Effect of prenatal exposure of green tea extract on the developing central nervous system of rat fetuses; histological, immune-histochemical and ultrastructural studies

A Proteomics-Based Identification of the Biological Networks Mediating the Impact of Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate on Trophoblast Cell Migration and Invasion, with Potential Implications for Maternal and Fetal Health

Trophoblast migration and invasion play crucial roles in placental development. However, the effects of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on trophoblast cell functions remain largely unexplored. In this study, we investigated the impact of EGCG on the survival of trophoblast cells and employed a proteomics analysis to evaluate its influence on trophoblast cell migration and invasion. Be-Wo trophoblast cells were treated with EGCG, and a zone closure assay was conducted to assess the cell migration and invasion. Subsequently, a proteomics analysis was performed on the treated and control groups, followed by a bioinformatics analysis to evaluate the affected biological pathways and protein networks. A quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot analysis were carried out to validate the proteomics findings. Our results showed that EGCG significantly suppressed the trophoblast migration and invasion at a concentration not affecting cell survival. The proteomics analysis revealed notable differences in the protein expression between the EGCG-treated and control groups. Specifically, EGCG downregulated the signaling pathways related to EIF2, mTOR, and estrogen response, as well as the processes associated with the cytoskeleton, extracellular matrix, and protein translation. Conversely, EGCG upregulated the pathways linked to lipid degradation and oxidative metabolism. The quantitative PCR showed that EGCG modulated protein expression by regulating gene transcription, and the Western blot analysis confirmed its impact on cytoskeleton and extracellular matrix reorganization. These findings suggest EGCG may inhibit trophoblast migration and invasion through multiple signaling pathways, highlighting the potential risks associated with consuming EGCG-containing products during pregnancy. Future research should investigate the impact of EGCG intake on maternal and fetal proteoforms.

Developmental neurotoxicity evaluation of three Chinese herbal medicines in zebrafish larvae by means of two behavioral assays: Touch-evoked response and light/dark transition

Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) is used among pregnant women. However, the question of its safety during pregnancy remains unclear. The use of these products relies on history of use data but there are specific toxicities like developmental neurotoxicity that are clearly understudied. Here we use the zebfrafish embryo developmental toxicity assay (ZEDTA) in combination with two behavioral assays: touch-evoked response and Light/Dark (L/D) transition assay to evaluate the neuro/developmental toxicity of three herbal products commonly used in CHM [Chinese name (abbreviation; part of the plant and Scientific name]: tian ma (TM; tuber form Gastrodia elata Blume), lei gong teng (LGT; root and rhizome of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook.f) and cha ye (green tea, leaves from Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze). In case significant alterations were detected, single components with potential exposure during pregnancy were identified in the literature and further tested. TM had no neurodevelopmental toxic potential in zebrafish embryos, while LGT and its main compounds triptolide and celastrol induced significant alterations in behavior. Developmental exposure to EGCG, the main catechin of green tea, also produced significant alterations in zebrafish embryos behavior after developmental exposure. A combination of ZEDTA with L/D Transition assay is proposed as a useful combination of alternative methods for DNT assessment of CHM products together with other New Approach Methodologies (NAMs).