Project description:Fetal asphyctic (FA) preconditioning is effective in attenuating brain damage incurred by a subsequent perinatal asphyctic insult. Unraveling mechanisms of this endogenous neuroprotection, activated by FA preconditioning, is an important step towards new clinical strategies for asphyctic neonates. Genomic reprogramming is thought to be, at least in part, responsible for the protective effect of preconditioning. Therefore, we investigated whole genome differential expression in the preconditioned rat brain.
Project description:Fetal asphyctic (FA) preconditioning is effective in attenuating brain damage incurred by a subsequent perinatal asphyctic insult. Unraveling mechanisms of this endogenous neuroprotection, activated by FA preconditioning, is an important step towards new clinical strategies for asphyctic neonates. Genomic reprogramming is thought to be, at least in part, responsible for the protective effect of preconditioning. Therefore, we investigated whole genome differential expression in the preconditioned rat brain. FA preconditioning was induced on embryonic day 17 (E17) by reversibly clamping the uterine circulation. Perinatal asphyxia (PA) was induced while pups were being born by caesarean section; the uterine horns, including pups, were placed in a water bath for 19 minutes. FAPA pups underwent both procedures. Control (C) pups did not undergo FA or PA procedures, but were born by caesarean section. Pups were sacrificed at 3 time-points: 96 hours after FA (E21), 6 hours after birth/PA (P0), and 96 hours after birth/PA (P4).
Project description:We previously reported that c-KIT+ human amniotic-fluid derived stem cells obtained from leftover samples of routine II trimester prenatal diagnosis (fetal hAFS) are endowed with regenerative paracrine potential driving pro-survival, pro-angiogenic, anti-fibrotic and proliferative effects on target cells. hAFS can be also isolated from III trimester clinical waste samples during C-section scheduled procedures (perinatal hAFS), thus offering an easily accessible alternative source. Nonetheless, little is known about their paracrine profile. Here we provide a detailed characterization of the hAFS total secretome (i.e. whole of the soluble paracrine factors released by the cells in their conditioned medium, hAFS-CM) and the extracellular vesicles (hAFS-EVs) within it as from II trimester fetal- versus III trimester perinatal cells. Fetal- and perinatal hAFS were characterized and subject to hypoxic preconditioning to enhance their paracrine potential. Their secretome formulations were analyzed in terms of protein and chemokine/cytokine content, with the EV cargo further investigated by RNA sequencing. While the appearance of fetal and perinatal hAFS, along with their corresponding secretome formulations was overlapping, the profiling of their paracrine cargo revealed some differences according to gestational stage and hypoxic preconditioning. While both cell sources provided paracrine formulations enriched with neurotrophic, immunomodulatory and endothelial stimulating factors, the more immature fetal hAFS secretome was defined by a more pronounced pro-angiogenic, pro-resolving and anti-aging profile over the perinatal one, while the corresponfing EV…. Moreover, small RNA profiling showed a relevant enrichment of microRNA in both the fetal and perinatal hAFS-EV cargo, with a steadily expressed pro-resolving miRNA core as reference molecular signature. Here we confirm that hAFS represents an appealing source of regenerative paracrine factors; the selection of either fetal or perinatal hAFS secretome formulations for future paracrine therapy should be evaluated considering the specific clinical scenario.