression of hTERT in placenta of IUGR pregnancy in an Iranian population. Meta Gene 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mgene.2018.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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Cheng SB, Davis S, Sharma S. Maternal-fetal cross talk through cell-free fetal DNA, telomere shortening, microchimerism, and inflammation. Am J Reprod Immunol 2018; 79:e12851. [PMID: 29577468 PMCID: PMC5908740 DOI: 10.1111/aji.12851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
There exists a strong correlation between unscheduled inflammation at the maternal-fetal interface and the continuum of pregnancy complications. In normal pregnancy, immunological tolerance is established to protect the semi-allogeneic fetus. There has been extensive research on how the immunity, endovascular trophoblast migration, and hormonal nexus are orchestrated during pregnancy at the maternal-fetal interface to program a normal pregnancy outcome. It is not clear what contributes to the plasticity of uterine immune tolerance, fetal survial, and long-term post-partum health of the mother and the offspring. Old and new concepts have reemerged and emerged that include cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA), telomere shortening, microchimerism involving bidirectional migration of maternal and fetal cells, and pregnancy as a stress factor. The question is how these pathways converge in a gestational age-dependent manner to contribute to the health of the mother and the offspring later in life and respond to an array of inflammatory challenges. In this Review, we provide pertinent discussion on maternal-fetal cross talk through cffDNA, telomere shortening, and microchimerism in the context of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory settings, particularly how these pathways lead to normal and adverse pregnancy outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Bin Cheng
- Department of Pediatrics, Women and Infants’ Hospital of Rhode Island, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Sarah Davis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women and Infants’ Hospital of Rhode Island, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Surendra Sharma
- Department of Pediatrics, Women and Infants’ Hospital of Rhode Island, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
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Sultana Z, Maiti K, Dedman L, Smith R. Is there a role for placental senescence in the genesis of obstetric complications and fetal growth restriction? Am J Obstet Gynecol 2018; 218:S762-S773. [PMID: 29275823 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2017.11.567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Revised: 10/23/2017] [Accepted: 11/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The placenta ages as pregnancy advances, yet its continued function is required for a successful pregnancy outcome. Placental aging is a physiological phenomenon; however, there are some placentas that show signs of aging earlier than others. Premature placental senescence and aging are implicated in a number of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including fetal growth restriction, preeclampsia, spontaneous preterm birth, and intrauterine fetal death. Here we discuss cellular senescence, a state of terminal proliferation arrest, and how senescence is regulated. We also explore the role of physiological placental senescence and how aberrant placental senescence alters placental function, contributing to the pathophysiology of fetal growth restriction, preeclampsia, spontaneous preterm labor/birth, and unexplained fetal death.
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Garcia-Martin I, Janssen AB, Jones RE, Grimstead JW, Penketh RJA, Baird DM, John RM. Telomere length heterogeneity in placenta revealed with high-resolution telomere length analysis. Placenta 2017; 59:61-68. [PMID: 29108638 PMCID: PMC5687939 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2017.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Revised: 09/14/2017] [Accepted: 09/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Telomeres, are composed of tandem repeat sequences located at the ends of chromosomes and are required to maintain genomic stability. Telomeres can become shorter due to cell division and specific lifestyle factors. Critically shortened telomeres are linked to cellular dysfunction, senescence and aging. A number of studies have used low resolution techniques to assess telomere length in the placenta. In this study, we applied Single Telomere Length Analysis (STELA) which provides high-resolution chromosome specific telomere length profiles to ask whether we could obtain more detailed information on the length of individual telomeres in the placenta. METHODS Term placentas (37-42 weeks) were collected from women delivering at University Hospital of Wales or Royal Gwent Hospital within 2 h of delivery. Multiple telomere-length distributions were determined using STELA. Intraplacental variation of telomere length was analysed (N = 5). Telomere length distributions were compared between labouring (N = 10) and non-labouring (N = 11) participants. Finally, telomere length was compared between female (N = 17) and male (N = 20) placenta. RESULTS There were no significant influences of sampling site, mode of delivery or foetal sex on the telomere-length distributions obtained. The mean telomere length was 7.7 kb ranging from 5.0 kb to 11.7 kb across all samples (N = 42) and longer compared with other human tissues at birth. STELA also revealed considerable telomere length heterogeneity within samples. CONCLUSIONS We have shown that STELA can be used to study telomere length homeostasis in the placenta regardless of sampling site, mode of delivery and foetal sex. Moreover, as each amplicon is derived from a single telomeric molecule, from a single cell, STELA can reveal the full detail of telomere-length distributions, including telomeres within the length ranges observed in senescent cells. STELA thus provides a new tool to interrogate the relationship between telomere length and pregnancy complications linked to placental dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Garcia-Martin
- Division of Biomedicine, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales CF10 3AX, UK
| | - A B Janssen
- Division of Biomedicine, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales CF10 3AX, UK
| | - R E Jones
- Division of Cancer and Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales CF14 4XN, UK
| | - J W Grimstead
- Division of Cancer and Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales CF14 4XN, UK
| | - R J A Penketh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital Wales, Cardiff, Wales CF14 4XW, UK
| | - D M Baird
- Division of Cancer and Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales CF14 4XN, UK
| | - R M John
- Division of Biomedicine, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales CF10 3AX, UK.
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Lee SP, Hande P, Yeo GS, Tan EC. Correlation of cord blood telomere length with birth weight. BMC Res Notes 2017; 10:469. [PMID: 28886728 PMCID: PMC5591543 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-017-2791-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Intrauterine growth restriction affects 3% of newborns; and the lightest 10% of whom are classified as small for gestational age (SGA). These low-birth weight newborns are at increased risk of neonatal morbidity such as hypoxia and hypoglycaemia. In later life, they are at higher risk of several age-related diseases such as cardiovascular and metabolic disorders and dementia. As having short telomeres is also associated with these diseases, we tested if these newborns might already start with shorter telomeres at birth. Findings Relative telomere lengths were determined using quantitative real-time PCR in cord blood samples from 195 newborns of Chinese ancestry. Based on the telomere length normalised to a single copy gene and a reference DNA sample as internal control, we found statistically significant correlations between relative telomere length and both unadjusted and gestational age-adjusted birth weight, with the lighter newborns having shorter telomeres. The SGA birth weight group comprising the bottom 10% of the samples also had the shortest telomeres compared to the medium and heaviest birth weight groups. Conclusions Our results indicate that there is reduction of cord blood telomere length for newborns with lower birth weight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siew-Peng Lee
- Research Laboratory, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, 100 Bukit Timah Road, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Prakash Hande
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - George Sh Yeo
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ene-Choo Tan
- Research Laboratory, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, 100 Bukit Timah Road, Singapore, Singapore. .,Paediatrics Academic Clinical Programme, SingHealth Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.
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Zinková A, Marová D, Koperdáková J, Mirchi TP, Korabečná M, Jirkovská M. Relative amount of telomeric sequences in terminal villi does not differ between normal term placentas and placentas from patients with well-controlled type 1 diabetes mellitus. Placenta 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2017.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Jones CW, Gambala C, Esteves KC, Wallace M, Schlesinger R, O'Quinn M, Kidd L, Theall KP, Drury SS. Differences in placental telomere length suggest a link between racial disparities in birth outcomes and cellular aging. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2017; 216:294.e1-294.e8. [PMID: 27865975 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2016.11.1027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2016] [Revised: 10/26/2016] [Accepted: 11/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Health disparities begin early in life and persist across the life course. Despite current efforts, black women exhibit greater risk for pregnancy complications and negative perinatal outcomes compared with white women. The placenta, which is a complex multi-tissue organ, serves as the primary transducer of bidirectional information between the mother and fetus. Altered placental function is linked to multiple racially disparate pregnancy complications; however, little is known about racial differences in molecular factors within the placenta. Several pregnancy complications, which include preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction, exhibit racial disparities and are associated with shorter placental telomere length, which is an indicator of cellular stress and aging. Cellular senescence and telomere dynamics are linked to the molecular mechanisms that are associated with the onset of labor and parturition. Further, racial differences in telomere length are found in a range of different peripheral tissues. Together these factors suggest that exploration of racial differences in telomere length of the placenta may provide novel mechanistic insight into racial disparities in birth outcomes. OBJECTIVE This study examined whether telomere length measured in 4 distinct fetally derived tissues were significantly different between black and white women. The study had 2 hypotheses: (1) that telomere length that is measured in different placental tissue types would be correlated and (2) that across all sampled tissues telomere length would differ by race. STUDY DESIGN In a prospective study, placental tissue samples were collected from the amnion, chorion, villus, and umbilical cord from black and white singleton pregnancies (N=46). Telomere length was determined with the use of monochrome multiplex quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in each placental tissue. Demographic and pregnancy-related data were also collected. Descriptive statistics characterized the sample overall and among black and white women separately. The overall impact of race was assessed by multilevel mixed-effects linear regression models that included empirically relevant covariates. RESULTS Telomere length was correlated significantly across all placental tissues. Pairwise analyses of placental tissue telomere length revealed significantly longer telomere length in the amnion compared with the chorion (t=-2.06; P=.043). Overall telomere length measured in placenta samples from black mothers were significantly shorter than those from white mothers (β=-0.09; P=.04). Controlling for relevant maternal and infant characteristics strengthened the significance of the observed racial differences (β=-0.12; P=.02). Within tissue analyses revealed that the greatest difference by race was found in chorionic telomere length (t=-2.81; P=.007). CONCLUSION These findings provide the first evidence of racial differences in placental telomere length. Telomere length was significantly shorter in placental samples from black mothers compared with white mothers. Given previous studies that have reported that telomere length, cellular senescence, and telomere dynamics are molecular factors that contribute to the rupture of the amniotic sac, onset of labor, and parturition, our findings of shorter telomere length in placentas from black mothers suggest that accelerated cellular aging across placental tissues may be relevant to the increased risk of preterm delivery in black pregnancies. Our results suggest that racial differences in cellular aging in the placenta contribute to the earliest roots of health disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cecilia Gambala
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA
| | - Kyle C Esteves
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA
| | - Maeve Wallace
- Department of Global Community Health and Behavioral Sciences, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA
| | | | | | - Laura Kidd
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA
| | - Katherine P Theall
- Department of Global Community Health and Behavioral Sciences, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA
| | - Stacy S Drury
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA.
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Al-Qaraghouli M, Fang YMV. Effect of Fetal Sex on Maternal and Obstetric Outcomes. Front Pediatr 2017; 5:144. [PMID: 28674684 PMCID: PMC5476168 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2017.00144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2016] [Accepted: 06/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal sex plays an important role in modifying the course and complications related to pregnancy and may also have an impact on maternal health and well-being both during and after pregnancy. The goal of this article is to review and summarize the findings from published research on physiologic and pathologic changes that may be affected by fetal sex and the effect of these changes on the maternal and obstetrical outcomes. This will help create awareness that fetal sex is not just a random chance event but an interactive process between the mother, the placenta, and the fetus. The reported effects of male sex on the course of pregnancy and delivery include higher incidence of preterm labor in singletons and twins, failure of progression in labor, true umbilical cord knots, cord prolapse, nuchal cord, higher cesarean section rate, higher heart rate variability with increased frequency, and duration of decelerations without acidemia and increased risk of gestational diabetes mellitus through the poor beta cells function. Similarly, female fetal sex has been reported to modify pregnancy and delivery outcomes including altered fetal cardiac hemodynamics, increased hypertensive diseases of pregnancy, higher vulnerability of developing type 2 DM after pregnancy possibly because of influences on increased maternal insulin resistance. Placental function is also influenced by fetal sex. Vitamin D metabolism in the placenta varies by fetal sex; and the placenta of a female fetus is more responsive to the relaxing action of magnesium sulfate. Male and female feto-placental units also vary in their responses to environmental toxin exposure. The association of fetal sex with stillbirths is controversial with many studies reporting higher risk of stillbirth in male fetuses; although some smaller and limited studies have reported more stillbirths with female fetus pregnancies. Maternal status such as BMI may in turn also affect the fetus and the placenta in a sex-specific manner. There is probably a sex-specific maternal-placental-fetal interaction that has significant biological implications of which the mechanisms may be genetic, epigenetic, or hormonal. Determination of fetal sex may therefore be an important consideration in management of pregnancy and childbirth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Al-Qaraghouli
- Department Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division Maternal-Fetal Medicine, UConn Health John Dempsey Hospital, Farmington, CT, United States
| | - Yu Ming Victor Fang
- Department Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division Maternal-Fetal Medicine, UConn Health John Dempsey Hospital, Farmington, CT, United States
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Wilson SL, Liu Y, Robinson WP. Placental telomere length decline with gestational age differs by sex and TERT, DNMT1, and DNMT3A DNA methylation. Placenta 2016; 48:26-33. [PMID: 27871469 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2016.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2016] [Revised: 09/22/2016] [Accepted: 10/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Telomere length (TL) has been suggested to be influenced by inherited genetic and epigenetic variation, hormonal effects, oxidative stress and age. However, the dynamics of TL during in utero development have not been well explored. This study investigates the relationship between placental TL and sex, gestational age (GA), and DNA methylation (DNAm). Placental TL is further evaluated in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia (PE) and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), conditions hypothesized to lead to decreased placental TL due to increased oxidative stress. METHODS Average TL in 21 early-onset PE (EOPE), 18 late-onset PE (LOPE), 9 IUGR, 59 viable and 33 non-viable control placentas were measured by qPCR. Of these, 13 control, 20 EOPE, 17 LOPE, and 8 IUGR samples were also run on the Illumina 450K array. ANOVA was used to compare TL between controls and EOPE, LOPE, and IUGR. Linear regression correcting for GA and sex, assessed the association between TL and DNAm in biologically-relevant genes (TERC, TERT, DNMT1, DNMT3a, DNMT3b), and array-wide. RESULTS Male sex and increasing GA were associated with shorter placental TL. Correcting for these factors, no significant difference in TL was observed between EOPE, LOPE, and IUGR placentas compared to controls. Targeted analysis revealed TL was associated with DNAm at TERT, DNMT1, and DNMT3a. An array-wide approach found no additional sites associated with TL. CONCLUSION Variability in placental TL is associated with alterations in DNAm at TERT, DNMT1, and DNMT3a. Placental TL is not strongly influenced by EOPE, LOPE, or IUGR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha L Wilson
- BC Children's Hospital Research, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4 Canada; Dept. of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, C201-4500 Oak St, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3N1 Canada.
| | - Yao Liu
- BC Children's Hospital Research, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4 Canada; Dept. of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, C201-4500 Oak St, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3N1 Canada.
| | - Wendy P Robinson
- BC Children's Hospital Research, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4 Canada; Dept. of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, C201-4500 Oak St, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3N1 Canada.
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Workalemahu T, Enquobahrie DA, Yohannes E, Sanchez SE, Gelaye B, Qiu C, Williams MA. Placental telomere length and risk of placental abruption. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2016; 29:2767-72. [PMID: 26611732 PMCID: PMC4984533 DOI: 10.3109/14767058.2015.1103224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2015] [Revised: 09/29/2015] [Accepted: 09/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the associations of placental telomere length with placental abruption (PA) risk and interactions between placental telomere length and placental mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number on PA risk. MATERIALS AND METHODS Relative telomere length and mtDNA copy number in placental samples collected from 105 cases and 73 controls were measured in two batches using qRT-PCR. Mean differences in relative telomere length between PA cases and controls were examined. After creating batch-specific median cutoffs for relative telomere length (84.92 and 102.53) and mtDNA copy number (2.32 and 1.42), interaction between the two variables was examined using stratified logistic regression models. RESULTS Adjusted mean difference in relative telomere length between PA cases and controls was -0.07 (p > 0.05). Among participants with low mtDNA copy number, participants with short relative telomere length had a 3.07-fold higher odds (95% CI: 1.13-8.38) of PA as compared with participants with long relative telomere length (the reference group). Among participants with high mtDNA copy number, participants with short relative telomere length had a 0.71-fold lower odds (95% CI: 0.28-1.83) of PA as compared with the reference group (interaction p values = 0.03). CONCLUSION Findings suggest complex relationships between placental telomere length, mtDNA copy number and PA risk which warrant further larger studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel A. Enquobahrie
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
- Center for Perinatal Studies, Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, Washington
| | - Ermias Yohannes
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | | | - Bizu Gelaye
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Chunfang Qiu
- Center for Perinatal Studies, Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, Washington
| | - Michelle A. Williams
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
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Sukenik-Halevy R, Amiel A, Kidron D, Liberman M, Ganor-Paz Y, Biron-Shental T. Telomere homeostasis in trophoblasts and in cord blood cells from pregnancies complicated with preeclampsia. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2016; 214:283.e1-283.e7. [PMID: 26321036 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2015.08.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2015] [Revised: 08/11/2015] [Accepted: 08/19/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Telomeres are nucleoprotein structures, essential for chromosome stability and cell survival. Telomeres are progressively shortened with each cell division and by environmental factors. Telomere loss has been linked to age and stress-induced premature senescence. Dysfunctional telomeres tend to form aggregates, which consist of the end-to-end fusion of telomeres. Telomere elongation is carried out by telomerase, which is a specific reverse transcriptase capable of adding telomeric repeats to chromosome termini. The TERC gene encodes the RNA template of the telomerase. Another compensatory mechanism that is enhanced in response to telomere shortening and senescence is the telomere capture (TC). Telomere shortening and elevated aggregate formation have been observed in trophoblasts from pregnancies complicated with preeclampsia (PE). OBJECTIVE We opted to study mechanisms of telomere shortening in trophoblasts from pregnancies complicated with PE and to assess telomere length and homeostasis in fetal cord blood cells from PE pregnancies. STUDY DESIGN Placental specimens and cord blood samples from uncomplicated pregnancies and from pregnancies complicated with PE were collected. Staining with 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole was used to assess nuclear fragmentation: senescence-associated heterochromatin foci (SAHF). Fluorescence in situ hybridization was used to evaluate TERC gene copy number and TC. Telomere length and aggregate formation were assessed in cord blood using quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization. Nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests were applied to test the differences between the study groups. RESULTS Nine samples from pregnant patients with PE without intrauterine growth restriction and 14 samples from uncomplicated pregnancies that served as controls were collected. In cord blood cells, no differences were observed in telomere length, aggregate formation, TERC copy number, TC, or SAHF between PE and controls. In PE trophoblasts the percentage of cells with SAHF was higher in PE trophoblasts compared to controls (56.8 SD = 10.5% vs 35.2 SD = 10.7%, P = .028). The percentage of cells with abnormal TERC copy number was increased in PE trophoblasts compared to controls (31 ± 3.6% vs 12.97 SD = 5%, P = .004) as well as the percentage of cells with TC (27.4 SD = 9.4% vs 16 SD = 4.67%, P = .028). CONCLUSION We suggest that telomere shortening in PE trophoblasts is linked to cellular increased senescence. Alterations in telomere homeostasis mechanisms are present in such cases. These findings support the role of telomeres in the pathogenesis of trophoblastic dysfunction in PE. The lack of telomere shortening, modified telomere homeostasis mechanisms, and increased senescence in cord blood from pregnancies complicated with PE suggests that these processes are probably restricted primarily to the placenta.
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Biron-Shental T, Sadeh-Mestechkin D, Amiel A. Telomere homeostasis in IUGR placentas - A review. Placenta 2016; 39:21-3. [PMID: 26992670 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2015.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2015] [Revised: 11/13/2015] [Accepted: 11/18/2015] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Telomeres are nucleoprotein structures located at the termini of chromosomes. They are essential for chromosome stability. Telomeres become shorter due to mitotic cycles and environmental factors. When telomeres are shortened and therefore dysfunctional, cellular senescence occurs and organ dysfunction might develop. During pregnancy, fetal growth restriction secondary to placental insufficiency has been linked to impaired telomere homeostasis in which telomeres are shorter, telomerase is decreased, and compensatory mechanisms of telomere capture are enhanced. These characteristics, along with increased signs of senescence, indicate telomere dysfunction in trophoblasts from placentas affected by intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). This review summarizes the information currently available regarding telomere homeostasis in trophoblasts from human pregnancies affected by IUGR. Improved understanding of placental physiology might help in the development of treatment options for fetuses with IUGR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tal Biron-Shental
- Department of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel; Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
| | - Dana Sadeh-Mestechkin
- Department of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel; Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Aliza Amiel
- Department of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel; Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Bijnens E, Zeegers MP, Gielen M, Kicinski M, Hageman GJ, Pachen D, Derom C, Vlietinck R, Nawrot TS. Lower placental telomere length may be attributed to maternal residential traffic exposure; a twin study. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2015; 79:1-7. [PMID: 25756235 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2015.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2014] [Revised: 01/09/2015] [Accepted: 02/13/2015] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND High variation in telomere length between individuals is already present before birth and is as wide among newborns as in adults. Environmental exposures likely have an impact on this observation, but remain largely unidentified. We hypothesize that placental telomere length in twins is associated with residential traffic exposure, an important environmental source of free radicals that might accelerate aging. Next, we intend to unravel the nature-nurture contribution to placental telomere length by estimating the heritability of placental telomere length. METHODS We measured the telomere length in placental tissues of 211 twins in the East Flanders Prospective Twin Survey. Maternal traffic exposure was determined using a geographic information system. Additionally, we estimated the relative importance of genetic and environmental sources of variance. RESULTS In this twin study, a variation in telomere length in the placental tissue was mainly determined by the common environment. Maternal residential proximity to a major road was associated with placental telomere length: a doubling in the distance to the nearest major road was associated with a 5.32% (95% CI: 1.90 to 8.86%; p=0.003) longer placental telomere length at birth. In addition, an interquartile increase (22%) in maternal residential surrounding greenness (5 km buffer) was associated with an increase of 3.62% (95% CI: 0.20 to 7.15%; p=0.04) in placental telomere length. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, we showed that maternal residential proximity to traffic and lower residential surrounding greenness is associated with shorter placental telomere length at birth. This may explain a significant proportion of air pollution-related adverse health outcomes starting from early life, since shortened telomeres accelerate the progression of many diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esmée Bijnens
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium; Department of Complex Genetics, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Maurice P Zeegers
- Department of Complex Genetics, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Marij Gielen
- Department of Complex Genetics, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Michal Kicinski
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Geja J Hageman
- Department of Toxicology, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Daniëlle Pachen
- Department of Toxicology, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Catherine Derom
- Centre of Human Genetics, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Robert Vlietinck
- Centre of Human Genetics, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tim S Nawrot
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium; Department of Public Health, Leuven University (KU Leuven), Kapucijnenvoer 35, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
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Toutain J, Prochazkova-Carlotti M, Horovitz J, Saura R, Merlio JP, Chevret E. Evaluation of Quantitative Fluorescence in situ Hybridization for Relative Measurement of Telomere Length in Placental Mesenchymal Core Cells. Gynecol Obstet Invest 2015; 81:54-60. [DOI: 10.1159/000381896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2014] [Accepted: 03/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Telomere length in the two extremes of abnormal fetal growth and the programming effect of maternal arterial hypertension. Sci Rep 2015; 5:7869. [PMID: 25598199 PMCID: PMC5379006 DOI: 10.1038/srep07869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2014] [Accepted: 12/12/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We tested the hypothesis that leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is associated with birth weight in both extremes of abnormal fetal growth: small (SGA) and large for gestational age newborns (LGA). Clinical and laboratory variables of the mothers and the neonates were explored; 45 newborns with appropriate weight for gestational age (AGA), 12 SGA and 12 LGA were included. Whether the differences might be explained by variation in OBFC1 (rs9419958) and CTC1 (rs3027234) genes associated with LTL was determined. A significant association between birth weight and LTL was observed; LTL was significantly shorter in LGA newborns (1.01 ± 0.12) compared with SGA (1.73 ± 0.19) p < 0.005, mean ± SE. Maternal (Spearman R = −0.6, p = 0.03) and neonatal LTL (R = −0.25, p = 0.03) were significantly and inversely correlated with maternal history of arterial hypertension in previous gestations. Neonatal LTL was not significantly associated with either rs9419950 or rs3027234, suggesting that the association between neonatal LTL and birth weight is not influenced by genetic variation in genes that modify the interindividual LTL. In conclusion, telomere biology seems to be modulated by abnormal fetal growth; modifications in telomere length might be programmed by an adverse environment in utero.
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Rosner M, Dar P, Reimers LL, McAndrew T, Gebb J. First-trimester 3D power Doppler of the uteroplacental circulation space and fetal growth restriction. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2014; 211:521.e1-8. [PMID: 24834864 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2014.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2014] [Revised: 04/11/2014] [Accepted: 05/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to compare the 3-dimensional power Doppler (3DPD) of the uteroplacental circulation space in the first trimester between women who subsequently deliver growth-restricted vs normally grown neonates. STUDY DESIGN This was a prospective observational study of singleton pregnancies at 11-14 weeks' gestation. The 3DPD indices, vascularization index, flow index, and vascularization flow index were determined on a uteroplacental circulation space sphere biopsy with the virtual organ computer-aided analysis program. Growth restriction was defined as a birthweight less than the 10th percentile for gestational age and was evaluated using both population-based and customized birth curves. RESULTS Five hundred seventy-seven women were enrolled. Five hundred twenty-six were eligible for analysis using population centiles, and 497 were available for evaluation using customized centiles. There was no difference in the first-trimester 3DPD indices between patients with growth-restricted and normally grown neonates using either curve. CONCLUSION Three-dimensional power Doppler indices of the uteroplacental circulation space in the first trimester are similar between neonates who develop growth restriction and those who will grow normally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mara Rosner
- Division of Fetal Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology Ultrasound, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Women's Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY.
| | - Pe'er Dar
- Division of Fetal Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology Ultrasound, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Women's Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY
| | - Laura L Reimers
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Women's Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY
| | - Thomas McAndrew
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Women's Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY
| | - Juliana Gebb
- Division of Fetal Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology Ultrasound, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Women's Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY
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United we stand not dividing: The syncytiotrophoblast and cell senescence. Placenta 2014; 35:341-4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2014.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2014] [Revised: 03/12/2014] [Accepted: 03/13/2014] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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