Inhibition of placental mTOR signaling provides a link between placental malaria and reduced birthweight.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Placental Plasmodium falciparum malaria can trigger intervillositis, a local inflammatory response more strongly associated with low birthweight than placental malaria infection alone. Fetal growth (and therefore birthweight) is dependent on placental amino acid transport, which is impaired in placental malaria-associated intervillositis. Here, we tested the hypothesis that mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling, a pathway known to regulate amino acid transport, is inhibited in placental malaria-associated intervillositis, contributing to lower birthweight.

Methods

We determined the link between intervillositis, mTOR signaling activity, and amino acid uptake in tissue biopsies from both uninfected placentas and malaria-infected placentas with and without

SUBMITTER: Dimasuay KG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5209943 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature