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Tong W, Ganguly E, Villalobos-Labra R, Quon A, Spaans F, Giussani DA, Davidge ST. Sex-Specific Differences in the Placental Unfolded Protein Response in a Rodent Model of Gestational Hypoxia. Reprod Sci 2022; 30:1994-1997. [PMID: 36574145 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-022-01157-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Gestational hypoxia is a major contributor to fetal growth restriction (FGR) and perinatal morbidity and mortality and has been closely linked to the activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) in the placenta. Recent studies on adverse pregnancy conditions show differential adaptive responses in pregnancies carrying male or female fetuses. Here, we use an established rat model of hypoxic pregnancy and FGR to test the hypothesis that chronic hypoxia promotes sexually dimorphic activation of the placental UPR. Our data showed that gestational hypoxia increased glucose regulatory protein 78 (GRP78) expression in male placentae, increased activating transcription factor 6 activation (ATF6) in female placentae, and did not induce changes in other UPR markers. In addition, gestational hypoxia reduced fetal weight only in males and ATF6 activation correlated with an increase in the fetal crown-rump-length/body weight ratio only in females. These results suggest sex-specific divergence in the placental adaptive response to gestational hypoxia, which may account for the sexual dimorphism observed in placental function and pregnancy outcomes in complicated pregnancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Tong
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Esha Ganguly
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Physiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Women and Children's Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Roberto Villalobos-Labra
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Women and Children's Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Anita Quon
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Women and Children's Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Floor Spaans
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Women and Children's Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Dino A Giussani
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Sandra T Davidge
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
- Department of Physiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
- Women and Children's Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
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Hufnagel A, Grant ID, Aiken CEM. Glucose and oxygen in the early intrauterine environment and their role in developmental abnormalities. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2022; 131:25-34. [PMID: 35410716 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.03.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The early life environment can have profound impacts on the developing conceptus in terms of both growth and morphogenesis. These impacts can manifest in a variety of ways, including congenital fetal anomalies, placental dysfunction with subsequent effects on fetal growth, and adverse perinatal outcomes, or via effects on long-term health outcomes that may not be detected until later childhood or adulthood. Two key examples of environmental influences on early development are explored: maternal hyperglycaemia and gestational hypoxia. These are increasingly common pregnancy exposures worldwide, with potentially profound impacts on population health. We explore what is known regarding the mechanisms by which these environmental exposures can impact early intrauterine development and thus result in adverse outcomes in the immediate, short, and long term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Hufnagel
- University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories and MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Imogen D Grant
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Cambridge, Box 223, The Rosie Hospital and NIHR Cambridge Comprehensive Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge CB2 0SW, UK
| | - Catherine E M Aiken
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Cambridge, Box 223, The Rosie Hospital and NIHR Cambridge Comprehensive Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge CB2 0SW, UK; University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories and MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK.
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