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Zhou P, Wang J, Wang J, Liu X. When autophagy meets placenta development and pregnancy complications. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1327167. [PMID: 38371923 PMCID: PMC10869551 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1327167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is a common biological phenomenon in eukaryotes that has evolved and reshaped to maintain cellular homeostasis. Under the pressure of starvation, hypoxia, and immune damage, autophagy provides energy and nutrients to cells, which benefits cell survival. In mammals, autophagy is an early embryonic nutrient supply system involved in early embryonic development, implantation, and pregnancy maintenance. Recent studies have found that autophagy imbalance in placental tissue plays a key role in the occurrence and development of pregnancy complications, such as gestational hypertension, gestational obesity, premature birth, miscarriage, and intrauterine growth restriction. This mini-review summarizes the molecular mechanism of autophagy regulation, the autophagy pathways, and related factors involved in placental tissue and comprehensively describes the role of autophagy in pregnancy complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Zhou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Junqi Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Jun Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Benxi Central Hospital of China Medical University, Benxi, Liaoning, China
| | - Xiaomei Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
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Cui Y, Cruz M, Palatnik A, Olivier-Van Stichelen S. O-GlcNAc transferase contributes to sex-specific placental deregulation in gestational diabetes. Placenta 2023; 131:1-12. [PMID: 36442303 PMCID: PMC9839643 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2022.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Gestational diabetes (GDM) is traditionally thought to emerge from placental endocrine dysregulations, but recent evidence suggests that fetal sex can also impact GDM development. Understanding the molecular mechanisms through which sex modulates placenta physiology can help identify novel molecular targets for future clinical care. Thus, we investigated the nutrient-sensing O-GlcNAc pathway as a potential mediator of sex-specific placenta dysfunction in GDM. METHODS Expression levels of O-GlcNAc enzymes were measured in male and female (n = 9+/gender) human placentas based on the maternal diagnosis of GDM. We then simulated the observed differences in both BeWo cells and human syncytiotrophoblasts primary cells (SCT) from male and female origins (n = 6/gender). RNA sequencing and targeted qPCR were performed to characterize the subsequent changes in the placenta transcriptome related to gestational diabetes. RESULTS O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) expression was significantly reduced only in male placenta collected from mothers with GDM compared to healthy controls. Similar downregulation of OGT in trophoblast-like BeWo male cells demonstrated significant gene expression deregulations that overlapped with known GDM-related genes. Notably, placental growth hormone (GH) production was significantly elevated, while compensatory factors against GH-related insulin resistance were diminished. Inflammatory and immunologic factors with toxic effects on pancreatic β cell mass were also increased, altogether leaning toward a decompensatory diabetic profile. Similar changes in hormone expression were confirmed in male human primary SCTs transfected with siOGT. However, down-regulating OGT in female primary SCTs did not impact hormone production. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrated the significant deregulation of placental OGT levels in mothers with GDM carrying a male fetus. When simulated in vitro, such deregulation impacted hormonal production in BeWo trophoblast cells and primary SCTs purified from male placentas. Interestingly, female placentas were only modestly impacted by OGT downregulation, suggesting that the sex-specific presentation observed in gestational diabetes could be related to O-GlcNAc-mediated regulation of placental hormone production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiwen Cui
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | - Meredith Cruz
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | - Anna Palatnik
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA; Cardiovascular Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | - Stephanie Olivier-Van Stichelen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA; Cardiovascular Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA.
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Go YY, Lee CM, Chae SW, Song JJ. Osteogenic Efficacy of Human Trophoblasts-Derived Conditioned Medium on Mesenchymal Stem Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231710196. [PMID: 36077594 PMCID: PMC9456271 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231710196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Trophoblasts play an important role in the regulation of the development and function of the placenta. Our recent study demonstrated the skin regeneration capacity of trophoblast-derived extracellular vesicles (EV). Here, we aimed to determine the potential of trophoblast-derived conditioned medium (TB-CM) in enhancing the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). We found that TB-CM promoted the osteogenic differentiation of MSCs in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, it inhibited adipogenesis of MSCs. We also found that the primary trophoblast-derived conditioned medium (PTB-CM) significantly enhanced the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human MSCs. Our study demonstrated the regulatory mechanisms underlying the TB-CM-induced osteogenesis in MSCs. An upregulation of genes associated with cytokines/chemokines was observed. The treatment of MSCs with TB-CM stimulated osteogenesis by activating several biological processes, such as mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) signaling. This study demonstrated the proliferative and osteogenic efficacies of the trophoblast-derived secretomes, suggesting their potential for use in clinical interventions for bone regeneration and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoon-Young Go
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul 08308, Korea
- Institute for Health Care Convergence Center, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul 08308, Korea
| | - Chan-Mi Lee
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul 08308, Korea
| | - Sung-Won Chae
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul 08308, Korea
- Institute for Health Care Convergence Center, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul 08308, Korea
| | - Jae-Jun Song
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul 08308, Korea
- Institute for Health Care Convergence Center, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul 08308, Korea
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-2-2626-3191; Fax: +82-2-2626-0475
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Phillips EA, Hendricks N, Bucher M, Maloyan A. Vitamin D Supplementation Improves Mitochondrial Function and Reduces Inflammation in Placentae of Obese Women. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:893848. [PMID: 35712242 PMCID: PMC9195071 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.893848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background About 30% of women entering pregnancy in the US are obese. We have previously reported mitochondrial dysregulation and increased inflammation in the placentae of obese women. Vitamin D (VitD) is a major player in calcium uptake and was shown to modulate mitochondrial respiration and the immune/inflammation system. Studies show decreased VitD levels in obese individuals; however, the effect of maternal obesity on VitD metabolism and its association with placental function remains understudied. Methods Maternal and cord blood plasma and placental samples were collected upon C-section from normal-weight (NW, body mass index [BMI]<25) and obese (OB, BMI>30) women with uncomplicated pregnancies at term. We measured 25(OH)D3 (calcidiol) levels in maternal and cord blood plasma using ELISA. We assessed the expression of CYP27B1, an activator of calcidiol, and Vitamin D receptor (VDR) in placentae from NW and OB, and women with gestational diabetes and preeclampsia. In addition, we examined the effects of VitD supplementation on mitochondrial function and inflammation in trophoblasts from NW and OB, using the Seahorse Bioanalyzer and Western blot, respectively. Results Vitamin D levels in blood from OB but not NW women and in cord blood from babies born to NW and OB women showed a significant inverse correlation with maternal pre-pregnancy BMI (r=-0.50, p<0.1 and r=-0.55, p=0.004 respectively). Cord plasma VitD levels showed a positive correlation with placental efficiency, i.e., the ratio between fetal and placental weight, as well as with maternal blood VitD levels (r=0.69 and 0.83 respectively, p<0.00). While we found no changes in CYP27B1 in OB vs. NW women, VDR expression were decreased by 50% (p<0.03) independent of fetal sex. No changes in VDR expression relative to BMI-matched controls were observed in the placentae of women with gestational diabetes or preeclampsia. Cytotrophoblasts isolated from placentae of OB women showed a dose-dependent increase in VDR expression after 24-hour treatment with calcitriol (10 nM and 100 nM), an active form of VitD. Trophoblasts isolated from OB women and treated with calcitriol improved mitochondrial respiration (p<0.05). We also found a two-fold increase in expression of the NLRP3 inflammasome and the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-18 in trophoblasts isolated from placentae of OB women (p<0.05), with IL-18 expression being reversed by calcitriol treatment (100 nM). Conclusions We show that VitD deficiency is at least partially responsible for mitochondrial dysfunction and increased inflammation in the placentae of obese women. Vitamin D supplementation could be beneficial in improving placental dysfunction seen in obese women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elysse A. Phillips
- Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Nora Hendricks
- Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Matthew Bucher
- Department of OB/GYN, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Alina Maloyan
- Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
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Eastman AJ, Moore RE, Townsend SD, Gaddy JA, Aronoff DM. The Influence of Obesity and Associated Fatty Acids on Placental Inflammation. Clin Ther 2021; 43:265-278. [PMID: 33487441 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2020.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Maternal obesity, affecting nearly 1 in 4 pregnancies, is associated with increased circulating saturated fatty acids, such as palmitate. These fatty acids are implicated in placental inflammation, which may in turn exacerbate both maternal-fetal tolerance and responses to pathogens, such as group B Streptococcus. In this review, we address the question, "How do obesity and associated fatty acids influence placental inflammation?" METHODS In this narrative review, we searched PubMed and Google Scholar using combinations of the key words placental inflammation or pregnancy and lipids, fatty acids, obesity, palmitate, or other closely related search terms. We also used references found within these articles that may have been absent from our original search queries. We analyzed methods and key results of these articles to compare and contrast their findings, which were occasionally at odds with each other. FINDINGS Although obesity can be studied as a whole, complex phenomena with in vivo mouse models and human samples from patients with obesity, in vitro modeling often relies on the treatment of cells or tissues with ≥1 fatty acids and occasionally other compounds (eg, glucose and insulin). We found that palmitate, most commonly used in vitro to recreate hallmarks of obesity, induces apoptosis, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, autophagy defects, and inflammasome activation in many placental cell types. We compare this to in vivo models of obesity wherever possible. We found that obesity as a whole may have more complex regulation of these phenomena (apoptosis, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, autophagy defects, and inflammasome activation) compared with in vitro models of fatty acid treatment (primarily palmitate) because of the presence of unsaturated fatty acids (ie, oleate), which may have anti-inflammatory effects. IMPLICATIONS The interaction of unsaturated fatty acids with saturated fatty acids may ameliorate many inflammatory effects of saturated fatty acids alone, which complicates interpretation of in vitro studies that focus on a particular fatty acid in isolation. This complication may explain why certain studies of obesity in vivo have differing outcomes from studies of specific fatty acids in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison J Eastman
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Rebecca E Moore
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | | | - Jennifer A Gaddy
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Valley Healthcare Systems, Department of Veterans Affairs, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - David M Aronoff
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
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