Maternal stress in relation to sex-specific expression of placental genes involved in nutrient transport, oxygen tension, immune response, and the glucocorticoid barrier.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Murine models provide evidence that maternal stress during pregnancy can influence placenta morphology and function, including altered expression of genes involved in the maintenance and progression of pregnancy and fetal development. Corresponding research evaluating the impact of maternal stress on placental gene expression in humans is limited. We examined maternal stress in relation to placental expression of 17 candidate genes in a community-based sample.

Methods

Participants included 60 mother-newborn pairs enrolled in the PRogramming of Intergenerational Stress Mechanisms pregnancy cohort based at the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. Placentas were collected immediately following delivery and gene expression was measured using a qPCR-based platform.

SUBMITTER: Cowell W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7306440 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature