Transcriptomic profile of human placenta derived trophoblast organoid cultures with its tissue of origin, human placental villi.
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ABSTRACT: The aim of this microarray experiment was to compare the overall transcriptomic profile of human placenta derived trophoblast organoid cultures with its tissue of origin, human placental villi. As the placental villi contains both trophoblast and stromal populations, we have included placenta derived stromal cultures in this comparison.
Project description:The placenta serves as the structural interface for nutrient and waste exchange for proper fetal development. Although defects in placental function result in various placental disorders, molecular mechanisms orchestrating placental development and function are poorly understood. Gene targeting studies have shown that Hgf or c-Met KO embryos exhibit growth retardation and markedly smaller size of the placenta, and die by E14.5. Stem/progenitor cells in various tissues express c-Met and they participate in morphogenesis and tissue repair. Thus, we hypothesized that the HGF/c-Met signaling pathway is essential for the emergence, proliferation, and/or differentiation of putative stem/precursor cells of labyrinth trophoblasts at the midgestation stage. To examine the downstream mechanisms of HGF/c-Met signaling pathway that regulate placental labyrinth development, we performed microarray analysis and compared the transcriptional profiles of wild-type and c-Met g-KO placentas. The highly enriched gene ontology categories among the transcripts that were down-regulated in the mutant placentas were related to cell cycle, transcription, and placenta development. Surprisingly, the most highly enriched GO category among the up-regulated genes was immune response. Furthermore, genes classified as “unsaturated fatty acid metabolic process” were also significantly enriched among the up-regulated genes. This expression data suggested that HGF/c-Met signaling pathway positively regulates progression of cell cycle and transcription of placenta specific genes, and negatively regulates inflammatory reaction and fatty acids synthesis in the trophoblasts, thereby coordinating many critical cellular processes in the placenta. Freshly harvested mouse placental trophoblast was enriched for CD9 from wild -type and c-Met KO placenta with 2 independent biological replicates
Project description: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<2.7x10-8), 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.
Project description:Hypoxia-related pregnancy complications increase the risk of disease in the child in later life. No prevention is available. Previously we noted that a trophoblast barrier, an in vitro model of the placenta, reacted to oxidative stress by secreting factors that damage neighbouring cells. Application of mitochondrion-targeted antioxidant MitoQ prevented this. Here we tested the effects of MitoQ-bound nanoparticles on trophoblast barriers and in a rat model of gestational hypoxia.A single dose of MitoQ-nanoparticles, administered maternally before a hypoxic episode, reduced oxidative stress in the placental barrier without reaching the fetus and prevented changes to birthweight. MitoQ-nanoparticles further suppressed damaging signalling from the placental barriers. Altered signalling molecules in the fetal plasma and in conditioned media from rat placenta included changes to proteins with relevance to cardiovascular disease. We suggest as a future possibility, treatment of the placenta to prevent disease in the offspring in later life.
Project description:Antiphospholipid antibodies, a maternal risk factor for preeclampsia, increase shedding of necrotic trophoblast debris from the placenta, leading to endothelial dysfunction. Using Affymetrix HGU133 Plus 2 microarrays, we found changes in the transcriptome of placental explants treated with antiphospholipid antibodies including seven mRNAs encoding for genes BCL2L1, MCL1, PDCD2L, FASLG, SEMA6A, PRKCE and TRAIL that are involved in the regulation of apoptosis. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry confirmed a reduction in TRAIL expression. These results may help to understand how antiphospholipid antibodies affect trophoblast cell death and how the antibodies could contribute to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. Three different first-trimester placentas (8-8.5 weeks gestation) were dissected into 6 explants each and cultured either with antiphospholipid antibodies (25ug/mL) or untreated media for 16h. RNA was extracted from treated placental explants and Affymetrix HGU133 Plus 2 arrays were conducted to investigate changes in mRNA expression. Untreated: 1UNT, 2UNT, 3UNT Antiphospholipid antibody treatment: 1APL, 2APL, 3APL Biological replicates: 1, 2, 3
Project description:A major population of placenta macrophages represented throughout the pregnancy consists of CD14+ macrophages, but their characteristics remain badly understood. Here we purified from placentas at term CD14+ macrophages using positive selection. The phenotyping of CD14+ macrophages performed using flow cytometry revealed that placenta CD14+ macrophages expressed a series of markers distinct of those of circulating monocytes monocyte-derived macrophages. Placenta CD14+ macrophages spontaneously matured in multinucleated giant cells (MGCs) as demonstrated by size, number of nuclei display and specific cytoskeleton organization. Placenta CD14+ macrophages and MGCs were phagocytic cells but the potential of MGCs to mount an inflammatory response was lower than that of their precursors. Placenta CD14+ macrophages and MGCs stimulated with interferon and interleukin-4 were not polarized into typical M1 or M2 profiles. Placenta macrophages exhibited specific activation transcriptional programs. Indeed, principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering show that placental macrophages formed a distinct group from circulating monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages. Among placenta macrophages, it was also possible to distinguish CD14+ macrophages and MGCs. In addition, networks based on gene interactions were clearly different in CD14+ macrophages and MGCs. Finally, the microenvironment of placenta CD14+ macrophages governs their differentiation into MGCs because CD14+ macrophages incubated with trophoblasts exhibited exarcerbated characteristics of MGCs and because the co-incubation of circulating monocytes from working women with trophoblast supernatants resulted into the formation of MGCs whereas monocytes from non-pregnant women incubated with trophoblast supernatants did not differentiate into MGCs. Taken together, these results clearly demonstrated specific feaures of placenta CD14+ macrophages. Three replicates of each of the following: 1. Placental macrophages just after isolation (CD14+ macrophages) 2. Placental macrophages after 9 days in culture (MGCs) 3. CD14+ cells isolated from PBMC which are extracted from the whole human blood of healthy donors (Monocytes) 4. Macrophages derived from monocytes (MDMs)
Project description:To identify the proteins and molecular signaling pathways that contribute to EPL, we performed proteomics and bioinformatics analysis of the placental villi in women who have undergone EPL and in normal pregnant women.
Project description:Zika virus (ZIKV) infection has caused severe unexpected clinical outcomes in neonates and adults during the recent outbreak in Latin America, particularly in Brazil. Congenital malformations associated with ZIKV have been frequently reported; nevertheless, the mechanism of vertical transmission and the involvement of placental cells remains unclear. In this study, we applied quantitative proteomics analysis in a floating explant model of chorionic villi of human placental tissues incubated with ZIKV and with ZIKV pre-adsorbed with anti-ZIKV envelope protein. The regulation of specific proteins was measured using immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase assays. Altered levels of proteins were involved in cell proliferation, apoptosis, inflammatory processes, and the integrin-cytoskeleton complex. Antibody-opsonized ZIKV particles differentially modulated the pattern of protein expression in placental cells; this phenomenon may play a pivotal role in determining the course of infection and the role of mixed infections. These data fill gaps in our understanding of ZIKV in the placenta and help identify infection control targets.
Project description:Maternal obesity is becoming a major health consideration for successful pregnancy outcomes. There is growing proof that maternal obesity has a negative influence on placental development and function, thereby adversely influencing offspring programming and health outcomes. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes are so far poorly understood. We set out to analyse term placenta whole transcriptome in obese (n=5) and normoweight women (n=5), using Affymetrix microarray platform compromising of 50,000 probe sets. Our analysis shows that the placental transcriptome differs between normoweight and obese women. Different processes and pathways among placenta from obese women were dysregulated, including inflammation and immune responses, lipid metabolism, cell death and survival and cancer pathways, vasculogenesis and angiogenesis, and glucocorticoid receptor signaling pathway. Together, this global gene expression profiling approach demonstrates and confirms that maternal obesity creates a unique in utero environment that impairs placental transcriptome.
Project description:We used microarrays to determine the transcriptional profiles of placental tissue obtained from women who smoked during pregnancy and from women who did not smoke during pregnancy. Fetal growth restriction is a frequent complication in mothers who smoke cigarettes during pregnancy. To evaluate novel pathways that regulate fetal growth affected by mothers who smoke, we isolated placental mRNA from smoking mothers with severe fetal growth restriction and compared them by microarray analysis to non-smoking mothers with appropriately grown fetuses. Bioinformatics analysis revealed distinct transcriptional patterns in the placentas of smoking mothers when compared to placentas from control non-smoking women. Analyses of the top upregulated and downregulated genes revealed several gene products such as secreted frizzled related protein 1 that was markedly upregulated in the placentas from women who smoked cigarettes during pregnancy. Total RNA was isolated from placental specimens obtained at time of delivery. RNA was hybridized to Affymetrix arrays, and analyzed.
Project description:Trophoblast organoids derived from placental villi provide a 3D model system of human placental development, but access to first-trimester tissues is limited. Here we report that trophoblast stem cells isolated from naïve human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) can efficiently self-organize into 3D stem cell-derived trophoblast organoids (SC-TOs) with a villous architecture similar to primary trophoblast organoids. Single cell transcriptome analysis reveals the presence of distinct cytotrophoblast and syncytiotrophoblast clusters and a small cluster of extravillous trophoblasts, which closely correspond to trophoblast identities in the post-implantation embryo. These organoid cultures display clonal X chromosome inactivation patterns previously described in the human placenta. We further demonstrate that SC-TOs exhibit selective vulnerability to emerging pathogens (SARS-CoV-2 and Zika virus), which correlates with expression levels of their respective entry factors. The generation of trophoblast organoids from naïve hPSCs provides an accessible 3D model system of the developing placenta and its susceptibility to emerging pathogens.