Human Placental Transcriptome Reveals Critical Alterations in Inflammation and Energy Metabolism with Fetal Sex Differences in Spontaneous Preterm Birth.

ABSTRACT: A well-functioning placenta is crucial for normal gestation and regulates the nutrient, gas, and waste exchanges between the maternal and fetal circulations and is an important endocrine organ producing hormones that regulate both the maternal and fetal physiologies during pregnancy. Placental insufficiency is implicated in spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB). We proposed that deficits in the capacity of the placenta to maintain bioenergetic and metabolic stability during pregnancy may ultimately result in SPTB. To explore our hypothesis, we performed a RNA-seq study in male and female placentas from women with SPTB (<36 weeks gestation) compared to normal pregnancies (≥38 weeks gestation) to assess the alterations in the gene expression profiles. We focused exclusively on Black women (cases

SUBMITTER: Lien YC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8347496 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature