Project description:To explore the influence of maternal choline intake on placental gene expression, we employed whole genome microarray expression profiling to identify genes that were differentially expressed in placental tissues obtained from women consuming two different doses (480 vs. 930 mg/d) of choline throughout the third trimester of pregnancy. Healthy third trimester (gestational week 26-29) pregnant women were randomized to a 12-week choline controlled feeding study. The participants consumed either 480 (n=6) or 930 (n=6) mg choline/d. Full thickness placental samples were collected at delivery to extract RNA and perform the arrays. Healthy third trimester (gestational week 26-29) pregnant women were randomized to a 12-week choline controlled feeding study. The participants consumed either 480 (n=6) or 930 (n=6) mg choline/d for 12 weeks. Placental samples were obtained at delivery
Project description:Effects of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection on placental development during pregnancy are unclear. In this study, full-term placentas from three women, each infected with ZIKV during specific pregnancy trimesters, were harvested for anatomic, immunologic and transcriptomic analysis. Each woman exhibited a unique immune response with raised IL-1RA, IP-10, EGF and RANTES expression, and neutrophil numbers during the acute infection phase. Although ZIKV NS3 antigens co-localized to placental Hofbauer cells, the placentas showed no anatomical defects. Transcriptomic analysis of samples from the placentas revealed that infection during trimester 1 caused a disparate cellular response centered on differential eIF2 signalling, mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative phosphorylation. Despite these, the babies were delivered without any congenital anomalies. Nevertheless, these findings should translate to improve clinical prenatal screening procedures for virus-infected pregnant patients.
Project description:To explore the influence of maternal choline intake on placental gene expression, we employed whole genome microarray expression profiling to identify genes that were differentially expressed in placental tissues obtained from women consuming two different doses (480 vs. 930 mg/d) of choline throughout the third trimester of pregnancy. Healthy third trimester (gestational week 26-29) pregnant women were randomized to a 12-week choline controlled feeding study. The participants consumed either 480 (n=6) or 930 (n=6) mg choline/d. Full thickness placental samples were collected at delivery to extract RNA and perform the arrays.
Project description:Identification of factors in conditioned media of first-trimester placental villous explants. Explants were cultured under hypoxia (2% O2), 5% CO2 in serum-free DMEM/F12 and treated with recombinant galectin-7 (1ug/ml) or vehicle control (BSA) for 72h. Identification of factors in conditioned media of first-trimester placental villous explants. Explants were cultured under superoxia (20% O2), 5% CO2 in serum-free DMEM/F12 and treated with recombinant galectin-7 (1ug/ml) or vehicle control (BSA) for 72h.
Project description:Zika Virus (ZIKV) infection has been associated with fetal abnormalities by compromising placental integrity. Flavivirus have shown deregulation of the host proteome, specially extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. Our hypothesis is that ZIKV infection of placental tissue deregulates specific ECM proteome, allowing a mechanism of persistent infection and loss of placental integrity. Using nine different placental samples from Puerto Rico collected during 2016 ZIKV epidemic, we compared the proteome of five ZIKV infected samples with uninfected controls. Quantitative proteomics was performed using tandem mass tag TMT10plex™ Isobaric Label Reagent Set followed by Q Exactive™ Hybrid Quadrupole Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry. Identification of proteins was performed by Proteome Discover 2.1, and protein fold change in both groups was compared using Limma software. Differentially expressed proteins were analyzed with STRING and Ingenuity Pathway using both the fold change and p-value. TMT analysis showed that ZIKV infected placentas had 94 reviewed differentially abundant proteins, 32 More abundant and 62 Less abundant. STRING analysis results indicate that 45 of the deregulated proteins are cellular components of the ECM and 16 play a role in its structure and organization. Some of the significantly More abundant proteins were Fibrinogen, Vitronectin and Fibronectin. The results we observed in the samples from naturally infected pregnant women may contribute to the understanding of the mechanism (s) employed by ZIKV during placental infection and give insight on novel targets used to disrupt placental function.
Project description:Vertical transmission of Zika virus (ZIKV) causes severe fetal defects, but the exact pathogenic mechanism is unclear. We identified up to a 10480-fold higher expression of viral attachment factors AXL, GAS6 and PROS1 and 3880-fold increase in ZIKV infectiousness/propagation in decidual cells (DCs) versus trophoblasts. Moreover, levels of viral attachment factors and ZIKV are significantly increased while expression of innate immune response genes are significantly decreased in first trimester versus term DCs. ZIKV-infected DC supernatants increased cytotrophoblast infection up to 252-fold compared to directly infected cytotrophoblasts. Tizoxanide treatment efficiently inhibited ZIKV infection in both cell types. We conclude that decidual cells may act as reservoirs for trimester-dependent placental transmission of ZIKV, accounting for the higher ZIKV infection susceptibility and more severe fetal sequelae observed in early versus late pregnancy. Moreover, tizoxanide is a promising agent in preventing perinatal ZIKV transmission.
Project description:The human placenta is a rapidly developing organ with a relatively short life span that performs multiple functions until birth. Investigations into molecular mechanisms that control placental plasticity during its maturation might be useful in understanding patho-physiology of pregnancy-specific disorders. We hypothesized that molecular rearrangements and phenotypic adaptations that are necessary for normal placental development and maturation are reflected in its genotype. Our objective was to investigate global gene expression profile in the first and third trimester normal human placentas. 21 women were recruited with uncomplicated pregnancies that were delivered at term and 16 healthy women undergoing surgical abortion at 9-12 weeks gestation. We compared global placental gene expression profile by Human Genome Survey Microarray v.2.0 (Applied Biosystems). A total of 37 hybridisations were performed applying direct comparison design.
Project description:To investigate the role of miRNA in the placental development, we analyzed miRNA expression profiles in the first and third trimester human placentas. Total RNA was isolated from 12 placentas (6 from first trimester and 6 from third trimester). miRNA expression profiles were determined by Affymetrix GeneChip 2.0 miRNA Microarray.