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Kallak TK, Serapio S, Visser N, Lager S, Skalkidou A, Ahlsson F. Differential gene expression in two consecutive pregnancies between same sex siblings and implications on maternal constraint. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4210. [PMID: 38378837 PMCID: PMC10879170 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54724-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to investigate how placental gene expression differs in two consecutive pregnancies in same sex siblings, and its possible association with the "maternal constraint" hypothesis. Material was gathered from the BASIC study (Biological, Affect, Stress, Imaging, and Cognition in Pregnancy and the Puerperium), a population based prospective study that was started in 2009 in Uppsala. Over 900 specimens of placenta biopsies were collected and out of these 10 women gave birth twice, to the same sex child, and were included in this study. The total RNA was isolated and prepared from frozen villous tissue from the placenta and further analyzed by use of Ion AmpliSeq Human Transcriptome Gene Expression kit. A total of 234 genes differed significantly between the first and second pregnancy placentas, when adjusting for delivery mode, maternal BMI and gestational age. Of special interest was the down-regulated group of genes in the second pregnancy. Exemplified by Pentraxin 3, SRY-Box Transcription Factor 9, and Serum Amyloid A1, which all were associated with biological processes involved in the immune system and inflammation. Further, protein-protein interaction analysis visualized them as hub genes interacting with several of the other differentially expressed genes. How these altered gene expressions affect maternal constraint during pregnancy needs further validation in lager study cohorts and also future validation in functional assays.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Solveig Serapio
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, 751 85, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Nadja Visser
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, 751 85, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Susanne Lager
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, 751 85, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Alkistis Skalkidou
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, 751 85, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Ahlsson
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, 751 85, Uppsala, Sweden
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Kirosingh AS, Delmastro A, Kakuru A, van der Ploeg K, Bhattacharya S, Press KD, Ty M, Parte LDL, Kizza J, Muhindo M, Devachanne S, Gamain B, Nankya F, Musinguzi K, Rosenthal PJ, Feeney ME, Kamya M, Dorsey G, Jagannathan P. Malaria-specific Type 1 regulatory T cells are more abundant in first pregnancies and associated with placental malaria. EBioMedicine 2023; 95:104772. [PMID: 37634385 PMCID: PMC10474374 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Malaria in pregnancy (MIP) causes higher morbidity in primigravid compared to multigravid women; however, the correlates and mechanisms underlying this gravidity-dependent protection remain incompletely understood. We aimed to compare the cellular immune response between primigravid and multigravid women living in a malaria-endemic region and assess for correlates of protection against MIP. METHODS We characterised the second trimester cellular immune response among 203 primigravid and multigravid pregnant women enrolled in two clinical trials of chemoprevention in eastern Uganda, utilizing RNA sequencing, flow cytometry, and functional assays. We compared responses across gravidity and determined associations with parasitaemia during pregnancy and placental malaria. FINDINGS Using whole blood RNA sequencing, no significant differentially expressed genes were identified between primigravid (n = 12) and multigravid (n = 11) women overall (log 2(FC) > 2, FDR < 0.1). However, primigravid (n = 49) women had higher percentages of malaria-specific, non-naïve CD4+ T cells that co-expressed IL-10 and IFNγ compared with multigravid (n = 85) women (p = 0.000023), and higher percentages of these CD4+ T cells were associated with greater risks of parasitaemia in pregnancy (Rs = 0.49, p = 0.001) and placental malaria (p = 0.0073). These IL-10 and IFNγ co-producing CD4+ T cells had a genomic signature of Tr1 cells, including expression of transcription factors cMAF and BATF and cell surface makers CTLA4 and LAG-3. INTERPRETATION Malaria-specific Tr1 cells were highly prevalent in primigravid Ugandan women, and their presence correlated with a higher risk of malaria in pregnancy. Understanding whether suppression of Tr1 cells plays a role in naturally acquired gravidity-dependent immunity may aid the development of new vaccines or treatments for MIP. FUNDING This work was funded by NIH (PO1 HD059454, U01 AI141308, U19 AI089674, U01 AI155325, U01 AI150741), the March of Dimes (Basil O'Connor award), and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP 1113682).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Abel Kakuru
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | | | | | - Maureen Ty
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Benoit Gamain
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM, BIGR, F-75014 Paris, France
| | | | | | | | | | - Moses Kamya
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda; Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
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Singh PP, Benayoun BA. Considerations for reproducible omics in aging research. NATURE AGING 2023; 3:921-930. [PMID: 37386258 PMCID: PMC10527412 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-023-00448-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Technical advancements over the past two decades have enabled the measurement of the panoply of molecules of cells and tissues including transcriptomes, epigenomes, metabolomes and proteomes at unprecedented resolution. Unbiased profiling of these molecular landscapes in the context of aging can reveal important details about mechanisms underlying age-related functional decline and age-related diseases. However, the high-throughput nature of these experiments creates unique analytical and design demands for robustness and reproducibility. In addition, 'omic' experiments are generally onerous, making it crucial to effectively design them to eliminate as many spurious sources of variation as possible as well as account for any biological or technical parameter that may influence such measures. In this Perspective, we provide general guidelines on best practices in the design and analysis of omic experiments in aging research from experimental design to data analysis and considerations for long-term reproducibility and validation of such studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Param Priya Singh
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Bakar Aging Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Bérénice A Benayoun
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Molecular and Computational Biology Department, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine Department, USC Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- USC Stem Cell Initiative, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Wright ML, Goin DE, Smed MK, Jewell NP, Nelson JL, Olsen J, Hetland ML, Zoffmann V, Jawaheer D. Pregnancy-associated systemic gene expression compared to a pre-pregnancy baseline, among healthy women with term pregnancies. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1161084. [PMID: 37342349 PMCID: PMC10277629 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1161084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Pregnancy is known to induce extensive biological changes in the healthy mother. Little is known, however, about what these changes are at the molecular level. We have examined systemic expression changes in protein-coding genes and long non-coding (lnc) RNAs during and after pregnancy, compared to before pregnancy, among healthy women with term pregnancies. Methods Blood samples were collected from 14 healthy women enrolled in our prospective pregnancy cohort at 7 time-points (before, during and after pregnancy). Total RNA from frozen whole blood was used for RNA sequencing. Following raw read alignment and assembly, gene-level counts were obtained for protein-coding genes and long non-coding RNAs. At each time-point, cell type proportions were estimated using deconvolution. To examine associations between pregnancy status and gene expression over time, Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) models were fitted, adjusting for age at conception, and with and without adjusting for changes in cell type proportions. Fold-changes in expression at each trimester were examined relative to the pre-pregnancy baseline. Results Numerous immune-related genes demonstrated pregnancy-associated expression, in a time-dependent manner. The genes that demonstrated the largest changes in expression included several that were neutrophil-related (over-expressed) and numerous immunoglobulin genes (under-expressed). Estimated cell proportions revealed a marked increase in neutrophils, and less so of activated CD4 memory T cells, during pregnancy, while most other cell type proportions decreased or remained unchanged. Adjusting for cell type proportions in our model revealed that although most of the expression changes were due to changes in cell type proportions in the bloodstream, transcriptional regulation was also involved, especially in down-regulating expression of type I interferon inducible genes. Conclusion Compared to a pre-pregnancy baseline, there were extensive systemic changes in cell type proportions, gene expression and biological pathways associated with different stages of pregnancy and postpartum among healthy women. Some were due to changes in cell type proportions and some due to gene regulation. In addition to providing insight into term pregnancy among healthy women, these findings also provide a "normal" reference for abnormal pregnancies and for autoimmune diseases that improve or worsen during pregnancy, to assess deviations from normal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew L. Wright
- Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute, Oakland, CA, United States
- Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Dana E. Goin
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | | | - Nicholas P. Jewell
- Department of Medical Statistics, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - J. Lee Nelson
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Jørn Olsen
- Department of Epidemiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Merete Lund Hetland
- DANBIO Registry and Copenhagen Centre for Arthritis Research, Centre for Rheumatology and Spine Diseases, Rigshospitalet, Glostrup, Denmark
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Vibeke Zoffmann
- Juliane Marie Centeret, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Damini Jawaheer
- Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute, Oakland, CA, United States
- Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
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Holt WV, Fazeli A, Otero-Ferrer F. Sperm transport and male pregnancy in seahorses: An unusual model for reproductive science. Anim Reprod Sci 2022; 246:106854. [PMID: 34579988 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2021.106854] [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: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The Syngnathidae (seahorses and pipefishes) are a group of teleost fishes in which, uniquely, developing embryos are hosted throughout pregnancy by males, using a specialized brood pouch situated on the abdomen or tail. Seahorses have evolved the most advanced form of brood pouch, whereby zygotes and embryos are intimately connected to the host's circulatory system and also bathed in pouch fluid. The pouch is closed to the external environment and has to perform functions such as gaseous exchange, removal of waste and maintenance of appropriate osmotic conditions, much like the mammalian placenta. Fertilization of the oocytes occurs within the brood pouch, but unlike the mammalian situation the sperm transport mechanism from the ejaculatory duct towards the pouch is unclear, and the sperm: egg ratio (about 5:1) is possibly the least of any vertebrate. In this review, there is highlighting of the difficulty of elucidating the sperm transport mechanism, based on studies of Hippocampus kuda. The similarities between seahorse pouch function and the mammalian placenta have led to suggestions that the pouch provides important nutritional support for the developing embryos, supplementing the nutritional functions of the yolk sac provided by the oocytes. In this review, there is a description of the recent evidence in support of this hypothesis, and also emphasis, as in mammals, that embryonic development depends on nutritional support from the placenta-like pouch at important stages of the gestational period ("critical windows").
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Affiliation(s)
- William V Holt
- Academic Unit of Reproductive and Developmental Medicine, Department of Oncology and Metabolism, University of Sheffield, Level 4, Jessop Wing, Tree Root Walk, Sheffield S10 2SF, UK.
| | - Alireza Fazeli
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia; Department of Pathophysiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tartu University, Tartu, Estonia; Academic Unit of Reproductive and Developmental Medicine, Department of Oncology and Metabolism, Medical School, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Francisco Otero-Ferrer
- University Institute of Sustainable Aquaculture and Marine Ecosystems (IU ECOAQUA) Scientific and Technological Marine Park, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35200, Spain
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Sozoniuk M, Jamioł M, Kankofer M, Kowalczyk K. Reference gene selection in bovine caruncular epithelial cells under pregnancy-associated hormones exposure. Sci Rep 2022; 12:12742. [PMID: 35882953 PMCID: PMC9325760 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-17069-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Examination of transcriptional regulation occurring during pregnancy establishment and maintenance requires the identification of endogenous reference genes characterized by high expression stability. Since the expression of some reference genes may be modulated by pregnancy-associated hormones, the goal of our study was to identify suitable reference genes unaffected by hormonal treatment. In our study bovine caruncular epithelial cells were subjected to progesterone, estrogen and prostaglandin F2α treatment. Ten candidate reference genes (ACTR1A, CNOT11, HDAC1, HPRT1, RPL19, RPS9, SDHA, SUZ12, UXT and ZNF131) were evaluated with the use of four approaches (geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, delta Ct). We found that RPS9 and SUZ12 displayed the highest expression stability in the tested material. Moreover, HPRT1 and SDHA were found inappropriate for RT-qPCR data normalization as they demonstrated the highest expression variability out of all candidates analysed. Hence geNorm calculations shown that the use of just two best-performing genes would be sufficient for obtaining reliable results, we propose that RPS9 and SUZ12 be used as suitable endogenous controls in future studies investigating gene expression in normal and compromised pregnancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Sozoniuk
- Institute of Plant Genetics, Breeding and Biotechnology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka Street 15, 20-950, Lublin, Poland
| | - Monika Jamioł
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Science in Lublin, Akademicka Street 12, 20-033, Lublin, Poland.
| | - Marta Kankofer
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Science in Lublin, Akademicka Street 12, 20-033, Lublin, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Kowalczyk
- Institute of Plant Genetics, Breeding and Biotechnology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka Street 15, 20-950, Lublin, Poland
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Basingab F, Alsaiary A, Almontashri S, Alrofaidi A, Alharbi M, Azhari S, Algothmi K, Alhazmi S. Alterations in Immune-Related Defensin Alpha 4 ( DEFA4) Gene Expression in Health and Disease. Int J Inflam 2022; 2022:9099136. [PMID: 35668817 PMCID: PMC9167129 DOI: 10.1155/2022/9099136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Defensin Alpha 4 (DEFA4) is the fourth member of the Alpha Defensins family known as a part of antimicrobial peptides in the innate immune system. DEFA4 has a strong preference to kill Gram-negative bacteria more than Gram-positive bacteria. In addition, DEFA4 exhibits antiviral activity against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in vitro. Moreover, DEFA4 can act as an inhibitor of corticosterone production (Corticostatin). On the other hand, alternations in DEFA4 gene expression have been reported in different disorders such as diseases related to inflammation and immunity dysfunction, brain-related disorders, and various cancers. The up-regulation of DEFA4 appears to be involved in the malignant transformation or aggressive form of cancer. Interestingly, the modified version of DEFA4 fragment (1-11) was potent and efficient against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This review provides a general background abSaudi Arabia out DEFA4 and sheds light on changes in DEFA4 gene expression in different diseases. The paper also discusses other aspects related to DEFA4 as an antimicrobial and antiviral agent. The research was conducted based on available articles obtained from databases starting from 1988 to the present.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemah Basingab
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Immunology Unit, King Fahad for Medical Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abeer Alsaiary
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Biology Department, College of Sciences, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shahad Almontashri
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Aisha Alrofaidi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mona Alharbi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sheren Azhari
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khloud Algothmi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Safiah Alhazmi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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Ryan CP, Jones MJ, Edgar RD, Lee NR, Kobor MS, McDade TW, Kuzawa CW. Immune cell type and DNA methylation vary with reproductive status in women: possible pathways for costs of reproduction. Evol Med Public Health 2022; 10:47-58. [PMID: 35169479 PMCID: PMC8841013 DOI: 10.1093/emph/eoac003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Consistent with evolutionarily theorized costs of reproduction (CoR), reproductive history in women is associated with life expectancy and susceptibility to certain cancers, autoimmune disorders and metabolic disease. Immunological changes originating during reproduction may help explain some of these relationships. Methodology To explore the potential role of the immune system in female CoR, we characterized leukocyte composition and regulatory processes using DNA methylation (DNAm) in a cross-sectional cohort of young (20–22 years old) women differing in reproductive status. Results Compared to nulliparity, pregnancy was characterized by differential methylation at 828 sites, 96% of which were hypomethylated and enriched for genes associated with T-cell activation, innate immunity, pre-eclampsia and neoplasia. Breastfeeding was associated with differential methylation at 1107 sites (71% hypermethylated), enriched for genes involved in metabolism, immune self-recognition and neurogenesis. There were no significant differences in DNAm between nulliparous and parous women. However, compared to nullipara, pregnant women had lower proportions of B, CD4T, CD8T and natural killer (NK) cells, and higher proportions of granulocytes and monocytes. Monocyte counts were lower and NK counts higher among breastfeeding women, and remained so among parous women. Implications Our findings point to widespread differences in DNAm during pregnancy and lactation. These effects appear largely transient, but may accumulate with gravidity become detectable as women age. Nulliparous and parous women differed in leukocyte composition, consistent with more persistent effects of reproduction on cell type. These findings support transient (leukocyte DNAm) and persistent (cell composition) changes associated with reproduction in women, illuminating potential pathways contributing to CoR. Lay Summary: Evolutionary theory and epidemiology support costs of reproduction (CoR) to women’s health that may involve changes in immune function. We report differences in immune cell composition and gene regulation during pregnancy and breastfeeding. While many of these differences appear transient, immune cell composition may remain, suggesting mechanisms for female CoR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calen P Ryan
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Meaghan J Jones
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada.,Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada
| | | | - Nanette R Lee
- University of San Carlos Office of Population Studies Foundation Inc., Cebu City 6000, Philippines
| | - Michael S Kobor
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada.,Child and Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, ON M5G 1Z8, Canada
| | - Thomas W McDade
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.,Child and Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, ON M5G 1Z8, Canada.,Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Christopher W Kuzawa
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.,Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
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9
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Berruien NNA, Murray JF, Smith CL. Pregnancy influences the selection of appropriate reference genes in mouse tissue: Determination of appropriate reference genes for quantitative reverse transcription PCR studies in tissues from the female mouse reproductive axis. Gene 2021; 801:145855. [PMID: 34293448 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2021.145855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Selecting stably expressed reference genes which are not affected by physiological or pathophysiological conditions is crucial for reliable quantification in gene expression studies. This study examined the expression stability of a panel of twelve reference genes in tissues from the female mouse reproductive axis and the uterus. Gene expression studies were carried out using reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). cDNA was synthesised from RNA extracted from hypothalami, pituitaries, ovaries and uteri of female mice at ages representing weaning, puberty and adulthood as well as pregnancy (13 ± 1 days post-coitus) (n = a minimum of 3 at each age and at pregnancy). The reference genes examined included 18 s, Actb, Atp5b, B2m, Canx, Cyc1, Eif4a2, Gapdh, Rpl13a, Sdha, Ubc and Ywhaz. The RT-qPCR raw data were imported into the qBASE+ software to analyse the expression stability using GeNorm. These data were also subsequently analysed using other software packages (Delta CT, Normfinder, BestKeeper). A comprehensive ranking was conducted considering all stability rankings generated from the different software analyses. B2m and Eif4a2 deviated from the acceptable range for amplification efficiency and therefore were excluded from the further analyses. The stability of the reference genes is influenced by the software used for the analysis with BestKeeper providing markedly different results than the other analyses. GeNorm analysis of tissues taken at different ages but not including pregnant animals, indicated that the expression of the reference genes is tissue specific with the most stable genes being: in the hypothalamus, Canx and Actb; in the pituitary, Sdha and Cyc1; in the ovary, 18s, Sdha and Ubc; and in the uterus, Ywhaz, Cyc1, Atp5b, 18s and Rpl13a. The optimal number of reference genes to be used was determined to be 2 in the first three tissues while in the uterus, the V-score generated by the GeNorm analysis was higher than 0.15 suggesting that 3 or more genes should be used for normalisation. Inclusion of tissues from pregnant mice changed the reference genes identified as being the most stable: Ubc and Sdha were the most stable genes in the hypothalamus, pituitary and the ovary. The addition of pregnant tissue had no effect on the stability of the genes in uterus (Ywhaz, Cyc1, Atp5b, 18s and Rpl13a). Identification of these stable reference genes will be of use to those interested in studying female fertility and researchers should be alert to the effects of pregnancy on reference gene stability. This study also signifies the importance of re-examining reference gene stability if the experimental conditions are changed, as shown with the introduction of pregnancy as a new factor in this research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nasrin N A Berruien
- University of Westminster, School of Life Sciences, 115 New Cavendish Street, London W1W 6UW, United Kingdom
| | - Joanne F Murray
- University of Edinburgh, Centre for Discovery Brain Science, Hugh Robson Building, 15 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, United Kingdom
| | - Caroline L Smith
- University of Westminster, School of Life Sciences, 115 New Cavendish Street, London W1W 6UW, United Kingdom.
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10
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Behura SK, Kelleher AM, Spencer TE. Regulation of uterine genes during the peri‐implantation period, and its relationship to the maternal brain in gestating mice. Mol Reprod Dev 2020; 87:482-492. [DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Susanta K. Behura
- Division of Animal SciencesUniversity of MissouriColumbia Missouri
- Institute for Data Science and InformaticsUniversity of MissouriColumbia Missouri
| | | | - Thomas E. Spencer
- Division of Animal SciencesUniversity of MissouriColumbia Missouri
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's HealthUniversity of MissouriColumbia Missouri
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11
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Duarte-Guterman P, Leuner B, Galea LAM. The long and short term effects of motherhood on the brain. Front Neuroendocrinol 2019; 53:100740. [PMID: 30826374 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2019.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Revised: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Becoming a mother is associated with dramatic changes in physiology, endocrinology, immune function, and behaviour that begins during pregnancy and persists into the postpartum. Evidence also suggests that motherhood is accompanied by long-term changes in brain function. In this review, we summarize the short (pregnancy and postpartum) and long-term (beyond the postpartum and into middle age) effects of pregnancy and motherhood on cognition, neuroplasticity, and neuroimmune signalling. We also discuss the effects of previous history of pregnancy and motherhood (parity) on brain health and disease (neurodegenerative diseases and stroke outcomes) and on efficacy of hormone and antidepressant treatments. Finally, we argue that pregnancy and motherhood are unique female experiences that need to be taken into account to better understand female brain function and aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Duarte-Guterman
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health and Department of Psychology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Benedetta Leuner
- Department of Psychology and Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Liisa A M Galea
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health and Department of Psychology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. http://galealab.psych.ubc.ca
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