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Lu T, Wang L, Li M, Wang Y, Chen M, Xiao BH, Wáng YXJ. Diffusion-derived vessel density (DDVD) computed from a simple diffusion MRI protocol as a biomarker of placental blood circulation in patients with placenta accreta spectrum disorders: A proof-of-concept study. Magn Reson Imaging 2024; 109:180-186. [PMID: 38513786 DOI: 10.1016/j.mri.2024.03.028] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Increasing trend of PAS (placenta accreta spectrum disorders) incidence is a major health concern as PAS is associated with high maternal morbidity and mortality during cesarean section. Prenatal identification of PAS is crucial for delivery planning and patients management. This study aims to explore whether diffusion-derived vessel density (DDVD) computed from a simple diffusion MRI protocol differs in PAS from normal placenta. METHODS We enrolled 86 patients with PAS disorders and 40 pregnant women without PAS disorders. Each patient underwent intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) MRI sequence with 11 b-values. Placenta diffusion-derived vessel density (DDVD-b0b50) was the signal difference between b = 0 and b = 50 s/mm2 images. DDVD(b0b50) A/N was calculated as [accreta lesion DDVD(b0b50)]/ [normal placenta DDVD(b0b50)]. The correlation between DDVD and gestational age was explored using Spearman rank correlation. Differences of DDVD(b0b50) A/N in patients with normal placentas and with PAS, and in patients with different subtypes of PAS were explored. RESULTS DDVD was negatively correlated with gestational age (p = 0.023, r = -0.359) in patients with normal placentas. DDVD(b0b50) A/N was significantly higher in patients with PAS (median:1.16, mean: 1.261) than normal placenta (median:1.02, mean: 1.032, p < 0.001) and especially higher in patients with placenta increta (median:1.14, mean: 1.278) and percreta (median: 1.20, mean: 1.396, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION As a higher DDVD indicates higher physiological volume of micro-vessels in PAS, this study suggests DDVD can be a potential biomarker to evaluate the placenta perfusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Lu
- Department of Radiology, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No. 32 West Second Section, First Ring Road, Chengdu 610072, China.
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Radiology, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No. 32 West Second Section, First Ring Road, Chengdu 610072, China
| | - Mou Li
- Department of Radiology, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No. 32 West Second Section, First Ring Road, Chengdu 610072, China
| | - Yishuang Wang
- Department of Radiology, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No. 32 West Second Section, First Ring Road, Chengdu 610072, China
| | - Meining Chen
- MR Research Collaboration, Siemens Healthineers Ltd., Area e, Tianfu Software Park, 1268 Tianfu Avenue Middle Section, Wuhou District, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Ben-Heng Xiao
- Department of Imaging and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, New Territories, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Yì Xiáng J Wáng
- Department of Imaging and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, New Territories, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
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Alobaid AA, Skoda MWA, Harris LK, Campbell RA. Translational use of homing peptides: Tumor and placental targeting. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 662:1033-1043. [PMID: 38387365 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.02.103] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS Tissue-specific homing peptides have been shown to improve chemotherapeutic efficacy due to their trophism for tumor cells. Other sequences that selectively home to the placenta are providing new and safer therapeutics to treat complications in pregnancy. Our hypothesis is that the placental homing peptide RSGVAKS (RSG) may have binding affinity to cancer cells, and that insight can be gained into the binding mechanisms of RSG and the tumor homing peptide CGKRK to model membranes that mimic the primary lipid compositions of the respective cells. EXPERIMENTS Following cell culture studies on the binding efficacy of the peptides on a breast cancer cell line, a systematic translational characterization is delivered using ellipsometry, Brewster angle microscopy and neutron reflectometry of the extents, structures, and dynamics of the interactions of the peptides with the model membranes on a Langmuir trough. FINDINGS We start by revealing that RSG does indeed have binding affinity to breast cancer cells. The peptide is then shown to exhibit stronger interactions and greater penetration than CGKRK into both model membranes, combined with greater disruption to the lipid component. RSG also forms aggregates bound to the model membranes, yet both peptides bind to a greater extent to the placental than cancer model membranes. The results demonstrate the potential for varying local reservoirs of peptide within cell membranes that may influence receptor binding. The innovative nature of our findings motivates the urgent need for more studies involving multifaceted experimental platforms to explore the use of specific peptide sequences to home to different cellular targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdulaziz A Alobaid
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom; Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 24923, Safat 13110, Kuwait
| | - Maximilian W A Skoda
- ISIS Neutron & Muon Source, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Campus, Didcot OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
| | - Lynda K Harris
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom; Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9WL, United Kingdom; St Mary's Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester M13 9WL, United Kingdom; Olson Center for Women's Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, United States.
| | - Richard A Campbell
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom.
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Ozawa R, Iwata H, Kuwayama T, Shirasuna K. Maternal hypertensive condition alters adipose tissue function and blood pressure sensitivity in offspring. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 707:149617. [PMID: 38520942 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.149617] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
Preeclampsia (PE) is characterized by hypertension, proteinuria, and fetal growth restriction during pregnancy, suggesting that the preeclamptic intrauterine environment may affect the growth and health of the offspring. This study aimed to how maternal hypertension affects male offspring growth, focusing on lipid metabolism and blood pressure in mice. Female mice were infused with angiotensin II (Ang II) on gestational day 12. Dysregulation and accumulation of lipid were observed in the placenta of Ang II-induced maternal hypertensive dams, associating with fetal growth restriction. Ang II-offspring showed lower birth weight than in the control-offspring. Isolated and differentiated adipocyte from neonatal mice of Ang II-dams showed higher Pparγ mRNA expression compared with the control group. Lower body weight tendency had continued in Ang II-offspring during long period, body weight of Ang II-offspring caught up the control-offspring at 16 weeks of age. The adipose tissue of Ang II-offspring in adult also showed higher Pparγ mRNA expression with the accumulation of neutrophils and inflammatory monocytes than in those control. In addition, Ang II-offspring had higher basal blood pressure and higher sensitivity to hypertensive stimuli than in the control-offspring. Taken together, maternal hypertension induced by Ang II changes placental function, causing a lower birth weight. These changes in the intrauterine environment may affect adipocyte function and blood pressure of offspring after growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ren Ozawa
- Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Department of Animal Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture, 1737 Funako, Atsugi, Kanagawa, 234-0034, Japan
| | - Hisataka Iwata
- Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Department of Animal Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture, 1737 Funako, Atsugi, Kanagawa, 234-0034, Japan
| | - Takehito Kuwayama
- Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Department of Animal Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture, 1737 Funako, Atsugi, Kanagawa, 234-0034, Japan
| | - Koumei Shirasuna
- Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Department of Animal Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture, 1737 Funako, Atsugi, Kanagawa, 234-0034, Japan.
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Chen RJ, Nabila A, Gal Toth J, Stuhlmann H, Toth M. The chemokine XCL1 functions as a pregnancy hormone to program offspring innate anxiety. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 118:178-189. [PMID: 38428650 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.02.032] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Elevated levels of cytokines in maternal circulation increase the offspring's risk for neuropsychiatric disease. Because of their low homeostatic levels, circulating maternal cytokines during normal pregnancies have not been considered to play a role in fetal brain development and offspring behavior. Here we report that the T/NK cell chemotactic cytokine XCL1, a local paracrine immune signal, can function as a pregnancy hormone and is required for the proper development of placenta and male offspring approach-avoidance behavior. We found that circulating XCL1 levels were at a low pregestational level throughout pregnancy except for a midgestational rise and fall. Blunted elevation in maternal plasma XCL1 in dams with a genetic 5HT1A receptor deficit or following neutralization by anti-XCL1 antibodies increased the expression of tissue damage associated factors in WT fetal placenta and led to increased innate anxiety and stress reactivity in the WT male offspring. Therefore, chemokines like XCL1 may act as pregnancy hormones to regulate placenta development and offspring emotional behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa J Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Anika Nabila
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Judit Gal Toth
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Heidi Stuhlmann
- Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Miklos Toth
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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Fischer F, Kretschmer T, Seifert P, Howanski J, Krieger E, Rödiger J, Fink B, Yin Z, Bauer M, Zenclussen ML, Meyer N, Schumacher A, Zenclussen AC. Single and combined exposures to bisphenol A and benzophenone-3 during early mouse pregnancy have differential effects on fetal and placental development. Sci Total Environ 2024; 922:171386. [PMID: 38431166 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171386] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) possess the capability to interfere with the endocrine system by binding to hormone receptors, for example on immune cells. Specific effects have already been described for individual substances, but the impact of exposure to chemical mixtures during pregnancy on maternal immune regulation, placentation and fetal development is not known. In this study, we aimed to investigate the combined effects of two widespread EDCs, bisphenol A (BPA) and benzophenone-3 (BP-3), at allowed concentrations on crucial pregnancy processes such as implantation, placentation, uterine immune cell populations and fetal growth. From gestation day (gd) 0 to gd10, female mice were exposed to 4 μg/kg/d BPA, 50 mg/kg/d BP-3 or a BPA/BP-3 mixture. High frequency ultrasound and Doppler measurements were used to determine intrauterine fetal development and hemodynamic parameters. Furthermore, uterine spiral artery remodeling and placental mRNA expression were studied via histology and CHIP-RT-PCR, respectively. Effects of EDC exposure on multiple uterine immune cell populations were investigated using flow cytometry. We found that exposure to BP-3 caused intrauterine growth restriction in offspring at gd14, while BPA and BPA/BP-3 mixture caused varying effects. Moreover, placental morphology at gd12 and placental efficiency at gd14 were altered upon BP-3 exposure. Placental gene transcription was altered particularly in female offspring after in utero exposure to BP-3. Flow cytometry analyses revealed an increase in uterine T cells and NK cells in BPA and BPA/BP-3-treated dams at gd14. Doppler measurements revealed no effect on uterine hemodynamic parameters and spiral artery remodeling was not affected following EDC exposure. Our results provide evidence that exposure to BPA and BP-3 during early gestation affects fetal development in a sex-dependent manner, placental function and immune cell frequencies at the feto-maternal interface. These results call for inclusion of studies addressing pregnancy in the risk assessment of environmental chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence Fischer
- Department of Environmental Immunology, Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ GmbH, Leipzig, Germany; Saxon Incubator for Clinical Translation, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany; Institute for Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tobias Kretschmer
- Department of Environmental Immunology, Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ GmbH, Leipzig, Germany; Saxon Incubator for Clinical Translation, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Paulina Seifert
- Department of Environmental Immunology, Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ GmbH, Leipzig, Germany; Saxon Incubator for Clinical Translation, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Julia Howanski
- Department of Environmental Immunology, Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ GmbH, Leipzig, Germany; Saxon Incubator for Clinical Translation, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Krieger
- Department of Environmental Immunology, Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ GmbH, Leipzig, Germany; Saxon Incubator for Clinical Translation, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jonas Rödiger
- Department of Environmental Immunology, Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ GmbH, Leipzig, Germany; Saxon Incubator for Clinical Translation, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Beate Fink
- Department of Environmental Immunology, Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ GmbH, Leipzig, Germany; Saxon Incubator for Clinical Translation, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ziran Yin
- Department of Environmental Immunology, Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ GmbH, Leipzig, Germany; Saxon Incubator for Clinical Translation, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Mario Bauer
- Department of Environmental Immunology, Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ GmbH, Leipzig, Germany; Saxon Incubator for Clinical Translation, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - María Laura Zenclussen
- Instituto de Salud y Ambiente del Litoral (UNL-CONICET), Santa Fe, Argentina; Cátedra de Fisiología Humana (FBCB-UNL), Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Nicole Meyer
- Department of Environmental Immunology, Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ GmbH, Leipzig, Germany; Saxon Incubator for Clinical Translation, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anne Schumacher
- Department of Environmental Immunology, Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ GmbH, Leipzig, Germany; Saxon Incubator for Clinical Translation, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ana Claudia Zenclussen
- Department of Environmental Immunology, Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ GmbH, Leipzig, Germany; Saxon Incubator for Clinical Translation, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany.
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Griffin CK, Lemley CO, Pohler KG, Sun X, Lear AS. Characterization of placentome vascular perfusion in relation to pregnancy associated glycoproteins throughout gestation in pregnant beef heifers. Theriogenology 2024; 219:94-102. [PMID: 38417354 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.02.020] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
During pregnancy, blood flow to the uterus changes to support fetal demand. Placentomes serve as vascular attachment sites on the placenta for exchange of gases, nutrients, and metabolic products. Non-invasive methods of ultrasonography and biomarkers have been described to assess placental health and fetal viability. Pregnancy associated glycoproteins (PAGs) are produced by the ruminant placenta and are detected in maternal circulation. In cattle, changes in circulating PAG concentrations are associated with embryonic and fetal outcomes. The objective of this study was to determine the association between placentome blood perfusion and circulating PAG concentrations as they relate to the health of the developing fetus. We hypothesized that placentome perfusion and PAG concentration will be positively correlated and associated with neonatal outcome. A prospective, observational study was designed using 26 pregnant, nulliparous, Angus heifers in which PAG concentration and placentome blood perfusion were assessed throughout gestation, with assessment of calving characteristics following parturition. Placentome blood perfusion was visualized at 30-day intervals via transrectal Doppler ultrasonography with power flow function. Ultrasound images were analyzed using ImageJ software to determine the percent area of perfusion and integrated pixel densities. Venous blood was collected and PAG concentrations were determined via serum PAG enzyme-linked immunoassay. Mean placentome blood perfusion increased as gestation advanced. PAG concentrations demonstrated the expected temporal trend, increasing with gestation length, and were positively linearly correlated with placentome perfusion (P < 0.0001). The relationship identified between circulating PAG concentration and placentome blood perfusion suggests the use of transrectal power flow Doppler ultrasonography as a noninvasive technique to determine placental blood flow morphometrics to assess conceptus wellbeing throughout pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- C K Griffin
- 2407 River Dr, Large Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - C O Lemley
- 335 Wise Center Dr, Animal and Dairy Sciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA
| | - K G Pohler
- 474 Olsen Blvd, Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - X Sun
- IT and Digital Innovations, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - A S Lear
- 2407 River Dr, Large Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA.
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Wang Y, Chen Z, Li J, Wan T, Hu R, Zhang L, Qin L, Zang L, Gu W, Chen R, Liu C, Li R. Gestational exposure to PM 2.5 disrupts fetal development by suppressing placental trophoblast syncytialization via progranulin/mTOR signaling. Sci Total Environ 2024; 921:171101. [PMID: 38387595 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171101] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Recent epidemiological and animal studies have indicated that ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure during pregnancy is closely associated with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). However, the underlying mechanisms remain to be revealed. In this study, we found that gestational exposure to PM2.5 significantly decreased fetal weight and crown-rump length in mice, accompanied by insufficient placental trophoblast syncytialization and increased expression of progranulin (PGRN) in mice placenta. Administering PGRN neutralizing antibody to pregnant mice alleviated growth restriction and insufficient placental trophoblast syncytialization caused by PM2.5, accompanied with suppressed activation of the mTOR signaling pathway. Furthermore, in vitro experiments using human placental BeWo cells showed that 10 μg·mL-1 PM2.5 activated PGRN/mTOR signaling and suppressed forskolin-induced cell fusion, which was blocked by knockdown of PGRN. Taken together, our results demonstrated that PM2.5 exposure during pregnancy inhibited placental trophoblast syncytialization by activating PGRN/mTOR signaling, leading to abnormal placental development and IUGR. This study reveals a novel mechanism underlying the developmental toxicity of PM2.5 exposure during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yirun Wang
- School of Public Health, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Air Pollution and Health, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhuan Chen
- School of Public Health, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Air Pollution and Health, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jie Li
- School of Public Health, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Air Pollution and Health, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Teng Wan
- School of Public Health, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Air Pollution and Health, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Renjie Hu
- School of Public Health, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Air Pollution and Health, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lu Zhang
- School of Public Health, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Air Pollution and Health, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Li Qin
- School of Public Health, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Air Pollution and Health, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lu Zang
- School of Public Health, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Air Pollution and Health, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Weijia Gu
- School of Public Health, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Air Pollution and Health, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Rucheng Chen
- School of Public Health, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Air Pollution and Health, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Cuiqing Liu
- School of Public Health, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Air Pollution and Health, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Ran Li
- School of Public Health, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Air Pollution and Health, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China.
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Sabren S, Hagar T, Khateeb N, Evgeny F, Yara FN, Perlitz Y, Farid N. Placental and serum levels of human α-Klotho in preeclampsia & intra-uterine growth retardation: A potential sensitive biomarker? Pregnancy Hypertens 2024; 36:101115. [PMID: 38608394 DOI: 10.1016/j.preghy.2024.101115] [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: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION α-Klotho protein has three isoforms: a transmembrane (mKL), a shed- soluble isoform, and a circulating soluble isoform (sKL). mKL is expressed in the kidney and placenta, while sKL is detectable in blood and urine. It is known that α-Klotho levels fluctuate during pregnancy mainly in women with complications such as preeclampsia (PE) and intra-uterine growth restriction (IUGR). METHODS Forty-nine participants were divided into two groups: healthy and complicated pregnancy (PE, IUGR or both). Tissue samples (2 cm3) from the maternal side, Blood and urine samples were collected during pregnancy and postpartum. Samples were subjected to biochemical (WB), histological (H&E and IHC) staining as well as genetic analysis (qPCR). RESULTS Blood αKL levels were preserved in both healthy and complicated pregnancies. Significantly lower blood αKL concentrations were found in PE postpartum (PP) compared to levels during pregnancy, and were significantly lower compared with postpartum of a healthy pregnancy. αKL activity was reduced in complicated pregnancies vs. healthy pregnancies. Placen tal mKL levels (ELISA) and expression (WB) were lowered in complicated pregnancies compared with the healthy pregnancies group. Additionally, we found a significant decline in the expression of mKL mRNA in PE/IUGR placentas compared with the healthy group. DISCUSSION Several studies have focused on the involvement of αKL in normal placentation during pregnancy. Our results suggest lower function of sKL in complicated pregnancy compared with a control, and present differences in placental mKL levels as well as tissue and gene expression between healthy and complicated pregnancy. In light of our results, we conclude that complicated pregnancy is associated with in decline in mKL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shehada Sabren
- Diabetes and Metabolism Lab, Tzafon Medical Center, Israel; Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Safed, Bar Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Tadmor Hagar
- Diabetes and Metabolism Lab, Tzafon Medical Center, Israel
| | - Nardeen Khateeb
- Gynecological and Obstetrics Department, Tzafon Medical Center, Israel
| | | | - Francis-Nakhle Yara
- Gynecological and Obstetrics Department, Galilee Medical Center, Nahariya, Israel
| | - Youri Perlitz
- Gynecological and Obstetrics Department, Tzafon Medical Center, Israel
| | - Nakhoul Farid
- Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Safed, Bar Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel; Cardiovascular Laboratory, Medical Research Institute, The Galilee Medical Center, Nahariya, Israel.
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Czamara D, Dieckmann L, Lahti-Pulkkinen M, Cruceanu C, Henrich W, Plagemann A, Räikkönen K, Braun T, Binder EB, Lahti J, Entringer S. Sex differences in DNA methylation across gestation: a large scale, cross-cohort, multi-tissue analysis. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:177. [PMID: 38600394 PMCID: PMC11006734 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05208-0] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Biological sex is a key variable influencing many physiological systems. Disease prevalence as well as treatment success can be modified by sex. Differences emerge already early in life and include pregnancy complications and adverse birth outcomes. The placenta is a critical organ for fetal development and shows sex-based differences in the expression of hormones and cytokines. Epigenetic regulation, such as DNA methylation (DNAm), may underlie the previously reported placental sexual dimorphism. We associated placental DNAm with fetal sex in three cohorts. Individual cohort results were meta-analyzed with random-effects modelling. CpG-sites differentially methylated with sex were further investigated regarding pathway enrichment, overlap with methylation quantitative trait loci (meQTLs), and hits from phenome-wide association studies (PheWAS). We evaluated the consistency of findings across tissues (CVS, i.e. chorionic villus sampling from early placenta, and cord blood) as well as with gene expression. We identified 10,320 epigenome-wide significant sex-differentially methylated probes (DMPs) spread throughout the epigenome of the placenta at birth. Most DMPs presented with lower DNAm levels in females. DMPs mapped to genes upregulated in brain, were enriched for neurodevelopmental pathways and significantly overlapped with meQTLs and PheWAS hits. Effect sizes were moderately correlated between CVS and placenta at birth, but only weakly correlated between birth placenta and cord blood. Sex differential gene expression in birth placenta was less pronounced and implicated genetic regions only marginally overlapped with those associated with differential DNAm. Our study provides an integrative perspective on sex-differential DNAm in perinatal tissues underscoring the possible link between placenta and brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darina Czamara
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.
| | - Linda Dieckmann
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Marius Lahti-Pulkkinen
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Cristiana Cruceanu
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Wolfgang Henrich
- Department of Obstetrics, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Plagemann
- Department of Obstetrics, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Experimental Obstetrics, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Katri Räikkönen
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, HUS Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Thorsten Braun
- Department of Obstetrics, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Experimental Obstetrics, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jari Lahti
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sonja Entringer
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
- Department of Pediatrics, Health and Disease Research Program, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
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10
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Ho SJ, Chaput D, Sinkey RG, Garces AH, New EP, Okuka M, Sang P, Arlier S, Semerci N, Steffensen TS, Rutherford TJ, Alsina AE, Cai J, Anderson ML, Magness RR, Uversky VN, Cummings DAT, Tsibris JCM. Proteomic studies of VEGFR2 in human placentas reveal protein associations with preeclampsia, diabetes, gravidity, and labor. Cell Commun Signal 2024; 22:221. [PMID: 38594674 PMCID: PMC11003095 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-024-01567-0] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
VEGFR2 (Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2) is a central regulator of placental angiogenesis. The study of the VEGFR2 proteome of chorionic villi at term revealed its partners MDMX (Double minute 4 protein) and PICALM (Phosphatidylinositol-binding clathrin assembly protein). Subsequently, the oxytocin receptor (OT-R) and vasopressin V1aR receptor were detected in MDMX and PICALM immunoprecipitations. Immunogold electron microscopy showed VEGFR2 on endothelial cell (EC) nuclei, mitochondria, and Hofbauer cells (HC), tissue-resident macrophages of the placenta. MDMX, PICALM, and V1aR were located on EC plasma membranes, nuclei, and HC nuclei. Unexpectedly, PICALM and OT-R were detected on EC projections into the fetal lumen and OT-R on 20-150 nm clusters therein, prompting the hypothesis that placental exosomes transport OT-R to the fetus and across the blood-brain barrier. Insights on gestational complications were gained by univariable and multivariable regression analyses associating preeclampsia with lower MDMX protein levels in membrane extracts of chorionic villi, and lower MDMX, PICALM, OT-R, and V1aR with spontaneous vaginal deliveries compared to cesarean deliveries before the onset of labor. We found select associations between higher MDMX, PICALM, OT-R protein levels and either gravidity, diabetes, BMI, maternal age, or neonatal weight, and correlations only between PICALM-OT-R (p < 2.7 × 10-8), PICALM-V1aR (p < 0.006), and OT-R-V1aR (p < 0.001). These results offer for exploration new partnerships in metabolic networks, tissue-resident immunity, and labor, notably for HC that predominantly express MDMX.
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Grants
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of South Florida
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology, University of South Florida
- Lisa Muma Weitz Microscopy Laboratory, University of South Florida
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida
- Tampa General Hospital, Tampa, Florida
- Teasley Foundation
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida
- Department of Biology, University of Florida
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon J Ho
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Dale Chaput
- Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Rachel G Sinkey
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Amanda H Garces
- Lisa Muma Weitz Microscopy Laboratory, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Erika P New
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Maja Okuka
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Peng Sang
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Sefa Arlier
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Nihan Semerci
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | | | - Thomas J Rutherford
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
- Cancer Center, Tampa General Hospital, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Angel E Alsina
- Transplant Surgery Center, Tampa General Hospital, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Jianfeng Cai
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Matthew L Anderson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
- Cancer Center, Tampa General Hospital, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Ronald R Magness
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Vladimir N Uversky
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Derek A T Cummings
- Department of Biology and Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - John C M Tsibris
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
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11
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Frew E, Sainty R, Chappell-Maor L, Bone C, Daskeviciute D, Russell S, Buhigas C, Iglesias-Platas I, Lartey J, Monk D. Differential expression of PPP1R12A transcripts, including those harbouring alternatively spliced micro-exons, in placentae from complicated pregnancies. Placenta 2024; 151:1-9. [PMID: 38615553 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2024.04.005] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Placenta-associated pregnancy complications, including pre-eclampsia (PE) and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) are conditions postulated to originate from initial failure of placentation, leading to clinical sequelae indicative of endothelial dysfunction. Vascular smooth muscle aberrations have also been implicated in the pathogenesis of both disorders via smooth muscle contractility and relaxation mediated by Myosin Light Chain Phosphatase (MLCP) and the oppositional contractile action of Myosin Light Chain Kinase. PPP1R12A is a constituent part of the MLCP complex responsible for dephosphorylation of myosin fibrils. We hypothesize that alternative splicing of micro-exons result in isoforms lacking the functional leucine zipper (LZ) domain which may give those cells expressing these alternative transcripts a tendency towards contraction and vasoconstriction. METHODS Expression was determined by qRT-PCR. Epigenetic profiling consisted of bisulphite-based DNA methylation analysis and ChIP for underlying histone modifications. RESULTS We identified several novel transcripts with alternative micro-exon inclusion that would produce LZ- PPP1R12A protein. qRT-PCR revealed some isoforms, including the PPP1R12A canonical transcript, are differentially expressed in placenta biopsies from PE and IUGR samples compared to uncomplicated pregnancies. DISCUSSION We propose that upregulation of PPP1R12A expression in complicated pregnancies may be due to enhanced promoter activity leading to increased transcription as a response to physiological stress in the placenta, which we show is independent of promoter DNA methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward Frew
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Norwich, UK
| | - Rebecca Sainty
- Biomedical Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Louise Chappell-Maor
- Biomedical Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Caitlin Bone
- Biomedical Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Dagne Daskeviciute
- Biomedical Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Sarah Russell
- Biomedical Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Claudia Buhigas
- Biomedical Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Isabel Iglesias-Platas
- Neonatal Unit, Institut de Recerca, Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain; Neonatal Research, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Norwich, UK
| | - Jon Lartey
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Norwich, UK; Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - David Monk
- Biomedical Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK.
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12
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Shen J, Hu N, Wang Z, Yang L, Chen R, Zhang L, Wang X. Ghrelin alleviates placental dysfunction by down-regulating NF-κB phosphorylation in LPS-induced rat model of preeclampsia. Eur J Pharmacol 2024; 972:176569. [PMID: 38593930 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176569] [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: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
In our previous study, we uncovered that ghrelin promotes angiogenesis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro by activating the Jagged1/Notch2/VEGF pathway in preeclampsia (PE). However, the regulatory effects of ghrelin on placental dysfunction in PE are unclear. Therefore, we applied Normal pregnant Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), to establish a PE-like rat model. The hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining method and immunohistochemistry (IHC) technology were used to detect morphological features of the placenta. IHC and Western blot were applied to examine Bax and Bcl-2 expression levels. The concentrations of serum soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt1) and placental growth factor (PIGF) were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. In addition, the apoptosis rates of JEG-3 and HTR-8/SVneo trophoblast cells were determined by Annexin V-FITC/PI apoptosis detection kit. Cell migratory capacities were assessed by scratch-wound assay, and RNA-sequencing assay was used to determine the mechanism of ghrelin in regulating trophoblast apoptosis. It has been found that ghrelin significantly reduced blood pressure, urinary protein, and urine creatinine in rats with PE, at the meanwhile, ameliorated placental and fetal injuries. Second, ghrelin clearly inhibited placental Bax expression and circulating sFlt-1 as well as elevated placental Bcl-2 expression and circulating PIGF, restored apoptosis and invasion deficiency of trophoblast cells caused by LPS in vitro. Finally, transcriptomics indicated that nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) was the potential downstream pathway of ghrelin. Our findings illustrated that ghrelin supplementation significantly improved LPS-induced PE-like symptoms and adverse pregnancy outcomes in rats by alleviating placental apoptosis and promoting trophoblast migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayu Shen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200240, China; Department of Central Laboratory, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Ningning Hu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Zetian Wang
- Department of Trauma-Emergency & Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Lina Yang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200240, China; Department of Central Laboratory, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Rujun Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Liwen Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
| | - Xiaoqin Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
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13
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Seiter D, Chen R, Ludwig KD, Zhu A, Shah D, Wieben O, Johnson KM. Velocity-selective arterial spin labeling perfusion measurements in 2nd trimester human placenta with varying BMI. Placenta 2024; 150:72-79. [PMID: 38615536 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2024.03.012] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Proper placental development is crucial to fetal health but is challenging to functionally assess non-invasively and is thus poorly characterized in populations. Body mass index (BMI) has been linked with adverse outcomes, but the causative mechanism is uncertain. Velocity-selective arterial spin labeling (VS-ASL) MRI provides a method to non-invasively measure placental perfusion with robustness to confounding transit time delays. In this study, we report on the measurement of perfusion in the human placenta in early pregnancy using velocity-selective arterial spin labeling (VS-ASL) MRI, comparing non-obese and obese participants. METHODS Participants (N = 97) undergoing routine prenatal care were recruited and imaged with structural and VS-ASL perfusion MRI at 15 and 21 weeks gestation. Resulting perfusion images were analyzed with respect to obesity based on BMI, gestational age, and the presence of adverse outcomes. RESULTS At 15 weeks gestation BMI was not associated with placental perfusion or perfusion heterogeneity. However, at 21 weeks gestation BMI was associated with higher placental perfusion (p < 0.01) and a decrease in perfusion heterogeneity (p < 0.05). In alignment with past studies, perfusion values were also higher at 21 weeks compared to 15 weeks gestation. In a small cohort of participants with adverse outcomes, at 21 weeks lower perfusion was observed compared to participants with uncomplicated pregnancies. DISCUSSION These results suggest low placental perfusion in the early second trimester may not be the culpable factor driving associations of obesity with adverse outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Seiter
- Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Ruiming Chen
- Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Kai D Ludwig
- Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Ante Zhu
- Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States; Radiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Dinesh Shah
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Oliver Wieben
- Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States; Radiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Kevin M Johnson
- Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States; Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States; Radiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States.
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14
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Zhang Y, Zhong Y, Yu Z, Cheng X, Zou L, Liu X. Single cell RNA-sequencing reveals the cellular senescence of placental mesenchymal stem/stromal cell in preeclampsia. Placenta 2024; 150:39-51. [PMID: 38588616 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2024.03.014] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Preeclampsia (PE) is a severe obstetric complication closely associated with placental dysfunction. Placental mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (PMSCs) modulate placental development while PE PMSCs are excessively senescent to disturb placental function. Nevertheless, the senescence mechanism of PE PMSCs remains unclear. METHODS PE-related single-cell RNA sequencing datasets (GSE173193), data of chip detection (GSE99007) and bulk transcriptome RNA sequencing datasets (GSE75010) were extracted from the GEO database. Firstly, the functional enrichment analyses of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in PMSCs were conducted. Then, the clusters of PE PMSCs were distinguished according to the expressions of senescence-related genes (SRGs) by consensus clustering analysis. Cell cycle analysis, senescence β-galactosidase, Transwell, and tube formation were conducted. Next, the expressions of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASPs) were displayed. The characteristic genes of PE were screened by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator analysis. CTSZ was suppressed in PMSCs and the cellular senescence levels were evaluated. RESULTS In this study, The DEGs in PMSCs were closely associated with cellular senescence. The score of SRGs was significantly higher and most of the SASPs were abnormally expressed in the senescent group. Seven characteristic genes of PE were identified, thereinto, CTSZ reduction may accelerate the senescence in PMSCs in vitro. DISCUSSION Combined with bioinformatic analysis and lab experiments, our study emphatically revealed the abnormal cellular senescence in PE PMSCs, in which CTSZ, one of the PE characteristic genes, regulated the cellular senescence levels in PMSCs. These findings might help to deepen the understanding of the senescence mechanism of PMSCs in PE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Yanqi Zhong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Zhicheng Yu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, Anhui, China
| | - Xiangwei Cheng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Li Zou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Xiaoxia Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China.
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15
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Tang M, Xin Y, Zhao Y, Zhang X, Zhang M, Sun D, Zhu X, Yao Y, Fei W, Zheng C. Placenta-anchored tadalafil liposomes rescues intrauterine growth restriction through continuous placental blood perfusion improvement. J Control Release 2024; 368:466-480. [PMID: 38452820 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.03.004] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Physiological or pathological hypoperfusion of the placenta is one of the main causes of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) which poses a significant risk to the health of the fetus and newborn. Tadalafil, a 5-type phosphodiesterase inhibitor, has previously been found to improve the symptoms of IUGR in various clinical studies. Unfortunately, its clinical utility is hindered by its limited water solubility, rapid metabolism, and lack of specific distribution in target tissues rendering tadalafil unable to maintain long-term placental perfusion. In this study, iRGD-modified tadalafil-loaded liposomes (iRGD-lipo@Tad) featuring a size of approximately 480 nm were designed to rectify the shortcomings of tadalafil. The prepared iRGD-lipo@Tad exhibited superior stability, sustained drug release capacity, and low cytotoxicity. The fluorescence study, tissue slice study, and drug biodistribution study together demonstrated the placenta-anchored ability of iRGD-modified liposomes. This was achieved by a dual approach consisting of the iRGD-mediated placenta-targeting effect and special particle size-mediated placenta resident effect. The pharmacokinetic study revealed a significant improvement in the in vivo process of tadalafil encapsulated by the iRGD-modified liposomes. In comparison to the tadalafil solution, the peak plasma concentration of iRGD-lipo@Tad was significantly increased, and the area under the curve was increased by about 7.88 times. In the pharmacodynamic study, iRGD-lipo@Tad achieved a continuous and efficient improvement of placental blood perfusion. This was achieved by decreasing the ratio of plasma soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase to placental growth factor and increasing the levels of cyclic guanosine monophosphate and nitric oxide. Consequently, iRGD-lipo@Tad resulted in a significant increase in embryo weight and a reduction in the miscarriage rate of N-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester-induced IUGR pregnant mice without detectable toxicity. In summary, the nanotechnology-assisted therapy strategy presented here not only overcomes the limitations of tadalafil in the clinical treatment of IUGR but also offers new avenues to address the treatment of other placenta-originated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Tang
- Department of Pharmacy, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China; College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Yu Xin
- Department of Pharmacy, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China; Research Center for Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yunchun Zhao
- Department of Pharmacy, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Xiao Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Meng Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Dongli Sun
- Department of Pharmacy, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Xiaojun Zhu
- Department of Pharmacy, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Yao Yao
- Department of Pharmacy, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Weidong Fei
- Department of Pharmacy, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China.
| | - Caihong Zheng
- Department of Pharmacy, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China; Research Center for Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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16
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Luewan S, Apaijai N, Chattipakorn N, Chattipakorn S, Tongsong T. Fetal anemia causes placental and maternal cellular damage: a lesson from fetal hemoglobin Bart's disease. Placenta 2024; 149:72-77. [PMID: 38531214 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2024.03.011] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The studies about effect of fetal anemia on placental and maternal molecular changes have rarely been published. This study aimed to compare oxidative stress levels and mitochondrial function in the placenta and maternal peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PMBCs) between anemic fetuses (using fetal Hb Bart's disease as a study model) and non-anemic fetuses. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted on pregnancies affected by Hb Bart's disease and non-anemic fetuses between 16 and 22 weeks of gestation. Placental tissue and maternal blood for PBMCs were collected after pregnancy termination for determination of oxidative stress and mitochondrial function. RESULTS A total of 18 pregnancies affected by Hb Bart's disease and 12 non-anemic fetuses were enrolled. Placental thickness was significantly greater (p-value <0.001) in the affected pregnancies, whereas all Doppler indices of uteroplacental blood flow were comparable. Mitochondrial dysfunction was significantly increased (p-value <0.001) in the placenta of the affected fetuses. In the mothers of affected fetuses, there was an increase in mitochondrial oxidative stress levels with a significant increase in mitochondrial dysfunction in isolated PBMCs (p-value <0.001). DISCUSSION In the presence of normal uteroplacental Doppler studies, fetal anemia can induce a significant increase in oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in the placentas and mothers. The findings support that the placenta can be a source of oxidative stress agents which are released into systemic circulation prior to development of maternal adverse outcomes, and may explain pathophysiology of subsequent preeclampsia in late gestation, as commonly seen in pregnancies affected by fetal Hb Bart's disease, if pregnancy is not terminated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suchaya Luewan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Nattayaporn Apaijai
- Cardiac Electrophysiology Research and Training Center (CERT), Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand; Cardiac Electrophysiology Unit, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand; Center of Excellence in Cardiac Electrophysiology Research, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Nipon Chattipakorn
- Cardiac Electrophysiology Research and Training Center (CERT), Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand; Cardiac Electrophysiology Unit, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand; Center of Excellence in Cardiac Electrophysiology Research, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Siriporn Chattipakorn
- Cardiac Electrophysiology Research and Training Center (CERT), Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand; Cardiac Electrophysiology Unit, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand; Center of Excellence in Cardiac Electrophysiology Research, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Theera Tongsong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
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Khazaeel K, Hussein HA, Ranjbar R, Tabandeh MR, Alahmed JAS. Modulatory effects of quercetin on histological changes, biochemical and oxidative stress of rat placenta induced by inhalation exposure to crude oil vapor. Reprod Toxicol 2024; 125:108560. [PMID: 38387710 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108560] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
The inhalation exposure to crude oil vapor (COV) has been shown to have adverse effects on the placenta and fetal development. The modulatory effects of quercetin (QUE) as a natural phenolic compound with antioxidant properties are promising for the protection of placental structure. This study aimed to investigate the modulatory role of QUE in mitigating histopathological damage, oxidative stress, and biochemical alteration in the placenta of COV-exposed pregnant rats. Forty-eight pregnant rats were divided into eight groups (days 15 and 20) as follows: 1-2) Control groups, 3-4) COV groups, 5-6) COV+QUE groups, and 7-8) QUE-treated groups (50 mg/kg). The inhalation method was used to expose pregnant rats to COV, and QUE was administered orally. On the 15th and 20th days of gestation, placental tissue was analyzed using PAS and H&E staining and immunohistochemistry. The expression of the caspase-3 gene and oxidative stress biomarkers including TAC, CAT, MDA, GPx, and SOD were investigated in the placental tissue. The COV significantly decreased the weight, diameter, and thickness of the placenta as well as the thickness of the junctional zone and labyrinth and the number of trophoblast giant cells in 15- and 20-day-old placentas (P<0.05). Also, COV significantly increased placental expression of caspase-3 and the oxidative stress biomarkers (P<0.05). The administration of QUE along with exposure to COV reduced morphometric and histological alteration, oxidative stress, and caspase-3 expression (P<0.05). Our findings indicated that QUE in COV-exposed pregnant rats can prevent placental histopathological alternations by increasing the activity of the antioxidant system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaveh Khazaeel
- Department of Basic Sciences, Division of Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran; Stem Cells and Transgenic Technology Research Center (STTRC), Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran.
| | - Haifa Ali Hussein
- Department of Basic Sciences, Division of Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Reza Ranjbar
- Department of Basic Sciences, Division of Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Tabandeh
- Stem Cells and Transgenic Technology Research Center (STTRC), Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran; Department of Basic Sciences, Division of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Jala Amir Salman Alahmed
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Basrah, Iraq
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18
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Ewing A, O'Callaghan JL, McCracken S, Ellery S, Lappas M, Holland OJ, Perkins A, Saif Z, Clifton VL. Placentae of small appropriately-grown-for-gestational-age neonates exhibit sexually dimorphic transcriptomic changes representative of placental insufficiency. Placenta 2024; 149:37-43. [PMID: 38492471 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2024.02.003] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Previous studies have reported that neonates less than the 25th BWC especially if they were male, were more likely to be associated with birth complications suggesting small neonates often identified as appropriately grown are at risk of adverse outcomes. We have questioned whether smaller neonates not typically categorized as "small for gestational age" may not reach their genetically determined growth due to placental insufficiency. METHODS RNA-Seq was performed on the Illumina NovaSeq 600 using term placentae from neonates that were less than the 10th birthweight centile (BWC) (n = 39), between the 10th and the 30th BWC (n = 15) or greater than the 30th BWC (n = 23). Bioinformatic analyses were conducted and statistical significance was assessed at a level of P < 0.05 for single comparisons or FDR <0.05 unless otherwise noted. RESULTS Gene set enrichment analysis revealed differences between BWC groups and in relation to the sex of the placenta. Genes associated with hypoxia, inflammatory responses, estrogen responsive genes, and androgen responsive genes were enriched (FDR <0.1) for in placentae of neonates <10th BWC regardless of sex and also in male placentae of neonates between the 10th-30th BWC. Female placenta of neonates between the 10th-30th BWC were comparable to placentae of neonates >30th BWC. DISCUSSION These findings provide evidence that small male neonates may be at a greater risk of an adverse outcome than females due to changes in gene expression that are associated with placental dysfunction. The current data raises questions of whether placental pathology for smaller appropriately grown neonates should be scientifically and clinically examined in more depth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Ewing
- Mater Research Institute, Translational Research Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane QLD, Australia
| | | | - Sharon McCracken
- Women and Babies Research, Perinatal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Northern Sydney Local Health District Research (Kolling Institute), St Leonards, NSW, Australia
| | - Stacy Ellery
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Martha Lappas
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health, Mercy Hospital for Women, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne VIC, Australia
| | - Olivia J Holland
- School of Medical Science, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia
| | - Anthony Perkins
- School of Health, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia
| | - Zarqa Saif
- Mater Research Institute, Translational Research Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane QLD, Australia
| | - Vicki L Clifton
- Mater Research Institute, Translational Research Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane QLD, Australia.
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19
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Nair S, Razo-Azamar M, Jayabalan N, Dalgaard LT, Palacios-González B, Sørensen A, Kampmann U, Handberg A, Carrion F, Salomon C. Advances in extracellular vesicles as mediators of cell-to-cell communication in pregnancy. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 2024; 76:86-98. [PMID: 38233286 DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2023.12.004] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Cell-to-cell communication mediated by Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) is a novel and emerging area of research, especially during pregnancy, in which placenta derived EVs can facilitate the feto-maternal communication. EVs comprise a heterogeneous group of vesicle sub-populations with diverse physical and biochemical characteristics and originate by specific biogenesis mechanisms. EVs transfer molecular cargo (including proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids) between cells and are critical mediators of cell communication. There is growing interest among researchers to explore into the molecular cargo of EVs and their functions in a physiological and pathological context. For example, inflammatory mediators such as cytokines are shown to be released in EVs and EVs derived from immune cells play key roles in mediating the immune response as well as immunoregulatory pathways. Pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes mellitus, preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction and preterm birth are associated with altered levels of circulating EVs, with differential EV cargo and bioactivity in target cells. This implicates the intriguing roles of EVs in reprogramming the maternal physiology during pregnancy. Moreover, the capacity of EVs to carry bioactive molecules makes them a promising tool for biomarker development and targeted therapies in pregnancy complications. This review summarizes the physiological and pathological roles played by EVs in pregnancy and pregnancy-related disorders and describes the potential of EVs to be translated into clinical applications in the diagnosis and treatment of pregnancy complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumyalekshmi Nair
- Translational Extracellular Vesicles in Obstetrics and Gynae-Oncology Group, University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia.
| | - Melissa Razo-Azamar
- Translational Extracellular Vesicles in Obstetrics and Gynae-Oncology Group, University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia; Laboratorio de Envejecimiento Saludable del Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica (INMEGEN) en el Centro de Investigación sobre Envejecimiento (CIE-CINVESTAV Sede Sur), CDMX, 14330, Mexico
| | - Nanthini Jayabalan
- Translational Extracellular Vesicles in Obstetrics and Gynae-Oncology Group, University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia
| | | | - Berenice Palacios-González
- Laboratorio de Envejecimiento Saludable del Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica (INMEGEN) en el Centro de Investigación sobre Envejecimiento (CIE-CINVESTAV Sede Sur), CDMX, 14330, Mexico
| | - Anne Sørensen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Ulla Kampmann
- Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus, Aarhus University Hospital, and Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Aase Handberg
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark; Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Flavio Carrion
- Departamento de Investigación, Postgrado y Educación Continua (DIPEC), Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad del Alba, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carlos Salomon
- Translational Extracellular Vesicles in Obstetrics and Gynae-Oncology Group, University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia; Departamento de Investigación, Postgrado y Educación Continua (DIPEC), Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad del Alba, Santiago, Chile.
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20
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Zhao A, Jiang H, Palomares AR, Larsson A, He W, Grünler J, Zheng X, Rodriguez Wallberg KA, Catrina SB, Deng Q. Appropriate glycemic management protects the germline but not the uterine environment in hyperglycemia. EMBO Rep 2024; 25:1752-1772. [PMID: 38491313 PMCID: PMC11014859 DOI: 10.1038/s44319-024-00097-7] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidence indicates that parental diseases can impact the health of subsequent generations through epigenetic inheritance. Recently, it was shown that maternal diabetes alters the metaphase II oocyte transcriptome, causing metabolic dysfunction in offspring. However, type 1 diabetes (T1D) mouse models frequently utilized in previous studies may be subject to several confounding factors due to severe hyperglycemia. This limits clinical translatability given improvements in glycemic control for T1D subjects. Here, we optimize a T1D mouse model to investigate the effects of appropriately managed maternal glycemic levels on oocytes and intrauterine development. We show that diabetic mice with appropriate glycemic control exhibit better long-term health, including maintenance of the oocyte transcriptome and chromatin accessibility. We further show that human oocytes undergoing in vitro maturation challenged with mildly increased levels of glucose, reflecting appropriate glycemic management, also retain their transcriptome. However, fetal growth and placental function are affected in mice despite appropriate glycemic control, suggesting the uterine environment rather than the germline as a pathological factor in developmental programming in appropriately managed diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allan Zhao
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hong Jiang
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Alice Larsson
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Wenteng He
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jacob Grünler
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Xiaowei Zheng
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kenny A Rodriguez Wallberg
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Gynecology and Reproduction, Department of Reproductive Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sergiu-Bogdan Catrina
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Center for Diabetes, Academic Specialist Centrum, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Qiaolin Deng
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
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21
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Schroeder M, Fuenzalida B, Yi N, Shahnawaz S, Gertsch J, Pellegata D, Ontsouka E, Leiva A, Gutiérrez J, Müller M, Brocco MA, Albrecht C. LAT1-dependent placental methionine uptake is a key player in fetal programming of metabolic disease. Metabolism 2024; 153:155793. [PMID: 38295946 DOI: 10.1016/j.metabol.2024.155793] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease hypothesis sustains that exposure to different stressors during prenatal development prepares the offspring for the challenges to be encountered after birth. We studied the gestational period as a particularly vulnerable window where different stressors can have strong implications for fetal programming of the offspring's life-long metabolic status via alterations of specific placentally expressed nutrient transporters. To study this mechanism, we used a murine prenatal stress model, human preeclampsia, early miscarriage, and healthy placental tissue samples, in addition to in vitro models of placental cells. In stressed mice, placental overexpression of L-type amino acid transporter 1 (Lat1) and subsequent global placental DNA hypermethylation was accompanied by fetal and adult hypothalamic dysregulation in global DNA methylation and gene expression as well as long-term metabolic abnormalities exclusively in female offspring. In human preeclampsia, early miscarriage, and under hypoxic conditions, placental LAT1 was significantly upregulated, leading to increased methionine uptake and global DNA hypermethylation. Remarkably, subgroups of healthy term placentas with high expression of stress-related genes presented increased levels of placental LAT1 mRNA and protein, DNA and RNA hypermethylation, increased methionine uptake capacity, one-carbon metabolic pathway disruption, higher methionine concentration in the placenta and transport to the fetus specifically in females. Since LAT1 mediates the intracellular accumulation of methionine, global DNA methylation, and one-carbon metabolism in the placenta, our findings hint at a major sex-specific global response to a variety of prenatal stressors affecting placental function, epigenetic programming, and life-long metabolic disease and provide a much-needed insight into early-life factors predisposing females/women to metabolic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Schroeder
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland; Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research, NCCR TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Barbara Fuenzalida
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Nan Yi
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Saira Shahnawaz
- Department of Biochemistry, Sargodha Medical College, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan; Department of Allied Health Sciences, Sargodha Medical College, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan
| | - Jürg Gertsch
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland; Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research, NCCR TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Daniele Pellegata
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Edgar Ontsouka
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Leiva
- Faculty of Medicine and Science, Universidad of San Sebastian, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jaime Gutiérrez
- Faculty of Medicine and Science, Universidad of San Sebastian, Santiago, Chile
| | - Martin Müller
- Division of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Lindenhofgruppe, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Marcela A Brocco
- Institute of Biotechnological Research, University of San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Christiane Albrecht
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland; Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research, NCCR TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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22
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Yi C, Song H, Liang H, Ran Y, Tang J, Chen E, Li F, Fu L, Wang Y, Chen F, Wang Y, Ding Y, Xie Y. TBX3 reciprocally controls key trophoblast lineage decisions in villi during human placenta development in the first trimester. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 263:130220. [PMID: 38368983 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.130220] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Human trophoblastic lineage development is intertwined with placental development and pregnancy outcomes, but the regulatory mechanisms underpinning this process remain inadequately understood. In this study, based on single-nuclei RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) analysis of the human early maternal-fetal interface, we compared the gene expression pattern of trophoblast at different developmental stages. Our findings reveal a predominant upregulation of TBX3 during the transition from villous cytotrophoblast (VCT) to syncytiotrophoblast (SCT), but downregulation of TBX3 as VCT progresses into extravillous trophoblast cells (EVT). Immunofluorescence analysis verified the primary expression of TBX3 in SCT, partial expression in MKi67-positive VCT, and absence in HLA-G-positive EVT, consistent with our snRNA-seq results. Using immortalized trophoblastic cell lines (BeWo and HTR8/SVneo) and human primary trophoblast stem cells (hTSCs), we observed that TBX3 knockdown impedes SCT formation through RAS-MAPK signaling, while TBX3 overexpression disrupts the cytoskeleton structure of EVT and hinders EVT differentiation by suppressing FAK signaling. In conclusion, our study suggests that the spatiotemporal expression of TBX3 plays a critical role in regulating trophoblastic lineage development via distinct signaling pathways. This underscores TBX3 as a key determinant during hemochorial placental development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cen Yi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women and Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction and Development of the Ministry of Education of China, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Honglan Song
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women and Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction and Development of the Ministry of Education of China, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Hongxiu Liang
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction and Development of the Ministry of Education of China, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Yujie Ran
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction and Development of the Ministry of Education of China, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Jing Tang
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction and Development of the Ministry of Education of China, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Enxiang Chen
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction and Development of the Ministry of Education of China, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Fangfang Li
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction and Development of the Ministry of Education of China, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Lijuan Fu
- Department of Gynecology, Chongqing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing, China 400021; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prevention and Cure of Metabolic Diseases, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Changsha Medical University, Hunan 410219, China
| | - Yaqi Wang
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction and Development of the Ministry of Education of China, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Fengming Chen
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Agricultural Biogenomics, Changsha Medical University, 410129, China
| | - Yingxiong Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women and Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction and Development of the Ministry of Education of China, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Yubin Ding
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women and Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction and Development of the Ministry of Education of China, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Youlong Xie
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women and Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction and Development of the Ministry of Education of China, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.
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23
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Mendoza RP, Doytcheva K, Ud Dean M, Jorgenson KM, Choi D, Segal J, Wang P, Lastra RR. Whole exome sequencing of placental chorangioma. Placenta 2024; 149:13-17. [PMID: 38484495 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2024.03.003] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Placental chorangioma is a benign non-trophoblastic vascular proliferation of the placental chorion favored to represent hamartoma-like or hyperplastic capillary lesions. As the exact pathophysiology has not been established, we investigated the molecular characteristics of placental chorangiomas using exploratory whole exome sequencing. METHODS Three cases were retrospectively selected and whole exome sequencing was performed on macrodissected lesions. DNA extraction, DNA quantification, library preparation and sequencing were performed with IDT xGen™ Exome Hybridization Panel v2 for library capture. Sequencing data was analyzed with an in-house bioinformatics pipeline for single-nucleotide variants and insertions/deletions. RESULTS All neonates were delivered at term and had birth weights ranging from 11th-35th percentile for gestational age. All mothers presented with hypertensive disorder during pregnancy. Chorangiomas ranged from 0.7 cm to 5.1 cm and were well-circumscribed near the fetal surface. Case 1 showed a background of chorangiosis and acute subchorionitis, while case 2 had foci of chronic lymphocytic villitis. Whole exome sequencing did not reveal any significant pathologic variants. DISCUSSIONS The absence of molecular alteration in placental chorangioma is likely indicative of the reactive/non-neoplastic nature of this lesion. The presence of compromised blood flow in the form of hypertensive disorders in our cases may be one of its underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachelle P Mendoza
- Department of Pathology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
| | - Kristina Doytcheva
- Department of Pathology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Minhaz Ud Dean
- Department of Pathology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Kyla M Jorgenson
- Department of Pathology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
| | - Donghyuk Choi
- Department of Pathology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
| | - Jeremy Segal
- Department of Pathology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Peng Wang
- Department of Pathology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Ricardo R Lastra
- Department of Pathology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
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24
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Souka AP, Chatziioannou MI, Pegkou A, Antsaklis P, Daskalakis G. The role of the PLGF in the management of pregnancies complicated with fetal microsomia. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2024; 309:1369-1376. [PMID: 36977917 DOI: 10.1007/s00404-023-07012-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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To explore the contribution of maternal and fetal parameters in predicting the time interval between diagnosis and development of adverse events leading to delivery in singleton pregnancies complicated with fetal microsomia. METHODS Prospective study on singleton pregnancies referred to a tertiary center because of suspicion of fetal smallness in the third trimester. The study cohort included cases with fetal abdominal circumference (AC) ≤ 10th centile or estimated fetal weight ≤ 10th centile or umbilical artery pulsatitlity index ≥ 90th centile. Development of pre-eclampsia, fetal demise, and fetal deterioration diagnosed by fetal Doppler studies or fetal heart rate monitoring and leading to delivery were considered as adverse events. Maternal demographics, obstetric history, blood pressure, serum PLGF, and fetal Doppler studies were explored as predictors of the time interval between the first visit to the clinic and the diagnosis of complications. RESULTS In 59 women, the median incubation period from presentation to the clinic to an adverse event was 6, 2 weeks, whereas half of the pregnancies (52.5%) did not develop any adverse event. PLGF was the strongest predictor of adverse events. Both PLGF in raw values and PLGF MOM had equally good predictive ability (AUC 0.82 and 0.78 respectively). Optimal cut-off points were 177.7 pg/ml for PLGF raw values (sensitivity 83% and specificity 66.7%) and 0.277 MoM (sensitivity 76% and specificity 86.7%). On multiple Cox regression analysis, maternal systolic blood pressure, PLGF, fetal increased umbilical artery PI, and reduced CP ratio were independently associated with adverse events. Half of the pregnancies with low PLGF and only one in ten with high PLGF were delivered within two weeks after the initial visit. CONCLUSION Half of the pregnancies carrying a small fetus in the third trimester will not develop maternal or fetal complications. PLGF is a strong predictor of adverse events that can be used to customize antenatal care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athena P Souka
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alexandra Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens-Faculty of Medicine,, Emvryomitriki Fetal Medicine Unit, 41 D.Soutsou Str, 11521, Athens, Greece.
| | - M I Chatziioannou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alexandra Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens-Faculty of Medicine,, Emvryomitriki Fetal Medicine Unit, 41 D.Soutsou Str, 11521, Athens, Greece
| | - A Pegkou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alexandra Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens-Faculty of Medicine,, Emvryomitriki Fetal Medicine Unit, 41 D.Soutsou Str, 11521, Athens, Greece
| | - P Antsaklis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alexandra Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens-Faculty of Medicine,, Emvryomitriki Fetal Medicine Unit, 41 D.Soutsou Str, 11521, Athens, Greece
| | - G Daskalakis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alexandra Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens-Faculty of Medicine,, Emvryomitriki Fetal Medicine Unit, 41 D.Soutsou Str, 11521, Athens, Greece
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25
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Calis P, Gundogdu AC, Turgut E, Seymen CM, Saglam AS, Karcaaltincaba D, Kaplanoglu GT. Do small for gestational age fetuses have placental pathologies? Arch Gynecol Obstet 2024; 309:1305-1313. [PMID: 36933038 DOI: 10.1007/s00404-023-06989-8] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Although small for gestational age (SGA) does not cause adverse perinatal outcomes, the placental pathology for fetal growth restricted (FGR) and SGA fetuses is still unknown. The aim of this study is to evaluate the differences between placentas of early onset FGR, late onset FGR, SGA, and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) pregnancies in the manner of microvasculature and expression of anti-angiogenic PEDF factor and CD68. METHODS The study included four groups (early onset FGR, late onset FGR, SGA and AGA). Placental samples were obtained just after labor in all of the groups. Degenerative criteria were investigated with Hematoxylin-eosin staining. Immunohistochemical evaluation with H score and m RNA levels of Cluster of differentiation 68 (CD68) and pigment epithelium derived factor (PEDF) were performed for each group. RESULTS The highest levels of degeneration were detected in the early onset FGR group. In means of degeneration SGA placentas were found to be worse than the AGA placentas. The intensity of PEDF and CD68 were significant in early FGR, the late FGR and SGA groups compared to the AGA group (p < 0.001). The mRNA level results of the PEDF and CD68 were also parallel to the immunostaining results. CONCLUSION Although SGA fetuses are considered constitutionally small, the SGA placentas also demonstrated signs of degeneration similar to the FGR placentas. These degenerative signs were not seen among the AGA placentas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pinar Calis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, 06100, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Ayse Cakir Gundogdu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Kütahya Health Sciences University, Kütahya, Turkey
| | - Ezgi Turgut
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, 06100, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Cemile Merve Seymen
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Atiye Seda Saglam
- Department of Medical Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Deniz Karcaaltincaba
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, 06100, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Gulnur Take Kaplanoglu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
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Poomani MS, Regurajan R, Perumal R, Ramachandran A, Mariappan I, Muthan K, Subramanian V. Differentiation of placenta-derived MSCs cultured in human platelet lysate: a xenofree supplement. 3 Biotech 2024; 14:116. [PMID: 38524240 PMCID: PMC10959853 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-024-03966-z] [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: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
In the last few decades, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)-based regenerative therapies in clinical applications have gradually become a hot topic due to their long-term self-renewal and multilineage differentiation ability. In this scenario, placenta (p) has been considered as a good source of MSCs. As a tissue of fetal origin with abundant number of stem cells compared to other sources, their non-invasive acquisition, strong immunosuppression, and lack of ethical concerns make placenta an indispensable source of MSC in stem cell research and therapy. The mesenchymal stem cells were derived from human term placenta (p-MSCs) in xenofree condition using platelet lysate (PL) as a suitable alternative to fetal bovine serum (FBS). Upon isolation, p-MSCs showed plastic adherence with spindle-shaped, fibroblast-like morphology under microscope. p-MSCs flourished well in PL-containing media. Immunophenotyping showed classical MSC markers (> 90%) and lack expression of hematopoietic and HLA-DR (< 1%). Surprisingly, differentiation study showed differentiation of p-MSCs to mature adipocytes in both induced cells and control (spontaneous differentiation), as observed via oil red staining. This is in line with gene expression data where both control and induced cells were positive for visfatin and leptin. Thus, we propose that p-MSCs can be used for clinical applications in the treatment of various chronic and degenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merlin Sobia Poomani
- Genetic Engineering and Regenerative Biology Lab, Department of Biotechnology, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu 627012 India
| | - Rathika Regurajan
- Centre for Marine Science and Technology, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu 627012 India
| | | | | | - Iyyadurai Mariappan
- Genetic Engineering and Regenerative Biology Lab, Department of Biotechnology, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu 627012 India
| | - Krishnaveni Muthan
- Department of Animal Science, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu 627012 India
| | - Venkatesh Subramanian
- Genetic Engineering and Regenerative Biology Lab, Department of Biotechnology, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu 627012 India
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Sagberg K, Eskild A, Sommerfelt S, Halle TK, Hillestad V, Haavaldsen C. Two-dimensional (2D) placental ultrasound measurements - The correlation with placental volume measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Placenta 2024; 149:7-12. [PMID: 38452718 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2024.02.010] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Information about placental size in ongoing pregnancies may aid the identification of pregnancies with increased risk of adverse outcome. Placental volume can be measured using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, this method is not universally available in antenatal care. Ultrasound is the diagnostic tool of choice in pregnancy. Therefore, we studied whether simple two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound placental measurements were correlated with placental volume measured by MRI. METHODS We examined a convenience sample of 104 ongoing pregnancies at gestational week 27, using both ultrasound and MRI. The ultrasound measurements included placental length, width and thickness. Placental volume was measured using MRI. The correlation between each 2D placental ultrasound measurement and placental volume was estimated by applying Pearson's correlation coefficient (r). RESULTS Mean placental length was 17.2 cm (SD 2.1 cm), mean width was 14.7 cm (SD 2.1 cm), and mean thickness was 3.2 cm (SD 0.6 cm). Mean placental volume was 536 cm3 (SD 137 cm3). The 2D ultrasound measurements showed poor correlation with placental volume (placental length; r = 0.27, width; r = 0.37, and thickness r = 0.13). DISCUSSION Simple 2D ultrasound measurements of the placenta were poorly correlated with placental volume and cannot be used as proximate measures of placental volume. Our finding may be explained by the large variation between pregnancies in intrauterine placental shape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karianne Sagberg
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akershus University Hospital, P.O. Box 1000, N-1478, Lørenskog, Norway; Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1171 Blindern, N-0318, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Anne Eskild
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akershus University Hospital, P.O. Box 1000, N-1478, Lørenskog, Norway; Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1171 Blindern, N-0318, Oslo, Norway
| | - Silje Sommerfelt
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akershus University Hospital, P.O. Box 1000, N-1478, Lørenskog, Norway; Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1171 Blindern, N-0318, Oslo, Norway
| | - Tuva K Halle
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akershus University Hospital, P.O. Box 1000, N-1478, Lørenskog, Norway; Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1171 Blindern, N-0318, Oslo, Norway
| | - Vigdis Hillestad
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akershus University Hospital, P.O. Box 1000, N-1478, Lørenskog, Norway; Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Akershus University Hospital, P.O. Box 1000, N-1478, Lørenskog, Norway
| | - Camilla Haavaldsen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akershus University Hospital, P.O. Box 1000, N-1478, Lørenskog, Norway
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Young RE, Nelson KM, Hofbauer SI, Vijayakumar T, Alameh MG, Weissman D, Papachristou C, Gleghorn JP, Riley RS. Systematic development of ionizable lipid nanoparticles for placental mRNA delivery using a design of experiments approach. Bioact Mater 2024; 34:125-137. [PMID: 38223537 PMCID: PMC10784148 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2023.11.014] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Ionizable lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have gained attention as mRNA delivery platforms for vaccination against COVID-19 and for protein replacement therapies. LNPs enhance mRNA stability, circulation time, cellular uptake, and preferential delivery to specific tissues compared to mRNA with no carrier platform. However, LNPs are only in the beginning stages of development for safe and effective mRNA delivery to the placenta to treat placental dysfunction. Here, we develop LNPs that enable high levels of mRNA delivery to trophoblasts in vitro and to the placenta in vivo with no toxicity. We conducted a Design of Experiments to explore how LNP composition, including the type and molar ratio of each lipid component, drives trophoblast and placental delivery. Our data revealed that utilizing C12-200 as the ionizable lipid and 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DOPE) as the phospholipid in the LNP design yields high transfection efficiency in vitro. Analysis of lipid molar composition as a design parameter in LNPs displayed a strong correlation between apparent pKa and poly (ethylene) glycol (PEG) content, as a reduction in PEG molar amount increases apparent pKa. Further, we present one LNP platform that exhibits the highest delivery of placental growth factor mRNA to the placenta in pregnant mice, resulting in synthesis and secretion of a potentially therapeutic protein. Lastly, our high-performing LNPs have no toxicity to both the pregnant mice and fetuses. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of LNPs as a platform for mRNA delivery to the placenta, and our top LNP formulations may provide a therapeutic platform to treat diseases that originate from placental dysfunction during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel E. Young
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Rd, Glassboro, NJ 08028, United States
- School of Translational Biomedical Engineering & Sciences, Virtua College of Medicine & Life Sciences of Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Rd, Glassboro, NJ 08028, United States
| | - Katherine M. Nelson
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Delaware, 150 Academy Street, Newark, DE 19716, United States
| | - Samuel I. Hofbauer
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Rd, Glassboro, NJ 08028, United States
- School of Translational Biomedical Engineering & Sciences, Virtua College of Medicine & Life Sciences of Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Rd, Glassboro, NJ 08028, United States
- Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Rowan University, 401 Broadway, Camden, NJ 08103, United States
| | - Tara Vijayakumar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Rd, Glassboro, NJ 08028, United States
- School of Translational Biomedical Engineering & Sciences, Virtua College of Medicine & Life Sciences of Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Rd, Glassboro, NJ 08028, United States
| | - Mohamad-Gabriel Alameh
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
| | - Drew Weissman
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
| | - Charalampos Papachristou
- Department of Mathematics, College of Science & Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Rd, Glassboro, NJ 08028, United States
| | - Jason P. Gleghorn
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Delaware, 590 Avenue 1743, Newark, DE 19713, United States
| | - Rachel S. Riley
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Rd, Glassboro, NJ 08028, United States
- School of Translational Biomedical Engineering & Sciences, Virtua College of Medicine & Life Sciences of Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Rd, Glassboro, NJ 08028, United States
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Thompson LP, Song H, Hartnett J. Nicotinamide Riboside, an NAD + Precursor, Protects Against Cardiac Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Fetal Guinea Pigs Exposed to Gestational Hypoxia. Reprod Sci 2024; 31:975-986. [PMID: 37957471 PMCID: PMC10959782 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-023-01387-6] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Gestational hypoxia inhibits mitochondrial function in the fetal heart and placenta contributing to fetal growth restriction and organ dysfunction. NAD + deficiency may contribute to a metabolic deficit by inhibiting oxidative phosphorylation and ATP synthesis. We tested the effects of nicotinamide riboside (NR), an NAD + precursor, as a treatment for reversing known mitochondrial dysfunction in hypoxic fetal hearts. Pregnant guinea pigs were housed in room air (normoxia) or placed in a hypoxic chamber (10.5%O2) for the last 14 days of gestation (term = 65 days) and administered either water or NR (1.6 mg/ml) in the drinking bottle. Fetuses were excised at term, and NAD + levels of maternal liver, placenta, and fetal heart ventricles were measured. Indices of mitochondrial function (complex IV activity, sirtuin 3 activity, protein acetylation) and ATP synthesis were measured in fetal heart ventricles of NR-treated/untreated normoxic and hypoxic animals. Hypoxia reduced fetal body weight in both sexes (p = 0.01), which was prevented by NR. Hypoxia had no effect on maternal liver NAD + levels but decreased (p = 0.04) placenta NAD + levels, the latter normalized with NR treatment. Hypoxia had no effect on fetal heart NAD + but decreased (p < 0.05) mitochondrial complex IV and sirtuin 3 activities, ATP content, and increased mitochondrial acetylation, which were all normalized with maternal NR. Hypoxia increased (p < 0.05) mitochondrial acetylation in female fetal hearts but had no effect on other mitochondrial indices. We conclude that maternal NR is an effective treatment for normalizing mitochondrial dysfunction and ATP synthesis in the hypoxic fetal heart.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loren P Thompson
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore, School of Medicine, 655 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
| | - Hong Song
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore, School of Medicine, 655 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Jamie Hartnett
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore, School of Medicine, 655 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
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Scott HM, Mehta R, Branda ME, Hughes J, Kane SV, Girard S, Norgan AP, Theiler RN, Enninga EAL. Effect of Anti-TNF Biologic Exposure During Pregnancy on Villitis of Unknown Etiology Diagnoses in Patients with Autoimmune Disease. Reprod Sci 2024; 31:997-1005. [PMID: 37973775 PMCID: PMC10960686 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-023-01402-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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) antagonists are highly effective in controlling autoimmune diseases. This has led to speculation that they might also be useful in treating inflammatory placental conditions, such as chronic villitis of unknown etiology (VUE). VUE affects 10-15% of term placentas and is associated with recurrent fetal growth restriction (FGR) and pregnancy loss. We aimed to evaluate outcomes in patients with autoimmune diseases with and without anti-TNF-α biologic exposure during gestation. This retrospective cohort study compared pregnant women with autoimmune disease taking anti-TNF-α biologics (n = 89) to pregnant women with autoimmune disease but not taking a biologic (n = 53). We extracted data on all patients meeting our inclusion criteria over a 20-year period. Our primary outcome was the diagnosis of VUE by histology. Our secondary outcomes were maternal and neonatal complications such as preeclampsia, FGR, and neonatal intensive care admission. Kruskal-Wallis and chi-squared tests were performed as appropriate for statistical analysis. Maternal characteristics were comparable between groups, and there was no increase in adverse pregnancy outcomes based on anti-TNF-α treatment. Exposure to anti-TNF-α therapy had no significant effect on the incidence of VUE or other obstetric complications. Within the cohort exposed to anti-TNF-α biologics during pregnancy, the rate of VUE was 9.3%, which is comparable to the reported general population risk. Our data support the safety profile of biologic use in pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah M Scott
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Ave. SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Ramila Mehta
- Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Megan E Branda
- Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | | | - Sunanda V Kane
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Sylvie Girard
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Ave. SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
- Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Andrew P Norgan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Regan N Theiler
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Ave. SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Elizabeth Ann L Enninga
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Ave. SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
- Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
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Tartaglia S, Di Ilio C, Romanzi F, Moresi S, Nardi E, Bevilacqua E, Arena V, Lanzone A. Effects of SARS-Cov-2 mRNA vaccine on placental histopathology: Comparison of a population of uncomplicated COVID-19 positive pregnant women. Placenta 2024; 149:64-71. [PMID: 38527377 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2024.03.008] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
1. INTRODUCTION This study investigates the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on placental histopathology in pregnant women, comparing outcomes between vaccinated and non-vaccinated individuals. Despite known adverse pregnancy outcomes linked to SARS-CoV-2 infection, the specific effects on the placenta remain unclear. Although vaccination has demonstrated a substantial reduction in infection severity, its impact on placental health requires more insight. 2. METHODS Between March 2021 and July 2022, 387 COVID-19-positive women were admitted for delivery. Of these, 98 with non-severe symptoms were analyzed: 35 vaccinated during pregnancy, and 63 non-vaccinated. Two independent pathologists evaluated all placental specimens. 3. RESULTS The only differing obstetrical characteristic between groups was the mode of delivery (p 0.047), lacking clinical implications. Over 85% of placentas exhibited microscopic abnormalities, predominantly maternal vascular supply disorders (vaccinated 89.1%; unvaccinated 85.5%). Comparing vaccinated and unvaccinated groups revealed statistically significant differences, notably in increased focal perivillous fibrin deposits (IFPFD) [17.1% vs. 33.3% (p 0.04)] and avascular fibrotic villi (AFV) [0% vs. 11.1% (p 0.04)]. Binomial logistic regression confirmed the vaccine's protective role against IFPFD (aOR 0.36; 95%CI 013-0.99) and AVF (aOR 0.06, 95% CI 0.003-0.98). A sub-analysis in vaccinated women showed a positive correlation between the timing of the first dose and IFPFD presence (p 0.018). 4. DISCUSSION The lower incidence of maternal and fetal vascular malperfusion placental features in vaccinated women, coupled with the timing correlation, supports the vaccine's protective effect on placental tissue in COVID-19-infected pregnant patients. Notably, no side effects were reported post-vaccination, emphasizing the vaccine's safety and advocating for its secure administration in pregnant populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvio Tartaglia
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Dipartimento di Scienza della Salute della Donna e del Bambino e di Sanità Pubblica, 00168, Rome, Italy; Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy.
| | - Chiara Di Ilio
- Istituto di Clinica Ostetrica e Ginecologica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Romanzi
- Istituto di Clinica Ostetrica e Ginecologica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Sascia Moresi
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Dipartimento di Scienza della Salute della Donna e del Bambino e di Sanità Pubblica, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Eleonora Nardi
- Section of Anatomic Pathology, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Elisa Bevilacqua
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Dipartimento di Scienza della Salute della Donna e del Bambino e di Sanità Pubblica, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Arena
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, unità di Gineco-patologia e Patologia Mammaria, Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute della Donna e del Bambino e di Sanità Pubblica, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Lanzone
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Dipartimento di Scienza della Salute della Donna e del Bambino e di Sanità Pubblica, 00168, Rome, Italy; Istituto di Clinica Ostetrica e Ginecologica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
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Song W, Guo Q, Puttabyatappa M, Elangovan VR, Wang J, Li F, Liu F, Bi X, Li H, Fu G, Padmanabhan V, Wu X. FGR-associated placental insufficiency and capillary angiogenesis involves disruptions in human placental miRNAs and mRNAs. Heliyon 2024; 10:e28007. [PMID: 38509973 PMCID: PMC10951647 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28007] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is one of the most common pregnancy complications culminating in adverse fetal outcome, including preterm birth, neonatal mortality and stillbirth. Compromised placental development and function, especially disruption in angiogenesis and inadequate nutrient supply are contributing factors. Fetal sex also influences placental function. Knowledge of gene expression changes and epigenetic factors contributing to placental dysfunction in FGR pregnancies will help identify biomarkers and help target interventions. This study tested the hypothesis that FGR pregnancies are associated with disruptions in miRNA - an epigenetic factor and mRNAs involving key mediators of angiogenesis and microvessel development. Changes in expression of key genes/proteins involved in placental dysfunction by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry and miRNA changes by RNA sequencing were undertaken with term placenta from 12 control and 20 FGR pregnancies. Findings showed changes in expression of genes involved in steroidogenesis, steroid action, IGF family members, inflammatory cytokines and angiogenic factors in FGR pregnancies. In addition, upregulation of MIR451A and downregulation of MIR543 in placentas from FGR group with female newborns and upregulation of MIR520G in placentas from FGR group with male newborns were also noted. MIR451A and MIR543 have been implicated in angiogenesis. Consistent with gene changes, CD34, the microvessel angiogenesis marker, also showed reduced staining only in female FGR group. These findings provide evidence that epigentically regulated gene expression changes in angiogenesis and capillary development influence placental impairment in FGR pregnancies. Our preliminary observations also support for these changes to be driven in a sex-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhui Song
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China
- The Fourth Hospital of Shijiazhuang affiliated to Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China
| | - Qing Guo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China
- The Fourth Hospital of Shijiazhuang affiliated to Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China
| | | | | | - Jianping Wang
- The Fourth Hospital of Shijiazhuang affiliated to Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China
| | - Fang Li
- The Fourth Hospital of Shijiazhuang affiliated to Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China
| | - Fangfang Liu
- The Fourth Hospital of Shijiazhuang affiliated to Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China
| | - Xuejie Bi
- The Fourth Hospital of Shijiazhuang affiliated to Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China
| | - Haiying Li
- The Fourth Hospital of Shijiazhuang affiliated to Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China
| | - Guangping Fu
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, College for Forensic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China
| | | | - XiaoHua Wu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China
- The Fourth Hospital of Shijiazhuang affiliated to Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, PR China
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Sha Q, Escobar Galvis ML, Madaj ZB, Keaton SA, Smart L, Edgerly YM, Anis E, Leach R, Osborne LM, Achtyes E, Brundin L. Dysregulated placental expression of kynurenine pathway enzymes is associated with inflammation and depression in pregnancy. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 119:146-153. [PMID: 38555986 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.03.042] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Perinatal depression (including antenatal-, postnatal-, and depression that spans both timepoints) is a prevalent disorder with high morbidity that affects both mother and child. Even though the full biological blueprints of perinatal depression remain incomplete, multiple studies indicate that, at least for antenatal depression, the disorder has an inflammatory component likely linked to a dysregulation of the enzymatic kynurenine pathway. The production of neuroactive metabolites in this pathway, including quinolinic acid (QUIN), is upregulated in the placenta due to the multiple immunological roles of the metabolites during pregnancy. Since neuroactive metabolites produced by the pathway also may affect mood by directly affecting glutamate neurotransmission, we sought to investigate whether the placental expression of kynurenine pathway enzymes controlling QUIN production was associated with both peripheral inflammation and depressive symptoms during pregnancy. METHODS 68 placentas obtained at birth were analyzed using qPCR to determine the expression of kynurenine pathway enzymes. Cytokines and metabolites were quantified in plasma using high-sensitivity electroluminescence and ultra-performance liquid chromatography, respectively. Maternal depressive symptoms were assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) throughout pregnancy and the post-partum. Associations between these factors were assessed using robust linear regression with ranked enzymes. RESULTS Low placental quinolinate phosphoribosyl transferase (QPRT), the enzyme responsible for degrading QUIN, was associated with higher IL-6 and higher QUIN/kynurenic acid ratios at the 3rd trimester. Moreover, women with severe depressive symptoms in the 3rd trimester had significantly lower placental expression of both QPRT and 2-amino-3-carboxymuconate-6-semialdehyde decarboxylase (ACMSD); impaired activity of these two enzymes leads to QUIN accumulation. CONCLUSION Overall, our data support that a compromised placental environment, featuring low expression of critical kynurenine pathway enzymes is associated with increased levels of plasma cytokines and the dysregulated kynurenine metabolite pattern observed in depressed women during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Sha
- Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | | | - Zachary B Madaj
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Core, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Sarah A Keaton
- Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - LeAnn Smart
- Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | | | - Ehraz Anis
- Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Richard Leach
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Lauren M Osborne
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Eric Achtyes
- Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services, Grand Rapids, MI, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine, Kalamazoo, MI, USA
| | - Lena Brundin
- Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA.
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Shokati A, Naser Moghadasi A, Ghashghaei A, Sahraian MA, Chahardouli B, Mousavi SA, Ai J, Nikbakht M. Good manufacturing practices production of human placental derived mesenchymal stem cells for therapeutic applications: focus on multiple sclerosis. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:460. [PMID: 38551770 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-024-09372-1] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Among neurological diseases, multiple sclerosis (MS) affects mostly young adults and can cause long-term disability. While most medications with approval from regulatory agencies are very effective in treating MS disease, they are unable to repair the tissue damage found in the central nervous system (CNS). Consequently, Cell-based therapy particularly using mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs), holds promise for neuroprotection and tissue repair in MS treatment. Furthermore, placenta-derived MSCs (PLMSCs) have shown the potential to treat MS due to their abundance, noninvasive isolation from discarded tissues, no ethical problems, anti-inflammatory, and reparative properties. Accordingly, good manufacturing practices (GMPs) plays a crucial part in clinical SCs manufacturing. The purpose of our article is to discuss GMP-grade PLMSC protocols for treating MS as well as other clinical applications. METHODS AND RESULTS Placental tissue obtained of a healthy donor during the caesarean delivery and PLMSCs isolated by GMP standards. Flow cytometry was used to assess the expression of the CD markers CD34, CD105, CD90, and CD73 in the MSCs and the mesodermal differentiation ability was evaluated. Furthermore, Genetic evaluation of PLMSCs was done by G-banded karyotyping and revealed no chromosomal instability. In spite of the anatomical origin of the starting material, PLMSCs using this method of culture were maternal in origin. CONCLUSIONS We hope that our protocol for clinical manufacturing of PLMSCs according to GMP standards will assist researchers in isolating MSCs from placental tissue for clinical and pre-clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ameneh Shokati
- Department of Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Multiple Sclerosis Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abdorreza Naser Moghadasi
- Multiple Sclerosis Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran.
| | - Andisheh Ghashghaei
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali Sahraian
- Multiple Sclerosis Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Bahram Chahardouli
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Asadollah Mousavi
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Jafar Ai
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Mohsen Nikbakht
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Research Institute for Oncology, Hematology and Cell Therapy, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Kargar Shomali Street, P. O. Box.: 1411713131, Tehran, Iran.
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Pax K, Buduneli N, Alan M, Meric P, Gurlek O, Dabdoub SM, Kumar PS. Placental TLR recognition of salivary and subgingival microbiota is associated with pregnancy complications. Microbiome 2024; 12:64. [PMID: 38532461 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-024-01761-9] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pre-term birth, the leading cause of neonatal mortality, has been associated with maternal periodontal disease and the presence of oral pathogens in the placenta. However, the mechanisms that underpin this link are not known. This investigation aimed to identify the origins of placental microbiota and to interrogate the association between parturition complications and immune recognition of placental microbial motifs. Video Abstract METHODS: Saliva, plaque, serum, and placenta were collected during 130 full-term (FT), pre-term (PT), or pre-term complicated by pre-eclampsia (PTPE) deliveries and subjected to whole-genome shotgun sequencing. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to measure toll-like receptors (TLR) 1-10 expression in placental samples. Source tracking was employed to trace the origins of the placental microbiota. RESULTS We discovered 10,007 functionally annotated genes representing 420 taxa in the placenta that could not be attributed to contamination. Placental microbial composition was the biggest discriminator of pregnancy complications, outweighing hypertension, BMI, smoking, and maternal age. A machine-learning algorithm trained on this microbial dataset predicted PTPE and PT with error rates of 4.05% and 8.6% (taxonomy) and 6.21% and 7.38% (function). Logistic regression revealed 32% higher odds of parturition complication (95% CI 2.8%, 81%) for every IQR increase in the Shannon diversity index after adjusting for maternal smoking status, maternal age, and gravida. We also discovered distinct expression patterns of TLRs that detect RNA- and DNA-containing antigens in the three groups, with significant upregulation of TLR9, and concomitant downregulation of TLR7 in PTPE and PT groups, and dense correlation networks between microbial genes and these TLRs. 70-82% of placental microbiota were traced to serum and thence to the salivary and subgingival microbiomes. The oral and serum microbiomes of PTPE and PT groups displayed significant enrichment of genes encoding iron transport, exosome, adhesion, quorum sensing, lipopolysaccharide, biofilm, and steroid degradation. CONCLUSIONS Within the limits of cross-sectional analysis, we find evidence to suggest that oral bacteria might translocate to the placenta via serum and trigger immune signaling pathways capable of inducing placental vascular pathology. This might explain, in part, the higher incidence of obstetric syndromes in women with periodontal disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazune Pax
- Division of Oral Biosciences, College of Dentistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Nurcan Buduneli
- Faculty of Clinical Sciences, Department of Periodontology, Ege University, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Murat Alan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Izmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, Tepecik, 35120, Izmir, Türkiye
| | - Pinar Meric
- Faculty of Clinical Sciences, Department of Periodontology, Ege University, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Onder Gurlek
- Faculty of Clinical Sciences, Department of Periodontology, Ege University, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Shareef M Dabdoub
- Department of Periodontics, Division of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, The University of Iowa School of Dentistry, Iowa City, IA, 52242-1010, USA
| | - Purnima S Kumar
- Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
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Zels G, Colpaert C, Leenaerts D, Nailis H, Verheecke M, De Catte L, Richter J, Baldewijns M. COVID-19 vaccination protects infected pregnant women from developing SARS-CoV-2 placentitis and decreases the risk for stillbirth. Placenta 2024; 148:38-43. [PMID: 38359600 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2024.01.015] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The impact of COVID-19 infection in pregnant women remained unclear for a long time. Previous research showed that SARS-CoV-2 virus is able to infect the placenta, potentially causing significant lesions leading to placental insufficiency. The impact of maternal vaccination status on the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 placentitis remains unclear. We characterized placental lesions in SARS-CoV-2 infected pregnant women and studied the impact of vaccination on placental involvement. METHODS We retrospectively studied 180 placentas sent to the Department of Pathology in UZ Leuven or AZ Turnhout between January 2020 and August 2022, from non-vaccinated and vaccinated mothers suffering a SARS-CoV-2 proven infection during pregnancy. All reports and hematoxylin-eosin stained sections were revised by two pathologists to determine the presence of histopathological lesions that have been described in SARS-CoV-2 infection. SARS-CoV-2 immunostainings were available for a subgroup of 109 placentas. We gathered clinical data: date of delivery, date of positive serologic test result, vaccination status, SARS-CoV-2 variant and outcome of the pregnancy. RESULTS Of the 180 placentas, 37,2% showed histopathological lesions and in 12,8% an immunohistochemically proven SARS-CoV-2 placentitis was present. SARS-CoV-2 immunohistochemical positivity was only seen in non-vaccinated mothers. The risk of fetal demise was more than 5 times higher for non-vaccinated mothers and their placentas showed significantly more syncytiotrophoblast necrosis and chronic histiocytic intervillositis compared to vaccinated mothers (both p < 0,001). DISCUSSION Maternal vaccination was associated with a reduced risk of SARS-CoV-2 placentitis and stillbirth. This study provides new evidence of the protective effect of vaccination on the placenta.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gitte Zels
- Department of Pathology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Cecile Colpaert
- Department of Pathology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Pathology, AZ Turnhout, Turnhout, Belgium
| | - Dorien Leenaerts
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, AZ Turnhout, Turnhout, Belgium; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Heleen Nailis
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, AZ Turnhout, Turnhout, Belgium
| | - Magali Verheecke
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, AZ Turnhout, Turnhout, Belgium
| | - Luc De Catte
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jute Richter
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Zaugg J, Lopez-Tello J, Musial B, Vaughan OR, Fowden AL, Albrecht C, Sferruzzi-Perri AN. Obesogenic diet in pregnancy disrupts placental iron handling and ferroptosis and stress signalling in association with fetal growth alterations. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:151. [PMID: 38526599 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05192-5] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Obesity and gestational diabetes (GDM) impact fetal growth during pregnancy. Iron is an essential micronutrient needed for energy-intense feto-placental development, but if mis-handled can lead to oxidative stress and ferroptosis (iron-dependent cell death). In a mouse model showing maternal obesity and glucose intolerance, we investigated the association of materno-fetal iron handling and placental ferroptosis, oxidative damage and stress signalling activation with fetal growth. Female mice were fed a standard chow or high fat, high sugar (HFHS) diet during pregnancy and outcomes were measured at day (d)16 or d19 of pregnancy. In HFHS-fed mice, maternal hepcidin was reduced and iron status maintained (tissue iron levels) at both d16 and d19. However, fetal weight, placental iron transfer capacity, iron deposition, TFR1 expression and ERK2-mediated signalling were reduced and oxidative damage-related lipofuscin accumulation in the placenta was increased in HFHS-fed mice. At d19, whilst TFR1 remained decreased, fetal weight was normal and placental weight, iron content and iron transporter genes (Dmt1, Zip14, and Fpn1) were reduced in HFHS-fed mice. Furthermore, there was stress kinase activation (increased phosphorylated p38MAPK, total ERK and JNK) in the placenta from HFHS-fed mice at d19. In summary, a maternal HFHS diet during pregnancy impacts fetal growth trajectory in association with changes in placental iron handling, ferroptosis and stress signalling. Downregulation of placental iron transporters in HFHS mice may protect the fetus from excessive oxidative iron. These findings suggest a role for alterations in placental iron homeostasis in determining perinatal outcomes of pregnancies associated with GDM and/or maternal obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Zaugg
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Bühlstrasse 28, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland
- Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jorge Lopez-Tello
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
| | - Barbara Musial
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
| | - Owen R Vaughan
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
| | - Abigail L Fowden
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
| | - Christiane Albrecht
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Bühlstrasse 28, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland.
- Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) TransCure, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Amanda N Sferruzzi-Perri
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK.
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de Vos ES, van der Meeren LE, Koning AHJ, Nikkels PGJ, Steegers EAP, Steegers-Theunissen RPM, Mulders AGMGJ. First-trimester 3D power Doppler imaging markers of utero- placental vascular development are associated with placental weight and diameter at birth: The Rotterdam Periconception Cohort. Placenta 2024; 148:44-52. [PMID: 38367314 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2024.01.019] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Early utero-placental vascular development impacts placental development and function throughout pregnancy. We investigated whether impaired first-trimester utero-placental vascular development is associated with pathologic features of the postpartum placenta. METHODS In this prospective observational study of 65 ongoing pregnancies, we obtained three-dimensional power Doppler ultrasounds of the placenta at 7, 9 and 11 weeks of gestation. We applied VOCAL software to measure placental volume (PV), virtual reality based segmentation to measure utero-placental vascular volume (uPVV) and applied a skeletonization algorithm to generate the utero-placental vascular skeleton (uPVS). Vascular morphology was quantified by assigning a morphologic characteristic to each voxel in the uPVS (i.e. end-, bifurcation-, crossing- or vessel point). Following delivery, placentas were measured and histologically examined according to the Amsterdam criteria to assess maternal vascular malperfusion (MVM). We used linear mixed models to estimate trajectories of PV, uPVV and uPVS development. Multivariable linear regression analysis with adjustments for confounders was used to evaluate associations between PV, uPVV and uPVS development and features of the postpartum placenta. RESULTS We observed no associations between first-trimester PV development and measurements of the postpartum placenta. Increased first-trimester utero-placental vascular development, reflected by uPVV (β = 0.25 [0.01; 0.48]), uPVS end points (β = 0.25 [0.01; 0.48]), bifurcation points (β = 0.22 [0.05; 0.37]), crossing points (β = 0.29 [0.07; 0.52]) and vessel points (β = 0.09 [0.02; 0.17]) was positively associated with the postpartum placental diameter. uPVV was positively associated with postpartum placental weight. No associations were found with MVM. DISCUSSION Development of the first-trimester utero-placental vasculature is associated with postpartum placental size, whereas placental tissue development contributes to a lesser extent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eline S de Vos
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Lotte E van der Meeren
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Anton H J Koning
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Peter G J Nikkels
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, H04.312, PO Box 85500, 3505 GA, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Eric A P Steegers
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Régine P M Steegers-Theunissen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Annemarie G M G J Mulders
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
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Bertholdt C, Morel O, Hossu G, Cherifi A, Beaumont M, Eszto ML. Evaluation of utero- placental vascularization using contrast-enhanced ultrasound: Early first trimester maternal perfusion of the intervillous space is confirmed. Placenta 2024; 148:53-58. [PMID: 38401206 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2024.02.004] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The objective was to confirm and semiquantify the maternal perfusion of the intervillous space between 8 and 13 + 6 gestational weeks (GW). METHODS We conducted a prospective, multicenter, and nonrandomized open study. Women undergoing voluntary termination of pregnancy at three different gestational ages (Group 8 GW: 8 to 8 + 6 GW, Group 11GW: 11 to 11 + 6 GW and Group 13GW: 13 to 13 + 6 GW) were included, with 14 subjects per group. Women presenting with a personal risk of preeclampsia and/or intrauterine growth restriction were excluded. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) was performed with an intravenous bolus administration of 2.4 mL of microbubbles. The region of interest (ROI) was the entire placenta. The perfusion curves and kinetic parameters, including wash-in perfusion index, peak enhancement and mean transit time, were calculated. RESULTS Of the 42 women initially included, interpretable perfusion curves could be obtained for 33. Regardless of the gestational age, contrast was observed in the entire placenta. No significant difference in perfusion parameters was observed between groups. There was an association between signal intensity and both maternal heart frequency and placental location. Signal intensity was decreased when the heart frequency increased (p < 0.05) and when the placenta was in a nonanterior position (p > 0.005). DISCUSSION We confirmed the presence of maternal perfusion of the intervillous space as early as 8 GW. No significant increase in perfusion parameters was observed between 8 and 13 + 6 GW. Our observations, in accordance with the previous experiment published by Roberts et al.1, strongly challenge the classic trophoblastic plug theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Bertholdt
- Université de Lorraine, CHRU-NANCY, Pôle de la Femme, F-54000, Nancy, France; Université de Lorraine, Inserm, IADI, F-54000, Nancy, France.
| | - O Morel
- Université de Lorraine, CHRU-NANCY, Pôle de la Femme, F-54000, Nancy, France; Université de Lorraine, Inserm, IADI, F-54000, Nancy, France
| | - G Hossu
- Université de Lorraine, Inserm, IADI, F-54000, Nancy, France; CHRU-NANCY, Inserm, Université de Lorraine, CIC, Innovation Technologique, F-54000, Nancy, France
| | - A Cherifi
- CHRU-NANCY, Inserm, Université de Lorraine, CIC, Innovation Technologique, F-54000, Nancy, France
| | - M Beaumont
- Université de Lorraine, Inserm, IADI, F-54000, Nancy, France; CHRU-NANCY, Inserm, Université de Lorraine, CIC, Innovation Technologique, F-54000, Nancy, France
| | - M L Eszto
- Obstetric Department, Metz-Thionville Regional Hospital Center, Mercy Hospital, 1 Allée du Château, 57085, Metz, Cedex 03, France
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Karahoda R, Vachalova V, Portillo R, Mahrla F, Viñas-Noguera M, Abad C, Staud F. Developmental expression of catecholamine system in the human placenta and rat fetoplacental unit. Sci Rep 2024; 14:6948. [PMID: 38521816 PMCID: PMC10960862 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57481-5] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Catecholamines norepinephrine and dopamine have been implicated in numerous physiological processes within the central nervous system. Emerging evidence has highlighted the importance of tightly regulated monoamine levels for placental functions and fetal development. However, the complexities of synthesis, release, and regulation of catecholamines in the fetoplacental unit have not been fully unraveled. In this study, we investigated the expression of enzymes and transporters involved in synthesis, degradation, and transport of norepinephrine and dopamine in the human placenta and rat fetoplacental unit. Quantitative PCR and Western blot analyses were performed in early-to-late gestation in humans (first trimester vs. term placenta) and mid-to-late gestation in rats (placenta and fetal brain, intestines, liver, lungs, and heart). In addition, we analyzed the gene expression patterns in isolated primary trophoblast cells from the human placenta and placenta-derived cell lines (HRP-1, BeWo, JEG-3). In both human and rat placentas, the study identifies the presence of only PNMT, COMT, and NET at the mRNA and protein levels, with the expression of PNMT and NET showing gestational age dependency. On the other hand, rat fetal tissues consistently express the catecholamine pathway genes, revealing distinct developmental expression patterns. Lastly, we report significant transcriptional profile variations in different placental cell models, emphasizing the importance of careful model selection for catecholamine metabolism/transport studies. Collectively, integrating findings from humans and rats enhances our understanding of the dynamic regulatory mechanisms that underlie catecholamine dynamics during pregnancy. We identified similar patterns in both species across gestation, suggesting conserved molecular mechanisms and potentially shedding light on shared biological processes influencing placental development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rona Karahoda
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Vachalova
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ramon Portillo
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Filip Mahrla
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Mireia Viñas-Noguera
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Cilia Abad
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Frantisek Staud
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
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Jiang Y, Geng Y, Gao R, Chen Z, Chen J, Mu X, Zhang Y, Yin X, Chen X, Li F, He J. Maternal exposure to ZIF-8 derails placental function by inducing trophoblast pyroptosis through neutrophils activation in mice. Food Chem Toxicol 2024; 187:114604. [PMID: 38508570 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2024.114604] [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: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Adverse environmental factors during maternal gestation pose a threat to pregnancy. Environmental factors, particularly nanoparticles, can impact pregnancy by causing damage to the placenta. Compared to early gestation, foetuses in late gestation are more robustly developed and at lower risk of adverse effects from environmental factors. Delivery systems for targeted therapy during pregnancy is predominantly focused on their application in late gestation. Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) holds great potential for targeted drug therapy. To evaluate the value of ZIF-8 in targeted treatment of disorders associated with late gestation, it is crucial to investigate the biological effects of ZIF-8 exposure during late gestation. Here, a mouse model exposed to ZIF-8 particles at different doses (5, 10, and 15 mg/kg) during late gestation was constructed. We found that ZIF-8 particles were deposited in the uterus of pregnant mice. ZIF-8 could trigger placental neutrophil aggregation and induce inflammation, which led to trophoblast pyroptosis and impair placental function, adversely affecting the foetus. Neutrophil depletion alleviated placental and foetal damage induced by ZIF-8. This study provides a novel mechanistic view of the reproductive toxicity induced by ZIF-8 and may offer clues to reduce the latent harm of adverse environmental factors to pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Jiang
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yanqing Geng
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Rufei Gao
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhuxiu Chen
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jun Chen
- College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xinyi Mu
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xin Yin
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xuemei Chen
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Fangfang Li
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Junlin He
- School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
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Louwen F, Kreis NN, Ritter A, Yuan J. Maternal obesity and placental function: impaired maternal-fetal axis. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2024:10.1007/s00404-024-07462-w. [PMID: 38494514 DOI: 10.1007/s00404-024-07462-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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
The prevalence of maternal obesity rapidly increases, which represents a major public health concern worldwide. Maternal obesity is characteristic by metabolic dysfunction and chronic inflammation. It is associated with health problems in both mother and offspring. Increasing evidence indicates that the placenta is an axis connecting maternal obesity with poor outcomes in the offspring. In this brief review, we have summarized the current data regarding deregulated placental function in maternal obesity. The data show that maternal obesity induces numerous placental defects, including lipid and glucose metabolism, stress response, inflammation, immune regulation and epigenetics. These placental defects affect each other and result in a stressful intrauterine environment, which transduces and mediates the adverse effects of maternal obesity to the fetus. Further investigations are required to explore the exact molecular alterations in the placenta in maternal obesity, which may pave the way to develop specific interventions for preventing epigenetic and metabolic programming in the fetus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Louwen
- Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Frankfurt, J. W. Goethe-University, Theodor Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Nina-Naomi Kreis
- Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Frankfurt, J. W. Goethe-University, Theodor Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Andreas Ritter
- Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Frankfurt, J. W. Goethe-University, Theodor Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Juping Yuan
- Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Frankfurt, J. W. Goethe-University, Theodor Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany.
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Eleje GU, Nwammuo CB, Nnamani KO, Igbodike EP, Nwankwo EU, Okafor CG, Njoku TK, Ekwebene OC, Egwuatu EC, Malachy DE, Dimgba OO, Ihekwoaba EC, Onu OA, Edokwe ES, Ofiaeli CI, Obi KE, Okwuosa CN, Egwim AV, Okoro CC, Onyejiaka CC, Nneji HC, Ugwu OD, Ezeigwe CO, Madubuko CC, Mathias AA, Udigwe GO. Double true umbilical cord knots coexisting with a nuchal cord with successful fetal outcome: A case report. SAGE Open Med Case Rep 2024; 12:2050313X241239524. [PMID: 38495733 PMCID: PMC10943703 DOI: 10.1177/2050313x241239524] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Umbilical nodes and cords play a crucial role in fetal development and are essential for the transfer of nutrients and oxygen between the mother and the fetus. Sonographic diagnosis of umbilical nodes and cords has become an integral part of prenatal care, allowing for the early detection of abnormalities and potential complications. The umbilical cord is a vital structure connecting the fetus to the placenta, providing essential nutrients and oxygen for fetal growth and development. Sonographic examination of the umbilical cord and its associated nodes has become an indispensable tool in prenatal care, enabling the early detection of abnormalities and potential complications. This review aims to analyze the current literature on sonographic diagnosis of umbilical nodes and cords, highlighting the key points and advancements in this field. A 37-year-old booked G4P2+1A2 Nigerian woman was registered for prenatal tertiary health care at 12 weeks of gestation. The booking investigations were normal and the booking packed cell volume was 37%. She was compliant with scheduled clinic visits and routine drugs. Pregnancy was carried to term uneventfully. Elective cesarean section was successfully performed at 38 weeks of gestation owing to the patient's prior history of third-degree perineal tear. The intraoperative findings included a loose cord around the neck of the baby and double true knots along the length of the 65 cm umbilical cord. The baby was delivered with appearance, pulse, grimace, activity and respiration (APGAR) scores of 7 in the first minute, 9 in the fifth minute, and the birth weight was 3.0 kg. Mother and baby were discharged 48 h postpartum in stable clinical condition. Although the presence of true double umbilical knots is rare, its coexistence with the nuchal cord is even rarer. There are risk factors associated with true umbilical knots. The possible risk factor implicated in this index case is the gender of the fetus and maternal multiparity. True umbilical knots are usually associated with certain fetal negative outcomes of pregnancy. There are currently no evidence-based treatment options available.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Uchenna Eleje
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria
- Effective Care Research Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria
| | - Chijioke Brenda Nwammuo
- Department of Radiology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria
| | - Kenechi Ogbodo Nnamani
- Department of Paediatrics, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria
| | - Emeka Philip Igbodike
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Havana Specialist Hospital, Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria
| | | | - Chigozie Geoffrey Okafor
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria
| | - Tobechi Kingsley Njoku
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria
| | | | | | | | - Ogechi Odinakachukwu Dimgba
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria
| | | | - Onyekachi Amos Onu
- Department of Surgery, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Nigeria
| | - Emeka Stephen Edokwe
- Department of Paediatrics, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria
| | | | - Kenechukwu Ezekwesili Obi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria
| | - Chizoba Ndidiamaka Okwuosa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria
| | - Adanna Vivian Egwim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria
| | | | | | - Henry Chinedu Nneji
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria
| | - Obiora Donatus Ugwu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria
| | - Chijioke Ogomegbunam Ezeigwe
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria
| | - Casmir Chukwudi Madubuko
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria
| | - Alexander Arinze Mathias
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria
| | - Gerald Okanandu Udigwe
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria
- Effective Care Research Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria
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Zambuto SG, Scott AK, Oyen ML. Beyond 2D: Novel biomaterial approaches for modeling the placenta. Placenta 2024:S0143-4004(24)00073-0. [PMID: 38514278 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2024.03.006] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
This review considers fully three-dimensional biomaterial environments of varying complexity as these pertain to research on the placenta. The developments in placental cell sources are first considered, along with the corresponding maternal cells with which the trophoblast interact. We consider biomaterial sources, including hybrid and composite biomaterials. Properties and characterization of biomaterials are discussed in the context of material design for specific placental applications. The development of increasingly complicated three-dimensional structures includes examples of advanced fabrication methods such as microfluidic device fabrication and 3D bioprinting, as utilized in a placenta context. The review finishes with a discussion of the potential for in vitro, three-dimensional placenta research to address health disparities and sexual dimorphism, especially in light of the exciting recent changes in the regulatory environment for in vitro devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha G Zambuto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Women's Health Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Adrienne K Scott
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Women's Health Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Regenerative Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Michelle L Oyen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Women's Health Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Regenerative Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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Figueira CO, Guida JPS, Surita FG, Antolini-Tavares A, Saad ST, Costa FF, Fertrin KY, Costa ML. Sickle cell disease and increased adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes in different genotypes. Hematol Transfus Cell Ther 2024:S2531-1379(24)00056-7. [PMID: 38494406 DOI: 10.1016/j.htct.2024.02.013] [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: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sickle cell disease (SCD) comprises a heterogeneous group of inherited hemolytic disorders that increases the risk of maternal and perinatal complications due to chronic systemic inflammatory response, endothelial damage and vaso-occlusion. The contribution of genotypes to the severity of outcomes during pregnancy is not completely established. METHODS A retrospective study of medical charts was performed to compare maternal and perinatal outcomes in Hb SS, Hb SC disease and sickle-beta thalassemia (Hb Sβ) pregnancies followed at a high-risk antenatal care unit over a 6-year period. A descriptive analysis of morphological findings was performed of the placenta when pathology reports were available. RESULTS Sixty-two SCD pregnant women [25 Hb SS (40 %), 29 Hb SC (47 %) and 8 Hb Sβ (13 %)] were included. Overall, SCD was associated with maternal complications (77 %), preterm birth (30 %), cesarean section (80 %) and a need of blood transfusion. In general there were no statistically significant differences between genotypes. The only significant difference was the hemoglobin level at first antenatal care visit which was lower for the homozygous genotype (7.7 g/dL) compared to Hb SC and Hb Sβ (9.7 g/dL and 8.4 g/dL, respectively; p-value = 0.01). Ten of 15 evaluated placentas showed abnormal morphological findings CONCLUSION: SCD, regardless of the underlying genotype, is associated with increased adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes and placental abnormalities associated with maternal vascular malperfusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Olivares Figueira
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), 101, Alexander Fleming St, Campinas, São Paulo 13084-881, Brazil
| | - José Paulo S Guida
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), 101, Alexander Fleming St, Campinas, São Paulo 13084-881, Brazil
| | - Fernanda G Surita
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), 101, Alexander Fleming St, Campinas, São Paulo 13084-881, Brazil
| | - Arthur Antolini-Tavares
- Department of Pathological Anatomy, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), 126, Tessália Vieira de Camargo St, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-887, Brazil
| | - Sara T Saad
- Department of Hematology and Hemotherapy, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), 126, Tessália Vieira de Camargo St, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-887, Brazil
| | - Fernando F Costa
- Department of Hematology and Hemotherapy, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), 126, Tessália Vieira de Camargo St, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-887, Brazil
| | - Kleber Y Fertrin
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, WA 98195, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Maria Laura Costa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), 101, Alexander Fleming St, Campinas, São Paulo 13084-881, Brazil.
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Chen Y, Ye Z, Lin M, Zhu L, Xu L, Wang X. Deciphering the Epigenetic Landscape: Placental Development and Its Role in Pregnancy Outcomes. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2024:10.1007/s12015-024-10699-2. [PMID: 38457061 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-024-10699-2] [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] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
The placenta stands out as a unique, transitory, and multifaceted organ, essential to the optimal growth and maturation of the fetus. Functioning as a vital nexus between the maternal and fetal circulatory systems, it oversees the critical exchange of nutrients and waste. This exchange is facilitated by placental cells, known as trophoblasts, which adeptly invade and remodel uterine blood vessels. Deviations in placental development underpin a slew of pregnancy complications, notably fetal growth restriction (FGR), preeclampsia (PE), recurrent spontaneous abortions (RSA), and preterm birth. Central to placental function and development is epigenetic regulation. Despite its importance, the intricate mechanisms by which epigenetics influence the placenta are not entirely elucidated. Recently, the scientific community has turned its focus to parsing out the epigenetic alterations during placental development, such as variations in promoter DNA methylation, genomic imprints, and shifts in non-coding RNA expression. By establishing correlations between epigenetic shifts in the placenta and pregnancy complications, researchers are unearthing invaluable insights into the biology and pathophysiology of these conditions. This review seeks to synthesize the latest findings on placental epigenetic regulation, spotlighting its crucial role in shaping fetal growth trajectories and development. Through this lens, we underscore the overarching significance of the placenta in the larger narrative of gestational health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujia Chen
- Medical Research Center, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- National Health Commission (NHC), Key Laboratory of Technical Evaluation of Fertility Regulation for Non-Human Primate, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Zhoujie Ye
- Medical Research Center, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- National Health Commission (NHC), Key Laboratory of Technical Evaluation of Fertility Regulation for Non-Human Primate, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Meijia Lin
- Department of Pathology, Fujian Medical University Cancer Hospital, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Liping Zhu
- Medical Research Center, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- National Health Commission (NHC), Key Laboratory of Technical Evaluation of Fertility Regulation for Non-Human Primate, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Liangpu Xu
- Medical Genetic Diagnosis and Therapy Center of Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Prenatal Diagnosis and Birth Defect, Fuzhou, China.
| | - Xinrui Wang
- Medical Research Center, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
- National Health Commission (NHC), Key Laboratory of Technical Evaluation of Fertility Regulation for Non-Human Primate, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Fuzhou, China.
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Dong J, Xu Q, Qian C, Wang L, DiSciullo A, Lei J, Lei H, Yan S, Wang J, Jin N, Xiong Y, Zhang J, Burd I, Wang X. Fetal growth restriction exhibits various mTOR signaling in different regions of mouse placentas with altered lipid metabolism. Cell Biol Toxicol 2024; 40:15. [PMID: 38451382 PMCID: PMC10920423 DOI: 10.1007/s10565-024-09855-8] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a common complication of pregnancy and can have significant impact on obstetric and neonatal outcomes. Increasing evidence has shown that the inhibited mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling in placenta is associated with FGR. However, interpretation of existing research is limited due to inconsistent methodologies and varying understanding of the mechanism by which mTOR activity contributes to FGR. Hereby, we have demonstrated that different anatomic regions of human and mouse placentas exhibited different levels of mTOR activity in normal compared to FGR pregnancies. When using the rapamycin-induced FGR mouse model, we found that placentas of FGR pregnancies exhibited abnormal morphological changes and reduced mTOR activity in the decidual-junctional layer. Using transcriptomics and lipidomics, we revealed that lipid and energy metabolism was significantly disrupted in the placentas of FGR mice. Finally, we demonstrated that maternal physical exercise during gestation in our FGR mouse model was associated with increased fetal and placental weight as well as increased placental mTOR activity and lipid metabolism. Collectively, our data indicate that the inhibited placental mTOR signaling contributes to FGR with altered lipid metabolism in mouse placentas, and maternal exercise could be an effective method to reduce the occurrence of FGR or alleviate the adverse outcomes associated with FGR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Dong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, NO. 569, Xinsi Road, Baqiao District, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi Province, China.
| | - Qian Xu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, NO. 569, Xinsi Road, Baqiao District, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Chenxi Qian
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, NO. 569, Xinsi Road, Baqiao District, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Lu Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, NO. 569, Xinsi Road, Baqiao District, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Alison DiSciullo
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland, 22 S. Greene Street, Suite P6H302, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Jun Lei
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland, 22 S. Greene Street, Suite P6H302, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Hui Lei
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, NO. 569, Xinsi Road, Baqiao District, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Song Yan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, NO. 569, Xinsi Road, Baqiao District, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Jingjing Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, NO. 569, Xinsi Road, Baqiao District, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Ni Jin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, NO. 569, Xinsi Road, Baqiao District, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Yujing Xiong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, NO. 569, Xinsi Road, Baqiao District, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Jianhua Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Irina Burd
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland, 22 S. Greene Street, Suite P6H302, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
| | - Xiaohong Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University, NO. 569, Xinsi Road, Baqiao District, Xi'an, 710038, Shaanxi Province, China.
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Sze Y, Brunton PJ. How is prenatal stress transmitted from the mother to the fetus? J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246073. [PMID: 38449331 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246073] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Prenatal stress programmes long-lasting neuroendocrine and behavioural changes in the offspring. Often this programming is maladaptive and sex specific. For example, using a rat model of maternal social stress in late pregnancy, we have demonstrated that adult prenatally stressed male, but not prenatally stressed female offspring display heightened anxiety-like behaviour, whereas both sexes show hyperactive hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responses to stress. Here, we review the current knowledge of the mechanisms underpinning dysregulated HPA axis responses, including evidence supporting a role for reduced neurosteroid-mediated GABAergic inhibitory signalling in the brains of prenatally stressed offspring. How maternal psychosocial stress is signalled from the mother to the fetuses is unclear. Direct transfer of maternal glucocorticoids to the fetuses is often considered to mediate the programming effects of maternal stress on the offspring. However, protective mechanisms including attenuated maternal stress responses and placental 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-2 (which inactivates glucocorticoids) should limit materno-fetal glucocorticoid transfer during pregnancy. Moreover, a lack of correlation between maternal stress, circulating maternal glucocorticoid levels and circulating fetal glucocorticoid levels is reported in several studies and across different species. Therefore, here we interrogate the evidence for a role for maternal glucocorticoids in mediating the effects of maternal stress on the offspring and consider the evidence for alternative mechanisms, including an indirect role for glucocorticoids and the contribution of changes in the placenta in signalling the stress status of the mother to the fetus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Sze
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Hugh Robson Building, University of Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Paula J Brunton
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Hugh Robson Building, University of Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Joint Institute, Haining, Zhejiang 314400, P.R. China
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Choi YJ, Kim WR, Kim DH, Kim JH, Yoo JH. Human umbilical cord/ placenta mesenchymal stem cell conditioned medium attenuates intestinal fibrosis in vivo and in vitro. Stem Cell Res Ther 2024; 15:69. [PMID: 38454492 PMCID: PMC10921617 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-024-03678-4] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A significant unmet need in inflammatory bowel disease is the lack of anti-fibrotic agents targeting intestinal fibrosis. This study aimed to investigate the anti-fibrogenic properties and mechanisms of the conditioned medium (CM) from human umbilical cord/placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC/PL-MSC-CM) in a murine intestinal fibrosis model and human primary intestinal myofibroblasts (HIMFs). METHODS UC/PL-MSC-CM was concentrated 15-fold using a 3 kDa cut-off filter. C57BL/6 mice aged 7 weeks old were randomly assigned to one of four groups: (1) control, (2) dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), (3) DSS + CM (late-phase treatment), and (4) DSS + CM (early-phase treatment). Chronic DSS colitis and intestinal fibrosis was induced by three cycles of DSS administration. One DSS cycle consisted of 7 days of oral DSS administration (1.75%, 2%, and 2.5% DSS), followed by 14 days of drinking water. UC/PL-MSC-CM was intraperitoneally administered in the late phase (from day 50, 10 times) or early phase (from day 29, 10 times) of DSS cycles. HIMFs were treated with TGF-β1 and co-treated with UC/PL-MSC-CM (10% of culture media) in the cellular model. RESULTS In the animal study, UC/PL-MSC-CM reduced submucosa/muscularis propria thickness and collagen deposition, which improved intestinal fibrosis in chronic DSS colitis. The UC/PL-MSC-CM significantly reduced the expressions of procollagen1A1 and α-smooth muscle actin, which DSS significantly elevated. The anti-fibrogenic effect was more apparent in the UC-MSC-CM or early-phase treatment model. The UC/PL-MSC-CM reduced procollagen1A1, fibronectin, and α-smooth muscle actin expression in HIMFs in the cellular model. The UC/PL-MSC-CM downregulated fibrogenesis by suppressing RhoA, MRTF-A, and SRF expression. CONCLUSIONS Human UC/PL-MSC-CM inhibits TGF-β1-induced fibrogenic activation in HIMFs by blocking the Rho/MRTF/SRF pathway and chronic DSS colitis-induced intestinal fibrosis. Thus, it may be regarded as a novel candidate for stem cell-based therapy of intestinal fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoon Jeong Choi
- Department of Gastroenterology, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, 59 Yatap-ro, Bundang-gu, Seongnam, 13496, South Korea
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, CHA University School of Medicine, Seongnam, 13496, South Korea
| | - Woo Ram Kim
- Department of Surgery, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 06273, South Korea
| | - Duk Hwan Kim
- Department of Gastroenterology, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, 59 Yatap-ro, Bundang-gu, Seongnam, 13496, South Korea
| | - Jee Hyun Kim
- Department of Gastroenterology, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, 59 Yatap-ro, Bundang-gu, Seongnam, 13496, South Korea.
| | - Jun Hwan Yoo
- Department of Gastroenterology, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, 59 Yatap-ro, Bundang-gu, Seongnam, 13496, South Korea.
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, CHA University School of Medicine, Seongnam, 13496, South Korea.
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50
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Lai YM, Tan GC, Shah SA, Abd Rahman R, Mohd Saleh MF, Mansor S, Khong TY, Wong YP. Non-hypertensive gestational diabetes mellitus: Placental histomorphology and its association with perinatal outcomes. Placenta 2024; 147:21-27. [PMID: 38278001 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2024.01.012] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) exerts a great impact on the placenta and reflects changes on placentas both morphological and functionally. The aims of this study are to evaluate the prevalence of placental histopathological lesions in pregnancies complicated by GDM compared to gestational age-matched controls, and their association with maternal and fetal complications. METHODS Fifty-four singleton GDM-complicated pregnancies were recruited and compared to 33 consecutive normal pregnancies. Two pathologists, blinded to all clinical data, reviewed and evaluated all histological samples of the placentas in accordance with Amsterdam criteria. Relevant demographic, clinical data and primary birth outcomes were recorded. RESULTS A myriad of histomorphological abnormalities, including chronic inflammation (n = 9/54, p = 0.031), histological chorioamnionitis (n = 23/54, p < 0.001), umbilical/chorionic vasculitis (n = 9/54, p = 0.031), changes related to maternal vascular malperfusion (n = 22/54, p = 0.003), chorangiosis (n = 10/54, p = 0.046) and villous dysmaturity (n = 9/54, p = 0.012) were observed more frequently in the GDM placentas compared to the controls. Additionally, GDM significantly increased the risk of fetal complications, including macrosomia/fetal growth restriction (n = 13/54, p = 0.004). DISCUSSION Histoarchitectural abnormalities were observed more frequently in placentas of GDM pregnancies compared to the controls. Our findings support the hypothesis that diabetic-induced damage in the placental function may be associated with the increased in fetal growth disorders in GDM-complicated pregnancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yip Meng Lai
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, 56000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Geok Chin Tan
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, 56000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Shamsul Azhar Shah
- Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, 56000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Rahana Abd Rahman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, 56000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Muhamad Fakhri Mohd Saleh
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, 56000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Suhada Mansor
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, 56000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Teck Yee Khong
- Department of Pathology, Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide, SA 5006, Australia
| | - Yin Ping Wong
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, 56000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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