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Sze Y, Brunton PJ. How is prenatal stress transmitted from the mother to the fetus? J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246073. [PMID: 38449331 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Prenatal stress programmes long-lasting neuroendocrine and behavioural changes in the offspring. Often this programming is maladaptive and sex specific. For example, using a rat model of maternal social stress in late pregnancy, we have demonstrated that adult prenatally stressed male, but not prenatally stressed female offspring display heightened anxiety-like behaviour, whereas both sexes show hyperactive hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responses to stress. Here, we review the current knowledge of the mechanisms underpinning dysregulated HPA axis responses, including evidence supporting a role for reduced neurosteroid-mediated GABAergic inhibitory signalling in the brains of prenatally stressed offspring. How maternal psychosocial stress is signalled from the mother to the fetuses is unclear. Direct transfer of maternal glucocorticoids to the fetuses is often considered to mediate the programming effects of maternal stress on the offspring. However, protective mechanisms including attenuated maternal stress responses and placental 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-2 (which inactivates glucocorticoids) should limit materno-fetal glucocorticoid transfer during pregnancy. Moreover, a lack of correlation between maternal stress, circulating maternal glucocorticoid levels and circulating fetal glucocorticoid levels is reported in several studies and across different species. Therefore, here we interrogate the evidence for a role for maternal glucocorticoids in mediating the effects of maternal stress on the offspring and consider the evidence for alternative mechanisms, including an indirect role for glucocorticoids and the contribution of changes in the placenta in signalling the stress status of the mother to the fetus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Sze
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Hugh Robson Building, University of Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Paula J Brunton
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Hugh Robson Building, University of Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Joint Institute, Haining, Zhejiang 314400, P.R. China
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Feng Y, Lian X, Guo K, Zhang G, Huang X. A comprehensive analysis of metabolomics and transcriptomics to reveal major metabolic pathways and potential biomarkers of human preeclampsia placenta. Front Genet 2022; 13:1010657. [PMID: 36263435 PMCID: PMC9574103 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1010657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The etiology of preeclampsia (PE) remains unclear. With the utilization of metabolomics, dysregulated production of several metabolic components in human plasma, such as lipids, amino acids, androgens and estrogens, was found to be important in the pathogenesis of PE. Transcriptomics adds more in-depth information, and the integration of transcriptomics and metabolomics may yield further insight into PE pathogenesis than either one alone.Objectives: We investigated the placental metabolomics and transcriptomics of PE patients to identify affected metabolic pathways and potential biological targets for exploring the disease pathogenesis.Methods: Integrated transcriptomics and metabolomics were used to analyze five paired human placentas from patients with severe PE and normal pregnancies. This was followed by further validation of our findings in a publicly available dataset of 173 PE vs. 157 control placentas. In addition, weighted gene coexpression network construction was performed to assess the correlation between genetic alterations and diseases.Results: We identified 66 and 41 differentially altered metabolites in negative and positive ion modes, respectively, in the PE group compared to the control group, and found 2,560 differentially expressed genes. Several pathways were aberrantly altered in the PE placenta at both the metabolic and transcriptional levels, including steroid hormone biosynthesis, the cAMP signaling pathway, neuroactive ligand–receptor interactions, taste transduction and prion diseases. Additionally, we found 11 differential metabolites and 11 differentially expressed genes involved in the steroid hormone biosynthesis pathway, indicating impaired metabolism of steroid hormones in the PE placenta. Furthermore, we found that CYP11A1, HSD3B2, and HSD17B6 are highly correlated with diseases.Conclusion: Our findings provide a profile of the dysregulated steroid hormone biosynthesis in PE placenta, we observed a dysregulated cortisol-to-cortisone ratio, testosterone accumulation, decreased testosterone downstream metabolites, impaired production of estrone and estriol, and aberrant hydroxylation and methylation of estradiol. Disorders of placental steroid hormone metabolism might be a consequence or a compensatory change in pathological placentation in PE, which underscores the need to investigate the physiology of steroid hormone metabolites in the etiology of PE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Feng
- Fetal Care Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinlei Lian
- National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Animal Original Bacteria, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kaimin Guo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guanglan Zhang
- Fetal Care Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xuan Huang
- Fetal Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Xuan Huang,
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Karahoda R, Kallol S, Groessl M, Ontsouka E, Anderle P, Fluck C, Staud F, Albrecht C. Revisiting Steroidogenic Pathways in the Human Placenta and Primary Human Trophoblast Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22041704. [PMID: 33567726 PMCID: PMC7915605 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Steroid hormones play a crucial role in supporting a successful pregnancy and ensuring proper fetal development. The placenta is one of the principal tissues in steroid production and metabolism, expressing a vast range of steroidogenic enzymes. Nevertheless, a comprehensive characterization of steroidogenic pathways in the human placenta and potential developmental changes occurring during gestation are poorly understood. Furthermore, the specific contribution of trophoblast cells in steroid release is largely unknown. Thus, this study aimed to (i) identify gestational age-dependent changes in the gene expression of key steroidogenic enzymes and (ii) explore the role of trophoblast cells in steroid biosynthesis and metabolism. Quantitative and Droplet Digital PCR analysis of 12 selected enzymes was carried out in the first trimester (n = 13) and term (n = 20) human placentas. Primary trophoblast cells (n = 5) isolated from human term placentas and choriocarcinoma-derived cell lines (BeWo, BeWo b30 clone, and JEG-3) were further screened for gene expression of enzymes involved in placental synthesis/metabolism of steroids. Finally, de novo steroid synthesis by primary human trophoblasts was evaluated, highlighting the functional activity of steroidogenic enzymes in these cells. Collectively, we provide insights into the expression patterns of steroidogenic enzymes as a function of gestational age and delineate the cellular origin of steroidogenesis in the human placenta.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rona Karahoda
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Akademika Heyrovskeho 1203, 500 05 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic;
| | - Sampada Kallol
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Bühlstrasse 28, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; (S.K.); (E.O.)
- Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) TransCure, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Michael Groessl
- Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Biomedical Research, Inselspital, University of Bern, Freiburgstrasse 15, 3010 Bern, Switzerland;
| | - Edgar Ontsouka
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Bühlstrasse 28, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; (S.K.); (E.O.)
| | - Pascale Anderle
- Sitem Center for Translational Medicine and Biomedical Entrepreneurship and Sitem-Insel AG, University of Bern, Freiburgstrasse 3, 3010 Bern, Switzerland;
| | - Christa Fluck
- Pediatric Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, Department of Biomedical Research, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Freiburgstrasse 15, 3010 Bern, Switzerland;
| | - Frantisek Staud
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Akademika Heyrovskeho 1203, 500 05 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic;
- Correspondence: (F.S.); (C.A.); Tel.: +420-495-067-407 (F.S.); Tel.: +413-163-141-08 (C.A.)
| | - Christiane Albrecht
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Bühlstrasse 28, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; (S.K.); (E.O.)
- Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) TransCure, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
- Correspondence: (F.S.); (C.A.); Tel.: +420-495-067-407 (F.S.); Tel.: +413-163-141-08 (C.A.)
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Wan HT, Wong AYM, Feng S, Wong CKC. Effects of In Utero Exposure to Perfluorooctane Sulfonate on Placental Functions. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:16050-16061. [PMID: 33258594 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c06569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a metabolic-disrupting chemical. There is a strong association between maternal and cord blood PFOS concentrations, affecting metabolism in early life. However, the underlying effects have not been fully elucidated. In this study, using the maternal-fetal model, we investigated the impact of gestational PFOS exposure on the placental structure and nutrient transport. Pregnant mice were oral gavaged with PFOS (1 or 3 μg PFOS/g body weight) from gestational day (GD) 4.5 until GD 17.5. Our data showed a significant reduction in fetal body weight at high dose exposure. There were no noticeable changes in placental weights and the relative areas of junctional and labyrinth zones among the control and exposed groups. However, a placental nutrient transport assay showed a significant reduction in maternal-fetal transport of the glucose and amino acid analogues. Western blot analysis showed a significant decrease in the expression levels of placental SNAT4 upon PFOS exposure. Moreover, in the high-dose exposed group, placenta and fetal livers were found to have significantly higher corticosterone levels, a negative regulator of fetal growth. The perturbation in the placental transport function and corticosterone levels accounted for the PFOS-induced reduction of fetal body weights.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hin Ting Wan
- Croucher Institute for Environmental Sciences, Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Aman Yi-Man Wong
- Croucher Institute for Environmental Sciences, Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Shi Feng
- Croucher Institute for Environmental Sciences, Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chris Kong-Chu Wong
- Croucher Institute for Environmental Sciences, Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
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Karahoda R, Horackova H, Kastner P, Matthios A, Cerveny L, Kucera R, Kacerovsky M, Duintjer Tebbens J, Bonnin A, Abad C, Staud F. Serotonin homeostasis in the materno-foetal interface at term: Role of transporters (SERT/SLC6A4 and OCT3/SLC22A3) and monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) in uptake and degradation of serotonin by human and rat term placenta. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2020; 229:e13478. [PMID: 32311818 DOI: 10.1111/apha.13478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
AIM Serotonin is crucial for proper foetal development, and the placenta has been described as a 'donor' of serotonin for the embryo/foetus. However, in later stages of gestation the foetus produces its own serotonin from maternally-derived tryptophan and placental supply is no longer needed. We propose a novel model of serotonin homeostasis in the term placenta with special focus on the protective role of organic cation transporter 3 (OCT3/SLC22A3). METHODS Dually perfused rat term placenta was employed to quantify serotonin/tryptophan transport and metabolism. Placental membrane vesicles isolated from human term placenta were used to characterize serotonin transporters on both sides of the syncytiotrophoblast. RESULTS We obtained the first evidence that serotonin is massively taken up from the foetal circulation by OCT3. This uptake is concentration-dependent and inhibitable by OCT3 blockers of endogenous (glucocorticoids) or exogenous (pharmaceuticals) origin. Population analyses in rat placenta revealed that foetal sex influences placental extraction of serotonin from foetal circulation. Negligible foetal serotonin levels were detected in maternal-to-foetal serotonin/tryptophan transport and metabolic studies. CONCLUSION We demonstrate that OCT3, localized on the foetus-facing membrane of syncytiotrophoblast, is an essential component of foeto-placental homeostasis of serotonin. Together with serotonin degrading enzyme, monoamine oxidase-A, this offers a protective mechanism against local vasoconstriction effects of serotonin in the placenta. However, this system may be compromised by OCT3 inhibitory molecules, such as glucocorticoids or antidepressants. Our findings open new avenues to explore previously unsuspected/unexplained complications during pregnancy including prenatal glucocorticoid excess and pharmacotherapeutic risks of treating pregnant women with OCT3 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rona Karahoda
- Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology Charles University Hradec Kralove Czech Republic
| | - Hana Horackova
- Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology Charles University Hradec Kralove Czech Republic
| | - Petr Kastner
- Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Analysis Charles University Hradec Kralove Czech Republic
| | - Andreas Matthios
- Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove Department of Biophysics and Physical Chemistry Charles University Hradec Kralove Czech Republic
| | - Lukas Cerveny
- Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology Charles University Hradec Kralove Czech Republic
| | - Radim Kucera
- Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Analysis Charles University Hradec Kralove Czech Republic
| | - Marian Kacerovsky
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics University Hospital in Hradec Kralove Hradec Kralove Czech Republic
| | - Jurjen Duintjer Tebbens
- Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove Department of Biophysics and Physical Chemistry Charles University Hradec Kralove Czech Republic
| | - Alexandre Bonnin
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience University of Southern California Los Angeles CA USA
| | - Cilia Abad
- Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology Charles University Hradec Kralove Czech Republic
| | - Frantisek Staud
- Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology Charles University Hradec Kralove Czech Republic
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Expression of Stress-Mediating Genes is Increased in Term Placentas of Women with Chronic Self-Perceived Anxiety and Depression. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11080869. [PMID: 32752005 PMCID: PMC7463995 DOI: 10.3390/genes11080869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Revised: 07/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Anxiety, chronical stress, and depression during pregnancy are considered to affect the offspring, presumably through placental dysregulation. We have studied the term placentae of pregnancies clinically monitored with the Beck’s Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). A cutoff threshold for BAI/EPDS of 10 classed patients into an Index group (>10, n = 23) and a Control group (<10, n = 23). Cortisol concentrations in hair (HCC) were periodically monitored throughout pregnancy and delivery. Expression differences of main glucocorticoid pathway genes, i.e., corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD11B2), glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1), as well as other key stress biomarkers (Arginine Vasopressin, AVP and O-GlcNAc transferase, OGT) were explored in medial placentae using real-time qPCR and Western blotting. Moreover, gene expression changes were considered for their association with HCC, offspring, gender, and birthweight. A significant dysregulation of gene expression for CRH, AVP, and HSD11B2 genes was seen in the Index group, compared to controls, while OGT and NR3C1 expression remained similar between groups. Placental gene expression of the stress-modulating enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD11B2) was related to both hair cortisol levels (Rho = 0.54; p < 0.01) and the sex of the newborn in pregnancies perceived as stressful (Index, p < 0.05). Gene expression of CRH correlated with both AVP (Rho = 0.79; p < 0.001) and HSD11B2 (Rho = 0.45; p < 0.03), and also between AVP with both HSD11B2 (Rho = 0.6; p < 0.005) and NR3C1 (Rho = 0.56; p < 0.03) in the Control group but not in the Index group; suggesting a possible loss of interaction in the mechanisms of action of these genes under stress circumstances during pregnancy.
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Jin S, Sun X, Liu Q, Liang H, Li C, Mao Z, Song C, Xia W, Li Y, Xu S. Steroid Hormones in Cord Blood Mediate the Association Between Maternal Prepregnancy BMI and Birth Weight. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2019; 27:1338-1346. [PMID: 31207092 DOI: 10.1002/oby.22524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Accepted: 04/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Maternal overweight has been associated with increasing offspring birth weight, but epidemiological data on potential biological mechanisms are limited. This study aimed to examine whether steroid hormones mediate the association between maternal prepregnancy BMI (pre-BMI) and birth weight. METHODS This study involving 2,039 participants was conducted from an ongoing cohort study in Wuhan, China. Mediation analysis was used to identify the extent to which steroid hormones mediated associations. RESULTS Each one-unit increase in pre-BMI was significantly associated with lower log2 -transformed cord blood levels of cortisol and corticosterone. Levels of cortisol and corticosterone were also negatively associated with birth weight. It was estimated that corticosterone mediated 3.48% of the association between pre-BMI and birth weight, and no significant mediation effect was observed in cortisol. After stratification by maternal gestational weight gain (GWG; within or in excess of the Institute of Medicine [IOM] guidelines), the associations of pre-BMI with cortisol and corticosterone levels were significant in the women with GWG > IOM but not in women with GWG ≤ IOM. When the mediation analysis in the women with GWG > IOM was limited, the mediation effects of cord blood cortisol and corticosterone were both significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Cord blood cortisol and corticosterone partially mediate the association of increased maternal pre-BMI with higher birth weight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuna Jin
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaojie Sun
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Qi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Huifang Liang
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Chunhui Li
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zhenxing Mao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Chengwu Song
- College of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Wei Xia
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yuanyuan Li
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shunqing Xu
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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Bremer S, Brittebo E, Dencker L, Knudsen LE, Mathisien L, Olovsson M, Pazos P, Pellizzer C, Paulesu LR, Schaefer W, Schwarz M, Staud F, Stavreus-Evers A, Vähänkangas K. In Vitro Tests for Detecting Chemicals Affecting the Embryo Implantation Process. Altern Lab Anim 2019; 35:421-39. [PMID: 17850188 DOI: 10.1177/026119290703500407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Bremer
- ECVAM, Institute for Health and Consumer Protection, European Commission Joint Research Centre, Ispra, Italy.
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Franko KL, Forhead AJ, Fowden AL. Effects of stress during pregnancy on hepatic glucogenic capacity in rat dams and their fetuses. Physiol Rep 2018; 5:5/11/e13293. [PMID: 28611150 PMCID: PMC5471435 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.13293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2017] [Accepted: 05/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress during pregnancy is associated with metabolic dysfunction in the adult offspring in human and other animals. However, little is known about the metabolic effects of pregnancy stress on the mothers and fetuses during pregnancy itself. This study aimed to determine the consequences of the common experimental procedures of injection and single housing in pregnant rats on fetal and maternal hepatic glucogenic capacities. On day (D) 20 of pregnancy, feto‐placental weights and the glycogen content and activities of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) and glucose‐6‐phosphatase (G6Pase) of fetal and maternal liver were measured in rats pair or single housed from D1 with or without saline injection from D15 to D19. Housing and saline injection both affected hepatic glucogenic capacity. In maternal liver, saline injection but not housing reduced glycogen content and raised G6Pase activity, whereas housing but not treatment increased PEPCK activity. In fetuses, housing and injection interacted in regulating PEPCK activity and reducing hepatic glycogen content and placental weight. Body weight was decreased and hepatic G6Pase increased by injection but not housing in the fetuses. Single‐housed dams ate less than those pair‐housed near term while saline injection elevated maternal plasma corticosterone concentrations. Thus, single housing and saline injection are both stresses during rat pregnancy that alter feto‐placental weight and hepatic glucogenic capacity of the fetuses and dams near term. Routine experimental procedures per se may, therefore, have consequences for offspring hepatic phenotype as well as modifying the outcomes of dietary and other environmental challenges during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn L Franko
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Alison J Forhead
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Abigail L Fowden
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Travers S, Martinerie L, Boileau P, Xue QY, Lombès M, Pussard E. Comparative profiling of adrenal steroids in maternal and umbilical cord blood. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2018; 178:127-134. [PMID: 29191401 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2017.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Revised: 11/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Fetal steroidome in late pregnancy receives multiple contributions from both maternal and fetal adrenals as well as from placenta. Depressed glucocorticoid levels have been reported in fetal blood at birth, yet studies on mineralocorticoid pathways are sparse. To investigate biosynthesis pathways at birth, adrenal steroids profiles were established in paired mothers and neonates. Forty-six paired healthy term newborns and their mothers from the Aldo cohort were assessed. Steroidomic profiles of mineralocorticoids, glucocorticoids and adrenal androgens were established from umbilical cord and maternal blood at birth using a highly sensitive and specific LC-MS/MS methodology. As compared to maternal blood, umbilical cord blood exhibited high levels of steroids precursors (progesterone and 11-deoxycorticosterone) contrasting with a collapse in corticosterone levels. Consecutively, 18-hydroxycorticosterone and aldosterone levels were also depressed in neonates. Similarly, umbilical cord blood levels of both 17-hydroxyprogesterone and 11-deoxycortisol were higher while cortisol levels sharply decreased. The product-to-substrate ratios evaluating the 11-hydroxylation step (corticosterone/11-deoxycorticosterone and cortisol/11-deoxycortisol) fell for both pathways. As expected, cortisone and 11-dehydrocorticosterone levels exceed those of cortisol and corticosterone in umbilical cord blood reflecting the strong placental 11-β-hydroxysteroid-dehydrogenase type 2 (11βHSD2) activity. Dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate levels are higher in neonates, while both androstenedione and testosterone levels sharply fell. No significant difference in steroid levels could be observed according the gender except higher testosterone concentrations in umbilical cord of boys. Moreover, a strong and negative relationship between testosterone and progesterone levels was recorded in umbilical cord of boys. These adrenal steroidomic profiling demonstrate a deficit in mineralocorticoids (aldosterone, 18-hydroxycorticosterone and corticosterone) and glucocorticoids (cortisol) in term neonates, reflecting either a relative defect in 11-hydroxylase activity or more likely the strong placental 11-β-HSD2 activity. Collectively, these findings should be taken into account for a better understanding of regulatory interactions between placenta and fetal adrenal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Travers
- Inserm, U1185, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, F-94276, France; Fac Med Paris-Sud, Univ. Paris-Sud, Université Paris Saclay, UMR-S 1185, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, F-94276, France; Service de Génétique Moléculaire, Pharmacogénétique et Hormonologie, Hôpital de Bicêtre, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris Sud, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Le Kremlin Bicêtre, F-94275, France
| | - Laetitia Martinerie
- Inserm, U1185, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, F-94276, France; Service d'Endocrinologie Pédiatrique, Hôpital Robert Debré, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, F-75019, France; PremUp Foundation, Paris, F-75005, France; Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, F-75019, France
| | - Pascal Boileau
- PremUp Foundation, Paris, F-75005, France; Service de Réanimation Néonatale, CH Poissy St-Germain en-Laye, Poissy, F-78303, France; EA 7285, UFR des Sciences de la Santé, Simone Veil. Université Versailles St-Quentin en Yvelines, Montigny le Bretonneux F-78180, France
| | - Qiong-Yao Xue
- Inserm, U1185, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, F-94276, France; Fac Med Paris-Sud, Univ. Paris-Sud, Université Paris Saclay, UMR-S 1185, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, F-94276, France; UMS 32, Institut Biomédical de Bicêtre, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre F-94276, France
| | - Marc Lombès
- Inserm, U1185, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, F-94276, France; Fac Med Paris-Sud, Univ. Paris-Sud, Université Paris Saclay, UMR-S 1185, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, F-94276, France; PremUp Foundation, Paris, F-75005, France; Service d'Endocrinologie et Maladies de la Reproduction, Hôpital de Bicêtre, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris Sud, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Le Kremlin Bicêtre, F-94275, France; UMS 32, Institut Biomédical de Bicêtre, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre F-94276, France
| | - Eric Pussard
- Inserm, U1185, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, F-94276, France; Fac Med Paris-Sud, Univ. Paris-Sud, Université Paris Saclay, UMR-S 1185, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, F-94276, France; Service de Génétique Moléculaire, Pharmacogénétique et Hormonologie, Hôpital de Bicêtre, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris Sud, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Le Kremlin Bicêtre, F-94275, France; UMS 32, Institut Biomédical de Bicêtre, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre F-94276, France.
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11
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Chen T, Liu HX, Yan HY, Wu DM, Ping J. Developmental origins of inflammatory and immune diseases. Mol Hum Reprod 2016; 22:858-65. [PMID: 27226490 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gaw036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2015] [Accepted: 05/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological and experimental animal studies show that suboptimal environments in fetal and neonatal life exert a profound influence on physiological function and risk of diseases in adult life. The concepts of the 'developmental programming' and Developmental Origins of Health and Diseases (DOHaD) have become well accepted and have been applied across almost all fields of medicine. Adverse intrauterine environments may have programming effects on the crucial functions of the immune system during critical periods of fetal development, which can permanently alter the immune function of offspring. Immune dysfunction may in turn lead offspring to be susceptible to inflammatory and immune diseases in adulthood. These facts suggest that inflammatory and immune disorders might have developmental origins. In recent years, inflammatory and immune disorders have become a growing health problem worldwide. However, there is no systematic report in the literature on the developmental origins of inflammatory and immune diseases and the potential mechanisms involved. Here, we review the impacts of adverse intrauterine environments on the immune function in offspring. This review shows the results from human and different animal species and highlights the underlying mechanisms, including damaged development of cells in the thymus, helper T cell 1/helper T cell 2 balance disturbance, abnormal epigenetic modification, effects of maternal glucocorticoid overexposure on fetal lymphocytes and effects of the fetal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis on the immune system. Although the phenomena have already been clearly implicated in epidemiologic and experimental studies, new studies investigating the mechanisms of these effects may provide new avenues for exploiting these pathways for disease prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, Wuhan University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Han-Xiao Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, Wuhan University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Hui-Yi Yan
- Department of Pharmacology, Wuhan University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Dong-Mei Wu
- Department of Pharmacology, Wuhan University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Jie Ping
- Department of Pharmacology, Wuhan University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
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Heussner K, Ruebner M, Huebner H, Rascher W, Menendez-Castro C, Hartner A, Fahlbusch FB, Rauh M. Species differences of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 function in human and rat term placenta determined via LC-MS/MS. Placenta 2016; 37:79-84. [DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2015.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2015] [Revised: 11/16/2015] [Accepted: 11/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Appleton AA, Lester BM, Armstrong DA, Lesseur C, Marsit CJ. Examining the joint contribution of placental NR3C1 and HSD11B2 methylation for infant neurobehavior. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2015; 52:32-42. [PMID: 25459891 PMCID: PMC4350656 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2014] [Revised: 10/24/2014] [Accepted: 11/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Infant neurobehavior, a potential sentinel of future mental and behavioral morbidity characterized in part by reflex symmetry, excitability and habituation to stimuli, is influenced by aspects of the intrauterine environment partially through epigenetic alterations of genes involved in the stress response. DNA methylation of two related cortisol response genes, the glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1), a nuclear receptor to which cortisol binds, and 11-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD11B2), the enzyme responsible for conversion of cortisol into inactive cortisone, independently associate with infant neurobehavior. Although these factors are part of a common cortisol regulation pathway, the combined effect of DNA methylation of these factors on infant neurobehavior has not been characterized. Therefore, we conducted an examination of the joint contribution of NR3C1 and HSD11B2 DNA methylation on infant neurobehavior. Among 372 healthy term newborns, we tested the interaction between placental NR3C1 and HSD11B2 DNA methylation in association with neurobehavior as assessed with the validated NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scales. Controlling for confounders, interactions between DNA methylation of these genes were detected for distinct domains of neurobehavior (habituation, excitability, asymmetrical reflexes). Moreover, different patterns of DNA methylation across the cortisol regulation pathway associated with different neurobehavioral phenotypes. Those with low NR3C1 methylation but high HSD11B2 methylation had lower excitability scores; those with high NR3C1 methylation but low HSD11B2 methylation had more asymmetrical reflexes; those with high DNA methylation across the entire pathway had higher habituation scores. These results suggest that epigenetic alterations across the cortisol regulation pathway may contribute to different neurobehavioral phenotypes, likely though varying degrees of glucocorticoid exposure during gestation. While the postnatal environment may continue to affect neurobehavioral risk, this study provides novel insights into the molecular basis for fetal origins of mental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison A. Appleton
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany School of Public Health, State University of New York, Rensselaer, New York, USA,Correspondence and reprint requests: Allison A. Appleton, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany, State University of New York; phone: 518-402-0402; fax: 518-402-0380;
| | - Barry M. Lester
- Department of Psychiatry and Department of Pediatrics, Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - David A. Armstrong
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Corina Lesseur
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Carmen J. Marsit
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
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Straley M, Togher K, Nolan A, Kenny L, O'Keeffe G. LPS alters placental inflammatory and endocrine mediators and inhibits fetal neurite growth in affected offspring during late gestation. Placenta 2014; 35:533-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2014.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2013] [Revised: 05/30/2014] [Accepted: 06/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Virk J, Obel C, Li J, Olsen J. In-utero exposure to bereavement and offspring IQ: a Danish national cohort study. PLoS One 2014; 9:e88477. [PMID: 24558394 PMCID: PMC3928249 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0088477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2013] [Accepted: 01/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intelligence is a life-long trait that has strong influences on lifestyle, adult morbidity and life expectancy. Hence, lower cognitive abilities are therefore of public health interest. Our primary aim was to examine if prenatal bereavement measured as exposure to death of a close family member is associated with the intelligence quotient (IQ) scores at 18-years of age of adult Danish males completing a military cognitive screening examination. METHODS We extracted records for the Danish military screening test and found kinship links with biological parents, siblings, and maternal grandparents using the Danish Civil Registration System (N = 167,900). The prenatal exposure period was defined as 12 months before conception until birth of the child. We categorized children as exposed in utero to severe stress (bereavement) during prenatal life if their mothers lost an elder child, husband, parent or sibling during the prenatal period; the remaining children were included in the unexposed cohort. Mean score estimates were adjusted for maternal and paternal age at birth, residence, income, maternal education, gestational age at birth and birth weight. RESULTS When exposure was due to death of a father the offsprings' mean IQ scores were lower among men completing the military recruitment exam compared to their unexposed counterparts, adjusted difference of 6.5 standard IQ points (p-value = 0.01). We did not observe a clinically significant association between exposure to prenatal maternal bereavement caused by death of a sibling, maternal uncle/aunt or maternal grandparent even after stratifying deaths only due to traumatic events. CONCLUSION We found maternal bereavement to be adversely associated with IQ in male offspring, which could be related to prenatal stress exposure though more likely is due to changes in family conditions after death of the father. This finding supports other literature on maternal adversity during fetal life and cognitive development in the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasveer Virk
- UCLA/Fielding School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Carsten Obel
- Section for General practice, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jiong Li
- Section for Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jørn Olsen
- Section for Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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16
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Appleton AA, Armstrong DA, Lesseur C, Lee J, Padbury JF, Lester BM, Marsit CJ. Patterning in placental 11-B hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase methylation according to prenatal socioeconomic adversity. PLoS One 2013; 8:e74691. [PMID: 24040322 PMCID: PMC3764127 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0074691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2013] [Accepted: 08/07/2013] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal socioeconomic adversity as an intrauterine exposure is associated with a range of perinatal outcomes although the explanatory mechanisms are not well understood. The development of the fetus can be shaped by the intrauterine environment through alterations in the function of the placenta. In the placenta, the HSD11B2 gene encodes the 11-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase enzyme, which is responsible for the inactivation of maternal cortisol thereby protecting the developing fetus from this exposure. This gene is regulated by DNA methylation, and this methylation and the expression it controls has been shown to be susceptible to a variety of stressors from the maternal environment. The association of prenatal socioeconomic adversity and placental HSD11B2 methylation has not been examined. Following a developmental origins of disease framework, prenatal socioeconomic adversity may alter fetal response to the postnatal environment through functional epigenetic alterations in the placenta. Therefore, we hypothesized that prenatal socioeconomic adversity would be associated with less HSD11B2 methylation. METHODS AND FINDINGS We examined the association between DNA methylation of the HSD11B2 promoter region in the placenta of 444 healthy term newborn infants and several markers of prenatal socioeconomic adversity: maternal education, poverty, dwelling crowding, tobacco use and cumulative risk. We also examined whether such associations were sex-specific. We found that infants whose mothers experienced the greatest levels of socioeconomic adversity during pregnancy had the lowest extent of placental HSD11B2 methylation, particularly for males. Associations were maintained for maternal education when adjusting for confounders (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Patterns of HSD11B2 methylation suggest that environmental cues transmitted from the mother during gestation may program the developing fetus's response to an adverse postnatal environment, potentially via less exposure to cortisol during development. Less methylation of placental HSD11B2 may therefore be adaptive and promote the effective management of stress associated with social adversity in a postnatal environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison A. Appleton
- Department of Community and Family Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
| | - David A. Armstrong
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
| | - Corina Lesseur
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
| | - Joyce Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
- Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
| | - James F. Padbury
- Department of Pediatrics, Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
| | - Barry M. Lester
- Department of Pediatrics, Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
- Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
| | - Carmen J. Marsit
- Department of Community and Family Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
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Ahmadimoghaddam D, Staud F. Transfer of metformin across the rat placenta is mediated by organic cation transporter 3 (OCT3/SLC22A3) and multidrug and toxin extrusion 1 (MATE1/SLC47A1) protein. Reprod Toxicol 2013; 39:17-22. [PMID: 23562376 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2013.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2013] [Revised: 02/25/2013] [Accepted: 03/09/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
In our previous studies we described functional expression of organic cation transporter 3 (OCT3) and multidrug and toxin extrusion 1 (MATE1) protein in the rat placenta. Since metformin is a substrate of both OCT3 and MATE1, in this study we used the model of dually perfused rat placenta to investigate the role of these transporters in metformin passage across the placenta. We observed concentration-dependent transplacental clearance of metformin in both maternal-to-fetal and fetal-to-maternal directions; in addition metformin crossed the placenta from the fetal to maternal compartment even against its concentration gradient. This transport was completely inhibited by MPP(+), a common OCT3 and MATE1 inhibitor. Furthermore, we observed that the oppositely directed H(+)-gradient can drive the secretion of metformin from placenta to maternal circulation, confirming apical efflux of metformin from trophoblast by MATE1. In conclusion, we suggest an important role of OCT3 and MATE1 in the transplacental transfer of metformin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davoud Ahmadimoghaddam
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
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18
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Greene NH, Pedersen LH, Liu S, Olsen J. Prenatal prescription corticosteroids and offspring diabetes: A national cohort study. Int J Epidemiol 2013; 42:186-93. [DOI: 10.1093/ije/dys228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Goeden N, Bonnin A. Ex vivo perfusion of mid-to-late-gestation mouse placenta for maternal-fetal interaction studies during pregnancy. Nat Protoc 2013; 8:66-74. [PMID: 23237830 PMCID: PMC5360402 DOI: 10.1038/nprot.2012.144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Ex vivo perfusion systems offer a reliable, reproducible method for studying acute physiological responses of an organ to various environmental manipulations. Unlike in vitro culture systems, the cellular organization, compartmentalization and three-dimensional structure of ex vivo-perfused organs are maintained. These particular parameters are crucial for the normal physiological function of the placenta, which supports fetal growth through transplacental exchange, nutritional synthesis and metabolism, growth factor promotion and regulation of both maternally and fetally derived molecules. The perfusion system described here, which can be completed in 4-5 h, allows for integrated, physiological studies of de novo synthesis and metabolism and transport of materials across the live mouse placenta, not only throughout a normal gestation period but also following a variety of individual or combined genetic and environmental perturbations compromising placental function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nick Goeden
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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20
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Cuffe JSM, O'Sullivan L, Simmons DG, Anderson ST, Moritz KM. Maternal corticosterone exposure in the mouse has sex-specific effects on placental growth and mRNA expression. Endocrinology 2012; 153:5500-11. [PMID: 22919064 DOI: 10.1210/en.2012-1479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Maternal exposure to increased synthetic glucocorticoids (GC) during pregnancy is known to disturb fetal development and increase the risk of long-term disease. Maternal exposure to elevated levels of natural GC is likely to be common yet is relatively understudied. The placenta plays an important role in regulating fetal exposure to maternal GC but is itself vulnerable to maternal insults. This study uses a mouse model of maternal corticosterone (Cort) exposure to investigate its effects on the developing placenta. Mice were treated with Cort (33 μg/kg·h) for 60 h starting at embryonic d 12.5 (E12.5) before collection of placentas at E14.5 and E17.5. Although Cort exposure did not affect fetal size, placentas of male fetuses were larger at E17.5 in association with changes in placental Igf2. This increase in size was associated with an increase in placental thickness and an increase in placental junctional zone volume. Placentas from female fetuses were of normal size and had no changes in growth factor mRNA levels. The expression of the protective enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 was increased at E14.5 but was decreased in males at E17.5. In contrast, the expression of Nr3c1 (which encodes the GC receptor) was increased during the Cort exposure and remained elevated at E17.5 in the placentas of male fetuses. Our study has shown that maternal Cort exposure infers a sex-specific alteration to normal placental growth and growth factor expression, thus further adding to our understanding of the mechanisms of male dominance of programmed disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- J S M Cuffe
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Australia
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21
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Vaughan OR, Sferruzzi-Perri AN, Fowden AL. Maternal corticosterone regulates nutrient allocation to fetal growth in mice. J Physiol 2012; 590:5529-40. [PMID: 22930269 DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2012.239426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Stresses during pregnancy that increase maternal glucocorticoids reduce birth weight in several species. However, the role of natural glucocorticoids in the mother in fetal acquisition of nutrients for growth remains unknown. This study aimed to determine whether fetal growth was reduced as a consequence of altered amino acid supply when mice were given corticosterone in their drinking water for 5 day periods in mid to late pregnancy (day, D, 11-16 or D14-19). Compared to controls drinking tap water, fetal weight was always reduced by corticosterone. At D16, corticosterone had no effect on materno-fetal transfer of [(14)C]methylaminoisobutyric acid (MeAIB), although placental MeAIB accumulation and expression of the Slc38a1 and Slc38a2 transporters were increased. However, at D19, 3 days after treatment ended, materno-fetal transfer of MeAIB was increased by 37% (P < 0.04). During treatment at D19, placental accumulation and materno-fetal transfer of MeAIB were reduced by 40% (P < 0.01), although expression of Slc38a1 was again elevated. Permanent reductions in placental vascularity occurred during the earlier but not the later period of treatment. Placental Hsd11b2 expression, which regulates feto-placental glucocorticoid bioavailability, was also affected by treatment at D19 only. Maternal corticosterone concentrations inversely correlated with materno-fetal MeAIB clearance and fetal weight at D19 but not D16. On D19, weight gain of the maternal carcass was normal during corticosterone treatment but reduced in those mice treated from D11 to D16, in which corticosterone levels were lowest. Maternal corticosterone is, therefore, a physiological regulator of the amino acid supply for fetal growth via actions on placental phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Owen R Vaughan
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK.
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Cottrell EC, Holmes MC, Livingstone DE, Kenyon CJ, Seckl JR. Reconciling the nutritional and glucocorticoid hypotheses of fetal programming. FASEB J 2012; 26:1866-74. [DOI: 10.1096/fj.12-203489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth C. Cottrell
- Endocrinology UnitCentre for Cardiovascular ScienceQueen's Medical Research InstituteUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | - Megan C. Holmes
- Endocrinology UnitCentre for Cardiovascular ScienceQueen's Medical Research InstituteUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | - Dawn E. Livingstone
- Endocrinology UnitCentre for Cardiovascular ScienceQueen's Medical Research InstituteUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | - Christopher J. Kenyon
- Endocrinology UnitCentre for Cardiovascular ScienceQueen's Medical Research InstituteUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | - Jonathan R. Seckl
- Endocrinology UnitCentre for Cardiovascular ScienceQueen's Medical Research InstituteUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
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Abstract
In mammals, the circadian system is composed of the central clock in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nuclei and of peripheral clocks that are located in other neural structures and in cells of the peripheral tissues and organs. In adults, the system is hierarchically organized so that the central clock provides the other clocks in the body with information about the time of day. This information is needed for the adaptation of their functions to cyclically changing external conditions. During ontogenesis, the system undergoes substantial development and its sensitivity to external signals changes. Perinatally, maternal cues are responsible for setting the phase of the developing clock, while later postnatally, the LD cycle is dominant. The central clock attains its functional properties during a gradual and programmed process. Peripheral clocks begin to exhibit rhythmicity independent of each other at various developmental stages. During the early developmental stages, the peripheral clocks are set or driven by maternal feeding, but later the central clock becomes fully functional and begins to entrain the periphery. During the perinatal period, the central and peripheral clocks seem to be vulnerable to disturbances in external conditions. Further studies are needed to understand the processes of how the circadian system develops and what degree of plasticity and resilience it possesses during ontogenesis. These data may lead to an assessment of the contribution of disturbances of the circadian system during early ontogenesis to the occurrence of circadian diseases in adulthood.
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Maternal antioxidant blocks programmed cardiovascular and behavioural stress responses in adult mice. Clin Sci (Lond) 2011; 121:427-36. [PMID: 21615331 DOI: 10.1042/cs20110153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Intra-uterine growth restriction is an independent risk factor for adult psychiatric and cardiovascular diseases. In humans, intra-uterine growth restriction is associated with increased placental and fetal oxidative stress, as well as down-regulation of placental 11β-HSD (11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase). Decreased placental 11β-HSD activity increases fetal exposure to maternal glucocorticoids, further increasing fetal oxidative stress. To explore the developmental origins of co-morbid hypertension and anxiety disorders, we increased fetal glucocorticoid exposure by administering the 11β-HSD inhibitor CBX (carbenoxolone; 12 mg·kg-1 of body weight·day-1) during the final week of murine gestation. We hypothesized that maternal antioxidant (tempol throughout pregnancy) would block glucocorticoid-programmed anxiety, vascular dysfunction and hypertension. Anxiety-related behaviour (conditioned fear) and the haemodynamic response to stress were measured in adult mice. Maternal CBX administration significantly increased conditioned fear responses of adult females. Among the offspring of CBX-injected dams, maternal tempol markedly attenuated the behavioural and cardiovascular responses to psychological stress. Compared with offspring of undisturbed dams, male offspring of dams that received daily third trimester saline injections had increased stress-evoked pressure responses that were blocked by maternal tempol. In contrast, tempol did not block CBX-induced aortic dysfunction in female mice (measured by myography and lucigenin-enhanced chemiluminescence). We conclude that maternal stress and exaggerated fetal glucocorticoid exposure enhance sex-specific stress responses, as well as alterations in aortic reactivity. Because concurrent tempol attenuated conditioned fear and stress reactivity even among the offspring of saline-injected dams, we speculate that antenatal stressors programme offspring stress reactivity in a cycle that may be broken by antenatal antioxidant therapy.
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25
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Surakul P, Weerachatyanukul W, Chutabhakdikul N. Repeated carbenoxolone injections during late pregnancy alter Snk-SPAR and PSD-95 expression in the hippocampus of rat pups. Neurosci Lett 2011; 494:75-9. [PMID: 21362453 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2011.02.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2011] [Revised: 02/17/2011] [Accepted: 02/18/2011] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Homeostasis of circulating cortisol is maintained by the 11β-HSD2 enzyme which inactivates cortisol into cortisone. It is abundantly expressed in the placenta where it protects the fetus from high levels of maternal glucocorticoids (GCs). Maternal administration of Carbenoxolone (Cbx), a powerful 11β-HSD2 inhibitor, leads to an increase in fetal cortisol. Previous data showed that intrauterine environment plays a crucial role in determining hippocampal structure and function. Exposure of pregnant rats to high levels of GC leads to low birth weight in offspring and an increased risk of age related memory and cognitive deficits later in life. Glutamate receptors are localized in the postsynaptic density (PSD), where many signaling proteins, cytoskeleton proteins, and ion channels are found. Any change in the number of these molecules can influence the morphology and function of the dendritic spine. We proposed that repeated Cbx injections during late pregnancy may alter the scaffolding proteins of the NMDA receptor in the pup's brain. We investigated the effects of repeated maternal Cbx injections on the scaffolding proteins of NMDA receptor in the hippocampus of rat pups. We showed that injecting pregnant rats with Cbx injections (30mg/kg) during GD 14-21 leads to a significant decrease in SPAR (Spine Associated Rap Guanylate kinase activating protein) (p<0.001) and PSD-95 (p<0.05) but a significant increase in Snk (Serum inducible kinase) (p<0.001) in the pup's hippocampus at P40. In general, Snk is induced by neuronal activity and plays an important role in phosphorylating SPAR. The phosphorylated SPAR is then recognized and degraded by ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS), causing the depletion of SPAR and PSD-95 from the spines. The results suggest that fetal exposure to excessive GC levels may activate the Snk/SPAR pathway and lead to the depletion of SPAR and PSD-95. Since GCs drugs are commonly used in various obstetric and pediatric conditions, it is important to consider the risks and benefits of prenatal GCs exposure in order to prevent neurodevelopmental delay in the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pornprom Surakul
- Research Center for Neuroscience, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Salaya, Nakornpathom 73170, Thailand
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Clyde LA, Lechuga TJ, Ebner CA, Burns AE, Kirby MA, Yellon SM. Transection of the pelvic or vagus nerve forestalls ripening of the cervix and delays birth in rats. Biol Reprod 2010; 84:587-94. [PMID: 21106964 DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.110.086207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Innervation of the cervix is important for normal timing of birth because transection of the pelvic nerve forestalls birth and causes dystocia. To discover whether transection of the parasympathetic innervation of the cervix affects cervical ripening in the process of parturition was the objective of the present study. Rats on Day 16 of pregnancy had the pelvic nerve (PnX) or the vagus nerve (VnX) or both pathways (PnX+VnX) transected, sham-operated (Sham) or nonpregnant rats served as controls. Sections of fixed peripartum cervix were stained for collagen or processed by immunohistochemistry to identify macrophages and nerve fibers. All Sham controls delivered by the morning of Day 22 postbreeding, while births were delayed in more than 75% of neurectomized rats by more than 12 h. Dystocia was evident in more than 25% of the PnX and PnX+VnX rats. Moreover, on prepartum Day 21, serum progesterone was increased severalfold in neurectomized versus Sham rats. Assessments of cell nuclei counts indicated that the cervix of neurectomized rats and Sham controls had become equally hypertrophied compared to the unripe cervix in nonpregnant rats. Collagen content and structure were reduced in the cervix of all pregnant rats, whether neurectomized or Shams, versus that in nonpregnant rats. Stereological analysis of cervix sections found reduced numbers of resident macrophages in prepartum PnX and PnX+VnX rats on Day 21 postbreeding, as well as in VnX rats on Day 22 postbreeding compared to that in Sham controls. Finally, nerve transections blocked the prepartum increase in innervation that occurred in Sham rats on Day 21 postbreeding. These findings indicate that parasympathetic innervation of the cervix mediates local inflammatory processes, withdrawal of progesterone in circulation, and the normal timing of birth. Therefore, pelvic and vagal nerves regulate macrophage immigration and nerve fiber density but may not be involved in final remodeling of the extracellular matrix in the prepartum cervix. These findings support the contention that immigration of immune cells and enhanced innervation are involved in processes that remodel the cervix and time parturition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey A Clyde
- Department of Physiology, Pathology, and Human Anatomy, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA
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Bellinger DL, Lubahn C, Lorton D. Maternal and early life stress effects on immune function: relevance to immunotoxicology. J Immunotoxicol 2009; 5:419-44. [PMID: 19404876 DOI: 10.1080/15476910802483415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress is triggered by a variety of unexpected environmental stimuli, such as aggressive behavior, fear, forced physical activity, sudden environmental changes, social isolation or pathological conditions. Stressful experiences during very early life (particularly, maternal stress during fetal ontogeny) can permanently alter the responsiveness of the nervous system, an effect called programming or imprinting. Programming affects the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis, brain neurotransmitter systems, sympathetic nervous system (SNS), and the cognitive abilities of the offspring, which can alter neural regulation of immune function. Prenatal or early life stress may contribute to the maladaptive immune responses to stress that occur later in life. This review focuses on the effect of maternal and early life stress on immune function in the offspring across life span. It highlights potential mechanisms by which prenatal stress impacts immune functions over life span. The literature discussed in this review suggests that psychosocial stress during pre- and early postnatal life may increase the vulnerability of infants to the effects of immunotoxicants or immune-mediated diseases, with long-term consequences. Neural-immune interactions may provide an indirect route through which immunotoxicants affect the developing immune system. A developmental approach to understanding how immunotoxicants interact with maternal and early life stress-induced changes in immunity is needed, because as the body changes physiologically across life span so do the effects of stress and immunotoxicants. In early and late life, the immune system is more vulnerable to the effects of stress. Stress can mimic the effects of aging and exacerbate age-related changes in immune function. This is important because immune dysregulation in the elderly is more frequently and seriously associated with clinical impairment and death. Aging, exposure to teratogens, and psychological stress interact to increase vulnerability and put the elderly at the greatest risk for disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise L Bellinger
- Department of Human Anatomy and Pathology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92352, USA.
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Ronco AM, Urrutia M, Montenegro M, Llanos MN. Cadmium exposure during pregnancy reduces birth weight and increases maternal and foetal glucocorticoids. Toxicol Lett 2009; 188:186-91. [PMID: 19379801 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2009.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2009] [Revised: 04/08/2009] [Accepted: 04/09/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Cadmium exposure induces low birth weight through unknown mechanisms. Since low birth weight is associated to foetal exposure to high glucocorticoids (GC) concentrations, we hypothesized that low birth weight induced by prenatal exposure to Cd(2+) is, at least in part, mediated by higher foetal exposure to GC, specifically corticosterone, the main active GC in rodents. Pregnant rats were exposed to different dose of CdCl(2) administered in drinking water during the whole pregnancy period. At term, corticosterone was measured by enzyme immunoassay in maternal and foetal blood and in placental tissues. Cadmium was determined in placentas, maternal tissues (liver and kidney) and foetuses by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Placental 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11beta-HSD2) activity and expression were determined by a radiometric conversion assay and quantitative RT-PCR respectively. Results demonstrated that 50 ppm of Cd(2+), which was accumulated in different maternal tissues but not in the foetus, reduced pup birth weights and increased plasma corticosterone concentrations, both in mother and foetus. Placental 11beta-HSD2 activity and expression did not change by the treatment. We conclude that 50 ppm of Cd(2+) administered during pregnancy, increase foetal corticosterone concentrations due, probably, to alterations of the regulatory mechanisms of placental barrier to GC causing a mild but significant reduced birth weight.
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Affiliation(s)
- A M Ronco
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Metabolic Regulation, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, INTA, University of Chile, Casilla 138-11, Santiago, Chile.
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Vagnerová K, Vacková Z, Klusoňová P, Staud F, Kopecky M, Ergang P, Mikšík I, Pácha J. Reciprocal Changes in Maternal and Fetal Metabolism of Corticosterone in Rat During Gestation. Reprod Sci 2008; 15:921-31. [DOI: 10.1177/1933719108319161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- K. Vagnerová
- Institute of Physiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague
| | - Z. Vacková
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Hradec Králové Czech Republic
| | - P. Klusoňová
- Institute of Physiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague
| | - F. Staud
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Hradec Králové Czech Republic
| | - M. Kopecky
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University, Hradec Králové Czech Republic
| | - P. Ergang
- Institute of Physiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague
| | - I. Mikšík
- Institute of Physiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague
| | - J. Pácha
- Institute of Physiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague,
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30
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Michael AE, Papageorghiou AT. Potential significance of physiological and pharmacological glucocorticoids in early pregnancy. Hum Reprod Update 2008; 14:497-517. [DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmn021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
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Abstract
Intrauterine programming is the process by which the structure and function of tissues are altered permanently by insults acting during early development. In mammals, the placenta controls intrauterine development by supplying oxygen and nutrients, and by regulating the bioavailability of specific hormones involved in foetal growth and development. Consequently, the placenta is likely to have a key role in mediating the programming effects of suboptimal conditions during development. This review examines placental phenotype in different environmental conditions and places particular emphasis on regulation of placental nutrient transfer capacity and endocrine function by insults known to cause intrauterine programming. More specifically, it examines the effects of a range of environmental challenges on the size, morphology, blood flow and transporter abundance of the placenta and on its rate of consumption and production of nutrients. In addition, it considers the role of hormone synthesis and metabolism by the placenta in matching intrauterine development to the prevailing environmental conditions. The adaptive responses that the placenta can make to compensate for suboptimal conditions in utero are also assessed in relation to the strategies adopted to maximise foetal growth and viability at birth. Environmentally-induced changes in placental phenotype may provide a mechanism for transmitting the memory of early events to the foetus later in gestation, which leads to intrauterine programming of tissue development long after the original insult.
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Affiliation(s)
- A L Fowden
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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Merlot E, Couret D, Otten W. Prenatal stress, fetal imprinting and immunity. Brain Behav Immun 2008; 22:42-51. [PMID: 17716859 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2007.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 185] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2007] [Revised: 05/17/2007] [Accepted: 05/27/2007] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
A comprehensive number of epidemiological and animal studies suggests that prenatal and early life events are important determinants for disorders later in life. Among them, prenatal stress (i.e. stress experienced by the pregnant mother with impact on the fetal ontogeny) has programming effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis, brain neurotransmitter systems and cognitive abilities of the offspring. This review focuses on the impact of maternal stress during gestation on the immune function in the offspring. It compares results from different animal species and highlights potential mechanisms for the immune effects of prenatal stress, including maternal glucocorticoids and placental functions. The existence of possible windows of increased vulnerability of the immune system to prenatal stress during gestation is discussed. Several gaps in the present knowledge are pointed out, especially concerning the time when prenatal stress effects are expressed during postnatal life, why this expression is delayed after birth and whether prenatal stress predisposes to immune-related pathologies later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Merlot
- INRA, UMR1079, Systèmes d'Elevage, Nutrition Animale et Humaine, F-35590 Saint Gilles, France.
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Staud F, Vackova Z, Pospechova K, Pavek P, Ceckova M, Libra A, Cygalova L, Nachtigal P, Fendrich Z. Expression and Transport Activity of Breast Cancer Resistance Protein (Bcrp/Abcg2) in Dually Perfused Rat Placenta and HRP-1 Cell Line. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2006; 319:53-62. [PMID: 16809480 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.106.105023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP/ABCG2) is a member of the ATP-binding cassette transporter family that recognizes a variety of chemically unrelated compounds. Its expression has been revealed in many mammal tissues, including placenta. The purpose of this study was to describe its role in transplacental pharmacokinetics using rat placental HRP-1 cell line and dually perfused rat placenta. In HRP-1 cells, expression of Bcrp, but not P-glycoprotein, was revealed at mRNA and protein levels. Cell accumulation studies confirmed Bcrp-dependent uptake of BODIPY FL prazosin. In the placental perfusion studies, a pharmacokinetic model was applied to distinguish between passive and Bcrp-mediated transplacental passage of cimetidine as a model substrate. Bcrp was shown to act in a concentration-dependent manner and to hinder maternal-to-fetal transport of the drug. Fetal-to-maternal clearance of cimetidine was found to be 25 times higher than that in the opposite direction; this asymmetry was partly eliminated by BCRP inhibitors fumitremorgin C (2 microM) or N-(4-[2-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-6,7-dimethoxy-2-isoquinolinyl)ethyl]-phenyl)-9,10-dihydro-5-methoxy-9-oxo-4-acridine carboxamide (GF120918; 2 microM) and abolished at high cimetidine concentrations (1000 microM). When fetal perfusate was recirculated, Bcrp was found to actively remove cimetidine from the fetal compartment to the maternal compartment even against a concentration gradient and to establish a 2-fold maternal-to-fetal concentration ratio. Based on our results, we propose a two-level defensive role of Bcrp in the rat placenta in which the transporter 1) reduces passage of its substrates from mother to fetus but also 2) removes the drug already present in the fetal circulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frantisek Staud
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University in Prague, Heyrovskeho 1203, Hradec Kralove 50005, Czech Republic.
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