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Buschmann C, Unverdorben L, Knabl J, Hutter S, Meister S, Beyer S, Burgmann M, Zati Zehni A, Schmoeckel E, Kessler M, Jeschke U, Eggersmann TK, Mahner S, Kolben T, Ganster F. Placental expression of inflammatory Galectin-12 is associated with gestational diabetes. J Reprod Immunol 2024; 163:104240. [PMID: 38492532 DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2024.104240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a growing health concern. Since members of the galectin-family are identified to play a role in the pathogenesis of GDM, we determined galectin-12 as an essential protein due to its influence in lipolysis and inflammation processes. This study investigates the expression of galectin-12 in the placentas of women with GDM. STUDY DESIGN The study population includes 40 expectant women suffering from GDM and 40 healthy controls. The expression of galectin-12 in the syncytiotrophoblast (SCT) and the extra villous trophoblast (EVT) of the placenta was analyzed by immunohistological staining and double immunofluorescence. Immunoreactivity Score (IRS) was used for evaluation. RESULTS The results demonstrate a significant overexpression of galectin-12 in the nucleus of the SCT and the EVT of placentas with GDM compared to the healthy control group. Additionally, double immunofluorescence visualizes corresponding results with an overexpression of galectin-12 in the extra villous trophoblast of GDM placentas representing maternal cells. CONCLUSION This study identifies galectin-12 to be associated with the process of gestational diabetes mellitus. These findings are in correspondence with the involvement of galectin-12 in inflammatory processes. Maternal BMI and male sex seem to be confounder for the expression of galectin-12 in the nuclear syncytiotrophoblast, but not in other parts of the investigated placental areas. Further investigations are necessary to verify the correlation between gestational diabetes mellitus and the expression of galectin-12 in the placenta and to further elucidate its distinct role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Buschmann
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Laura Unverdorben
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Julia Knabl
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan Hutter
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Sarah Meister
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Susanne Beyer
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Maximiliane Burgmann
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Alaleh Zati Zehni
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Elisa Schmoeckel
- Department of Pathology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany
| | - Mirjana Kessler
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Udo Jeschke
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Augsburg, Germany.
| | - Tanja K Eggersmann
- Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein, Luebeck, Germany
| | - Sven Mahner
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Thomas Kolben
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Franziska Ganster
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
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Flowers AE, Gonzalez TL, Wang Y, Santiskulvong C, Clark EL, Novoa A, Jefferies CA, Lawrenson K, Chan JL, Joshi NV, Zhu Y, Tseng HR, Wang ET, Ishimori M, Karumanchi SA, Williams J, Pisarska MD. High-throughput mRNA sequencing of human placenta shows sex differences across gestation. Placenta 2024; 150:8-21. [PMID: 38537412 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2024.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Fetal sex affects fetal and maternal health outcomes in pregnancy, but this connection remains poorly understood. As the placenta is the route of fetomaternal communication and derives from the fetal genome, placental gene expression sex differences may explain these outcomes. OBJECTIVES We utilized next generation sequencing to study the normal human placenta in both sexes in first and third trimester to generate a normative transcriptome based on sex and gestation. STUDY DESIGN We analyzed 124 first trimester (T1, 59 female and 65 male) and 43 third trimester (T3, 18 female and 25 male) samples for sex differences within each trimester and sex-specific gestational differences. RESULTS Placenta shows more significant sexual dimorphism in T1, with 94 T1 and 26 T3 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The sex chromosomes contributed 60.6% of DEGs in T1 and 80.8% of DEGs in T3, excluding X/Y pseudoautosomal regions. There were 6 DEGs from the pseudoautosomal regions, only significant in T1 and all upregulated in males. The distribution of DEGs on the X chromosome suggests genes on Xp (the short arm) may be particularly important in placental sex differences. Dosage compensation analysis of X/Y homolog genes shows expression is primarily contributed by the X chromosome. In sex-specific analyses of first versus third trimester, there were 2815 DEGs common to both sexes upregulated in T1, and 3263 common DEGs upregulated in T3. There were 7 female-exclusive DEGs upregulated in T1, 15 female-exclusive DEGs upregulated in T3, 10 male-exclusive DEGs upregulated in T1, and 20 male-exclusive DEGs upregulated in T3. DISCUSSION This is the largest cohort of placentas across gestation from healthy pregnancies defining the normative sex dimorphic gene expression and sex common, sex specific and sex exclusive gene expression across gestation. The first trimester has the most sexually dimorphic transcripts, and the majority were upregulated in females compared to males in both trimesters. The short arm of the X chromosome and the pseudoautosomal region is particularly critical in defining sex differences in the first trimester placenta. As pregnancy is a dynamic state, sex specific DEGs across gestation may contribute to sex dimorphic changes in overall outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy E Flowers
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | - Tania L Gonzalez
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | - Yizhou Wang
- Computational Biomedicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | - Chintda Santiskulvong
- CS Cancer Applied Genomics Shared Resource, CS Cancer, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | - Ekaterina L Clark
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | - Allynson Novoa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | - Caroline A Jefferies
- Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | - Kate Lawrenson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA; Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jessica L Chan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA; David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Nikhil V Joshi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | - Yazhen Zhu
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA; California NanoSystems Institute, Crump Institute for Molecular Imaging, Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Hsian-Rong Tseng
- California NanoSystems Institute, Crump Institute for Molecular Imaging, Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Erica T Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA; David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Mariko Ishimori
- Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | - S Ananth Karumanchi
- Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | - John Williams
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA; David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Margareta D Pisarska
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA; David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
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Gaynor JW, Moldenhauer JS, Zullo EE, Burnham NB, Gerdes M, Bernbaum JC, D’Agostino JA, Linn RL, Klepczynski B, Randazzo I, Gionet G, Choi GH, Karaj A, Russell WW, Zackai EH, Johnson MP, Gebb JS, Soni S, DeBari SE, Szwast AL, Ahrens-Nicklas RC, Drivas TG, Jacobwitz M, Licht DJ, Vossough A, Nicolson SC, Spray TL, Rychik J, Putt ME. Progesterone for Neurodevelopment in Fetuses With Congenital Heart Defects: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open 2024; 7:e2412291. [PMID: 38805228 PMCID: PMC11134212 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.12291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Importance Neurodevelopmental outcomes for children with congenital heart defects (CHD) have improved minimally over the past 20 years. Objectives To assess the feasibility and tolerability of maternal progesterone therapy as well as the magnitude of the effect on neurodevelopment for fetuses with CHD. Design, Setting, and Participants This double-blinded individually randomized parallel-group clinical trial of vaginal natural progesterone therapy vs placebo in participants carrying fetuses with CHD was conducted between July 2014 and November 2021 at a quaternary care children's hospital. Participants included maternal-fetal dyads where the fetus had CHD identified before 28 weeks' gestational age and was likely to need surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass in the neonatal period. Exclusion criteria included a major genetic or extracardiac anomaly other than 22q11 deletion syndrome and known contraindication to progesterone. Statistical analysis was performed June 2022 to April 2024. Intervention Participants were 1:1 block-randomized to vaginal progesterone or placebo by diagnosis: hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), transposition of the great arteries (TGA), and other CHD diagnoses. Treatment was administered twice daily between 28 and up to 39 weeks' gestational age. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was the motor score of the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-III; secondary outcomes included language and cognitive scales. Exploratory prespecified subgroups included cardiac diagnosis, fetal sex, genetic profile, and maternal fetal environment. Results The 102 enrolled fetuses primarily had HLHS (n = 52 [50.9%]) and TGA (n = 38 [37.3%]), were more frequently male (n = 67 [65.7%]), and without genetic anomalies (n = 61 [59.8%]). The mean motor score differed by 2.5 units (90% CI, -1.9 to 6.9 units; P = .34) for progesterone compared with placebo, a value not statistically different from 0. Exploratory subgroup analyses suggested treatment heterogeneity for the motor score for cardiac diagnosis (P for interaction = .03) and fetal sex (P for interaction = .04), but not genetic profile (P for interaction = .16) or maternal-fetal environment (P for interaction = .70). Conclusions and Relevance In this randomized clinical trial of maternal progesterone therapy, the overall effect was not statistically different from 0. Subgroup analyses suggest heterogeneity of the response to progesterone among CHD diagnosis and fetal sex. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02133573.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. William Gaynor
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Julie S. Moldenhauer
- Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Erin E. Zullo
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Nancy B. Burnham
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Marsha Gerdes
- Department of Psychology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Judy C. Bernbaum
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Jo Ann D’Agostino
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Rebecca L. Linn
- Division of Anatomic Pathology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Brenna Klepczynski
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Isabel Randazzo
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Gabrielle Gionet
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Grace H. Choi
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Antoneta Karaj
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - William W. Russell
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Elaine H. Zackai
- Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Mark P. Johnson
- Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Juliana S. Gebb
- Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Shelly Soni
- Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Suzanne E. DeBari
- Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Anita L. Szwast
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Rebecca C. Ahrens-Nicklas
- Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Theodore G. Drivas
- Division of Translational Medicine and Human Genetics, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Marin Jacobwitz
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Daniel J. Licht
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Arastoo Vossough
- Division of Radiology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Susan C. Nicolson
- Division of Cardiac Anesthesia, Department of Anesthesia and Critical Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Thomas L. Spray
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Jack Rychik
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Mary E. Putt
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
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Moes E, Kuzawa CW, Edgar HJH. Sex-specific effects of environmental temperature during gestation on fluctuating asymmetry in deciduous teeth. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2024:e24944. [PMID: 38623790 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES External environmental heat exposure during gestation impacts the physiology of human development in utero, but evidence for these impacts has not yet been explored in dentition. We examined deciduous teeth for fluctuating asymmetry (FA), a measure of developmental instability, together with gestational environmental temperature data drawn from historical weather statistics. MATERIALS AND METHODS We measured dental casts from the longitudinal Burlington Growth Study, representing 172 participants (ages 3-6 years) with health records. FA was calculated from crown dimensions and intercuspal distances that develop during gestation. Multiple regression separated by sex (nfemale = 81) examined the effects of mean temperatures in each trimester, controlling for birth year. RESULTS In females, increased temperatures during the first trimester are significantly associated with an increase in FA (p = 0.03), specifically during the second and third prenatal months (p = 0.03). There is no relationship between temperature and FA for either sex in the second or third trimesters, when enamel is formed. DISCUSSION Dental instability may be sensitive to temperature in the first trimester in females during the scaffolding of crown shape and size in the earliest stages of tooth formation. Sexual dimorphism in growth investment strategies may explain the differences in results between males and females. Using enduring dental characteristics, these results advance our understanding of the effects of temperature on fetal physiology within a discrete period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Moes
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
- Department of Physician Assistant Studies, University of St. Francis, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Christopher W Kuzawa
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Heather J H Edgar
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
- Office of the Medical Investigator, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
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Czamara D, Dieckmann L, Lahti-Pulkkinen M, Cruceanu C, Henrich W, Plagemann A, Räikkönen K, Braun T, Binder EB, Lahti J, Entringer S. Sex differences in DNA methylation across gestation: a large scale, cross-cohort, multi-tissue analysis. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:177. [PMID: 38600394 PMCID: PMC11006734 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05208-0] [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] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Biological sex is a key variable influencing many physiological systems. Disease prevalence as well as treatment success can be modified by sex. Differences emerge already early in life and include pregnancy complications and adverse birth outcomes. The placenta is a critical organ for fetal development and shows sex-based differences in the expression of hormones and cytokines. Epigenetic regulation, such as DNA methylation (DNAm), may underlie the previously reported placental sexual dimorphism. We associated placental DNAm with fetal sex in three cohorts. Individual cohort results were meta-analyzed with random-effects modelling. CpG-sites differentially methylated with sex were further investigated regarding pathway enrichment, overlap with methylation quantitative trait loci (meQTLs), and hits from phenome-wide association studies (PheWAS). We evaluated the consistency of findings across tissues (CVS, i.e. chorionic villus sampling from early placenta, and cord blood) as well as with gene expression. We identified 10,320 epigenome-wide significant sex-differentially methylated probes (DMPs) spread throughout the epigenome of the placenta at birth. Most DMPs presented with lower DNAm levels in females. DMPs mapped to genes upregulated in brain, were enriched for neurodevelopmental pathways and significantly overlapped with meQTLs and PheWAS hits. Effect sizes were moderately correlated between CVS and placenta at birth, but only weakly correlated between birth placenta and cord blood. Sex differential gene expression in birth placenta was less pronounced and implicated genetic regions only marginally overlapped with those associated with differential DNAm. Our study provides an integrative perspective on sex-differential DNAm in perinatal tissues underscoring the possible link between placenta and brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darina Czamara
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.
| | - Linda Dieckmann
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Marius Lahti-Pulkkinen
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Cristiana Cruceanu
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Wolfgang Henrich
- Department of Obstetrics, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Plagemann
- Department of Obstetrics, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Experimental Obstetrics, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Katri Räikkönen
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, HUS Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Thorsten Braun
- Department of Obstetrics, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Experimental Obstetrics, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jari Lahti
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sonja Entringer
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
- Department of Pediatrics, Health and Disease Research Program, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
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Alur P, Holla I, Hussain N. Impact of sex, race, and social determinants of health on neonatal outcomes. Front Pediatr 2024; 12:1377195. [PMID: 38655274 PMCID: PMC11035752 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2024.1377195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite the global improvements in neonatal outcomes, mortality and morbidity rates among preterm infants are still unacceptably high. Therefore, it is crucial to thoroughly analyze the factors that affect these outcomes, including sex, race, and social determinants of health. By comprehending the influence of these factors, we can work towards reducing their impact and enhancing the quality of neonatal care. This review will summarize the available evidence on sex differences, racial differences, and social determinants of health related to neonates. This review will discuss sex differences in neonatal outcomes in part I and racial differences with social determinants of health in part II. Research has shown that sex differences begin to manifest in the early part of the pregnancy. Hence, we will explore this topic under two main categories: (1) Antenatal and (2) Postnatal sex differences. We will also discuss long-term outcome differences wherever the evidence is available. Multiple factors determine health outcomes during pregnancy and the newborn period. Apart from the genetic, biological, and sex-based differences that influence fetal and neonatal outcomes, racial and social factors influence the health and well-being of developing humans. Race categorizes humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally considered distinct within a given society. Social determinants of health (SDOH) are the non-medical factors that influence health outcomes. These factors can include a person's living conditions, access to healthy food, education, employment status, income level, and social support. Understanding these factors is essential in developing strategies to improve overall health outcomes in communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pradeep Alur
- Penn State College of Medicine, Hampden Medical Center, Enola, PA, United States
| | - Ira Holla
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, United States
| | - Naveed Hussain
- Department of Pediatrics, Connecticut Children’s, Hartford, CT, United States
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7
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Ewing A, O'Callaghan JL, McCracken S, Ellery S, Lappas M, Holland OJ, Perkins A, Saif Z, Clifton VL. Placentae of small appropriately-grown-for-gestational-age neonates exhibit sexually dimorphic transcriptomic changes representative of placental insufficiency. Placenta 2024; 149:37-43. [PMID: 38492471 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2024.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Previous studies have reported that neonates less than the 25th BWC especially if they were male, were more likely to be associated with birth complications suggesting small neonates often identified as appropriately grown are at risk of adverse outcomes. We have questioned whether smaller neonates not typically categorized as "small for gestational age" may not reach their genetically determined growth due to placental insufficiency. METHODS RNA-Seq was performed on the Illumina NovaSeq 600 using term placentae from neonates that were less than the 10th birthweight centile (BWC) (n = 39), between the 10th and the 30th BWC (n = 15) or greater than the 30th BWC (n = 23). Bioinformatic analyses were conducted and statistical significance was assessed at a level of P < 0.05 for single comparisons or FDR <0.05 unless otherwise noted. RESULTS Gene set enrichment analysis revealed differences between BWC groups and in relation to the sex of the placenta. Genes associated with hypoxia, inflammatory responses, estrogen responsive genes, and androgen responsive genes were enriched (FDR <0.1) for in placentae of neonates <10th BWC regardless of sex and also in male placentae of neonates between the 10th-30th BWC. Female placenta of neonates between the 10th-30th BWC were comparable to placentae of neonates >30th BWC. DISCUSSION These findings provide evidence that small male neonates may be at a greater risk of an adverse outcome than females due to changes in gene expression that are associated with placental dysfunction. The current data raises questions of whether placental pathology for smaller appropriately grown neonates should be scientifically and clinically examined in more depth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Ewing
- Mater Research Institute, Translational Research Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane QLD, Australia
| | | | - Sharon McCracken
- Women and Babies Research, Perinatal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Northern Sydney Local Health District Research (Kolling Institute), St Leonards, NSW, Australia
| | - Stacy Ellery
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Martha Lappas
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health, Mercy Hospital for Women, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne VIC, Australia
| | - Olivia J Holland
- School of Medical Science, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia
| | - Anthony Perkins
- School of Health, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia
| | - Zarqa Saif
- Mater Research Institute, Translational Research Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane QLD, Australia
| | - Vicki L Clifton
- Mater Research Institute, Translational Research Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane QLD, Australia.
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8
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Keller A, Bai H, Budinger S, Eliazer S, Hansen M, Konopka AR, Morales-Nebreda L, Najt CP, Prahlad V, Victorelli S, Vorland CJ, Yuan R, Rhoads TW, Mihaylova MM. The Third Annual Symposium of the Midwest Aging Consortium. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2024; 79:glad239. [PMID: 37804247 PMCID: PMC10799755 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glad239] [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] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The geroscience hypothesis suggests that addressing the fundamental mechanisms driving aging biology will prevent or mitigate the onset of multiple chronic diseases, for which the largest risk factor is advanced age. Research that investigates the root causes of aging is therefore of critical importance given the rising healthcare burden attributable to age-related diseases. The third annual Midwest Aging Consortium symposium was convened as a showcase of such research performed by investigators from institutions across the Midwestern United States. This report summarizes the work presented during a virtual conference across topics in aging biology, including immune function in the lung-particularly timely given the Corona Virus Immune Disease-2019 pandemic-along with the role of metabolism and nutrient-regulated pathways in cellular function with age, the influence of senescence on stem cell function and inflammation, and our evolving understanding of the mechanisms underlying observation of sex dimorphism in aging-related outcomes. The symposium focused on early-stage and emerging investigators, while including keynote presentations from leaders in the biology of aging field, highlighting the diversity and strength of aging research in the Midwest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Keller
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Wexner Medical Center, Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Hua Bai
- Department of Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
| | - Scott Budinger
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Susan Eliazer
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA
| | - Malene Hansen
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, USA
| | - Adam R Konopka
- Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Luisa Morales-Nebreda
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Charles P Najt
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Veena Prahlad
- Department of Biology, Aging Mind and Brain Initiative; Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
- Department of Cell Stress Biology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Stella Victorelli
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Colby J Vorland
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Rong Yuan
- Geriatric Research Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois, USA
| | - Timothy W Rhoads
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Maria M Mihaylova
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Wexner Medical Center, Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
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9
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Wells JCK, Desoye G, Leon DA. Reconsidering the developmental origins of adult disease paradigm: The 'metabolic coordination of childbirth' hypothesis. Evol Med Public Health 2024; 12:50-66. [PMID: 38380130 PMCID: PMC10878253 DOI: 10.1093/emph/eoae002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
In uncomplicated pregnancies, birthweight is inversely associated with adult non-communicable disease (NCD) risk. One proposed mechanism is maternal malnutrition during pregnancy. Another explanation is that shared genes link birthweight with NCDs. Both hypotheses are supported, but evolutionary perspectives address only the environmental pathway. We propose that genetic and environmental associations of birthweight with NCD risk reflect coordinated regulatory systems between mother and foetus, that evolved to reduce risks of obstructed labour. First, the foetus must tailor its growth to maternal metabolic signals, as it cannot predict the size of the birth canal from its own genome. Second, we predict that maternal alleles that promote placental nutrient supply have been selected to constrain foetal growth and gestation length when fetally expressed. Conversely, maternal alleles that increase birth canal size have been selected to promote foetal growth and gestation when fetally expressed. Evidence supports these hypotheses. These regulatory mechanisms may have undergone powerful selection as hominin neonates evolved larger size and encephalisation, since every mother is at risk of gestating a baby excessively for her pelvis. Our perspective can explain the inverse association of birthweight with NCD risk across most of the birthweight range: any constraint of birthweight, through plastic or genetic mechanisms, may reduce the capacity for homeostasis and increase NCD susceptibility. However, maternal obesity and diabetes can overwhelm this coordination system, challenging vaginal delivery while increasing offspring NCD risk. We argue that selection on viable vaginal delivery played an over-arching role in shaping the association of birthweight with NCD risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan C K Wells
- Population, Policy and Practice Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Gernot Desoye
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 14, 8036 Graz, Austria
| | - David A Leon
- Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
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10
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Hercus JC, Metcalfe KX, Christians JK. Sex differences in growth and mortality in pregnancy-associated hypertension. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0296853. [PMID: 38206980 PMCID: PMC10783718 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is hypothesized that male fetuses prioritize growth, resulting in increased mortality, whereas females reduce growth in the presence of adversity. Preeclampsia reflects a chronic condition, in which fetuses have the opportunity to adjust growth. If females reduce their growth in response to preeclampsia, but males attempt to maintain growth at the cost of survival, we predict that differences in birthweight between preeclamptic and non-preeclamptic pregnancies will be greater among females, whereas differences in mortality will be greater among males. METHODS We analysed data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We compared pregnancies with pregnancy-associated hypertension (PAH) and controls. RESULTS The difference in birthweight between pregnancies affected by PAH and controls varied by fetal sex and gestational age. Among pregnancies of White individuals, at 34-35 weeks, the difference between PAH and controls was higher among females, as predicted. However, this pattern was reversed earlier in pregnancy and around term. Such variation was not significant in Black pregnancies. In both Black and White pregnancies, early in gestation, males had lower odds of death in PAH pregnancies, but higher odds of death in control pregnancies, counter to our prediction. Later, males had higher odds of death in PAH and controls, although the increased odds of death in males was not higher in PAH pregnancies than in controls. Overall, the difference in birthweight between surviving and non-surviving infants was greater in males than in females, opposite to our prediction. CONCLUSIONS The impact of PAH on birthweight and survival varies widely throughout gestation. Differences in birthweight and survival between male and female PAH and controls are generally not consistent with the hypothesis that males prioritize fetal growth more than females, and that this is a cause of increased mortality in males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jess C. Hercus
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Katherine X. Metcalfe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Julian K. Christians
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
- Centre for Cell Biology, Development and Disease, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
- British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Women’s Health Research Institute, BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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11
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Conti G, Smith J, Anson E, Groth S, Knudtson M, Salvati A, Olds D. Early Home Visits and Health Outcomes in Low-Income Mothers and Offspring: 18-Year Follow-Up of a Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open 2024; 7:e2351752. [PMID: 38236602 PMCID: PMC10797459 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.51752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Importance Individuals with low income may have heightened rates of obesity and hypertension. Objective To determine whether prenatal and infancy home visitation by nurses reduces maternal and offspring obesity and hypertension. Design, Setting, and Participants This randomized clinical trial of prenatal and infancy nurse home visitation in a public health care system in Memphis, Tennessee, enrolled 742 women with no previous live births and at least 2 sociodemographic risk factors (unmarried, <12 years of education, unemployed) from June 1, 1990, through August 31, 1991. At registration during pregnancy, 727 mothers (98%) were unmarried, and 631 (85%) lived below the federal poverty level. At offspring ages 12 and 18 years, maternal and offspring obesity and hypertension were assessed by staff masked to treatment. The data analysis was performed from July 1, 2021, to October 31, 2023. Interventions Women assigned to the control group received free transportation for prenatal care and child developmental screening and referral at child ages 6, 12, and 24 months. Women assigned to nurse visitation received transportation and screening plus prenatal and infant and toddler nurse home visits. Main Outcomes and Measures Obesity and hypertension among mothers and their offspring at child ages 12 and 18 years, although not hypothesized in the original trial design, were analyzed using post-double selection lasso method. Results Of the 742 participants randomized (mean [SD] age, 18.1 [3.2] years), interviews were completed with 594 mothers and 578 offspring at child age 12 years and 618 mothers and 629 offspring at child age 18 years. Obesity was assessed for 576 offspring at age 12 years and 605 at age 18 years and for 563 and 598 mothers at child ages 12 and 18 years, respectively. Blood pressure was assessed for 568 offspring aged 12 years and 596 aged 18 years and 507 and 592 mothers at child ages 12 and 18 years, respectively. There were no overall treatment-control differences in offspring obesity or hypertension at ages 12 and 18 years combined, although nurse-visited female offspring, compared with controls, had a lower prevalence of obesity (adjusted relative risk [ARR], 0.449; 95% CI, 0.234-0.858; P = .003) and severe obesity (ARR, 0.185; 95% CI, 0.046-0.748; P < .001). There were reductions at ages 12 and 18 years combined for stage 1 and stage 2 hypertension for nurse-visited vs control group mothers, with differences limited to mothers of females (stage 1: ARR, 0.613 [95% CI, 0.440-0.855; P = .001]; stage 2: ARR, 0.217 [95% CI, 0.081-0.582; P < .001]). For both obesity and hypertension outcomes, there was no intervention effect among male offspring or the mothers of males. Self-reported maternal health aligned with program effects on hypertension. Conclusions and Relevance In this clinical trial follow-up at offspring ages 12 and 18, nurse-visited female offspring had lower rates of obesity and mothers of females had lower rates of hypertension than control-group counterparts. These findings suggest that risks for chronic disease among mothers of females and their female offspring who live in extreme poverty may be prevented with prenatal and infant and toddler home visitations by nurses. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00708695.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joyce Smith
- University of Rochester School of Nursing, Rochester, New York
| | - Elizabeth Anson
- University of Rochester School of Nursing, Rochester, New York
| | - Susan Groth
- University of Rochester School of Nursing, Rochester, New York
| | - Michael Knudtson
- University of Colorado Denver–Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | | | - David Olds
- University of Colorado Denver–Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
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12
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Chen S, Ahlqvist VH, Sjöqvist H, Stephansson O, Magnusson C, Dalman C, Karlsson H, Lee BK, Gardner RM. Maternal intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy and neurodevelopmental conditions in offspring: A population-based cohort study of 2 million Swedish children. PLoS Med 2024; 21:e1004331. [PMID: 38227577 PMCID: PMC10790993 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1004331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is the most common obstetric liver disorder and is associated with an increased risk of iatrogenic preterm birth and adverse infant outcomes. Hence, there are several plausible pathways through which ICP could affect offspring neurodevelopment. However, to the best of our knowledge, no studies have investigated these associations. Thus, we aimed to determine whether ICP is associated with offspring neurodevelopmental conditions. METHODS AND FINDINGS In this Swedish register-based cohort study, we included singleton non-adopted children born in Sweden between the 1st of January 1987 and the 31st of December 2010, who were resident in Sweden >5 years, with no missing covariate information, which we followed until the 31st of December 2016. Maternal ICP diagnosis and the date of the initial diagnosis during pregnancy were obtained from the National Patient Register. Offspring diagnoses of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, or intellectual disability were obtained from the National Patient Register, and the dispensation of ADHD medications were obtained from the Prescribed Drug Register. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using logistic regression while controlling for observed confounders and unobserved confounders shared among full siblings and maternal full cousins. A total of 2,375,856 children were included in the study; 81.6% of them were of Nordic origin, and 51.4% were male. Of these, 10,378 (0.44%) were exposed to ICP. During a median of 18 years follow-up (interquartile range 11 to 24), 143,746 (6.05%) of children were diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental condition. After adjusting for child's sex, birth year, birth month, maternal age, highest parental education level, maternal birth country, birth order, maternal psychiatric history, ICP was associated with increased odds of offspring neurodevelopmental conditions (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.31), particularly among those exposed to early-onset ICP (OR 2.38, 95% CI 1.71 to 3.30) as compared to ICP diagnosed after reaching term (≥37 weeks of gestation) (OR 1.08, 95% CI 0.97 to 1.20). The findings of early-onset ICP were consistent in family-based analyses. Within-family comparisons of full maternal cousins yielded an OR of 2.99 (95% CI 1.48 to 6.04), and comparisons of full siblings showed an OR of 1.92 (95% CI 0.92 to 4.02), though the latter was less precise. The findings were consistent across specific neurodevelopmental conditions and different analytical approaches. The primary limitations of this study included its observational design, the absence of data on ICP therapeutics, and the lack of bile acid measures. CONCLUSIONS In this study, we observed that exposure to ICP during gestation is associated with an increased likelihood of neurodevelopmental conditions in offspring, particularly in cases of early-onset ICP. Further studies are warranted to better understand the role of early-ICP in offspring neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuyun Chen
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Viktor H. Ahlqvist
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hugo Sjöqvist
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Olof Stephansson
- Clinical Epidemiology Division, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Women’s Health, Division of Obstetrics, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Cecilia Magnusson
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Centre for Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Christina Dalman
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Centre for Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Håkan Karlsson
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Brian K. Lee
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Drexel University School of Public Health, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Renee M. Gardner
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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13
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Baines KJ, West RC. Sex differences in innate and adaptive immunity impact fetal, placental, and maternal health†. Biol Reprod 2023; 109:256-270. [PMID: 37418168 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioad072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The differences between males and females begin shortly after birth, continue throughout prenatal development, and eventually extend into childhood and adult life. Male embryos and fetuses prioritize proliferation and growth, often at the expense of the fetoplacental energy reserves. This singular focus on growth over adaptability leaves male fetuses and neonates vulnerable to adverse outcomes during pregnancy and birth and can have lasting impacts throughout life. Beyond this prioritization of growth, male placentas and fetuses also respond to infection and inflammation differently than female counterparts. Pregnancies carrying female fetuses have a more regulatory immune response, whereas pregnancies carrying male fetuses have a stronger inflammatory response. These differences can be seen as early as the innate immune response with differences in cytokine and chemokine signaling. The sexual dimorphism in immunity then continues into the adaptive immune response with differences in T-cell biology and antibody production and transfer. As it appears that these sex-specific differences are amplified in pathologic pregnancies, it stands to reason that differences in the placental, fetal, and maternal immune responses in pregnancy contribute to increased male perinatal morbidity and mortality. In this review, we will describe the genetic and hormonal contributions to the sexual dimorphism of fetal and placental immunity. We will also discuss current research efforts to describe the sex-specific differences of the maternal-fetal interface and how it impacts fetal and maternal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly J Baines
- Anatomy, Physiology, Pharmacology Department, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Rachel C West
- Anatomy, Physiology, Pharmacology Department, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
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14
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Linde LE, Rasmussen S, Ebbing C. Response to risk of postpartum hemorrhage and fetal gender. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2023; 308:667-668. [PMID: 37119420 DOI: 10.1007/s00404-022-06738-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Lorentz Erland Linde
- University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
- Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
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15
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Jha A, Baumann N, Shadid I, Shah J, Chen YCS, Lee-Sarwar KA, Zeiger RS, O'Connor GT, Bacharier LB, Carey VJ, Laranjo N, Fichorova RN, Litonjua AA, Weiss ST, Mirzakhani H. The relationship of fetal sex and maternal race and ethnicity with early and late pregnancy C-reactive protein and interleukin-8. Am J Reprod Immunol 2023; 90:e13746. [PMID: 37491932 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13746] [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] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
PROBLEM Promotion of a healthy pregnancy is dependent on a coordinated immune response that minimizes inflammation at the maternal-fetal interface. Few studies investigated the effect of fetal sex on proinflammatory biomarkers during pregnancy and whether maternal race could impact this association. We aimed to examine whether fetal sex could, independently of maternal race/ethnicity and the condition of pregnancy (normal vs. complicated), impact inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein [CRP] and interleukin-8 [IL-8] levels) in early and late pregnancy. METHODS OF STUDY This study was a cohort analysis using prospectively collected data from pregnant women who participated in the Vitamin Antenatal Asthma Reduction Trial (VDAART, N = 816). Maternal serum CRP and IL-8 levels were measured in early and late pregnancy (10-18 and 32-38 weeks of gestation, respectively). Five hundred and twenty-eight out of 816 pregnant women who participated in the trial had available CRP and IL-8 measurements at both study time points. We examined the association of fetal sex with early and late CRP and IL-8 levels and their paired sample difference. We further investigated whether maternal race/ethnicity, pregnancy complications (i.e., preeclampsia and gestational diabetes), and early pregnancy body mass index (BMI) could affect the association between these two biomarkers and fetal sex adjusting for potential confounders. For this purpose, we used generalized linear and logistic regression models on log-normalized early and late CRP and IL-8 levels as well as their split at median to form high and low groups. RESULTS Women pregnant with male fetuses (266/528 = 56.5%) had higher CRP levels in early to mid-pregnancy (β = .18: 95% confidence interval [CI]: CI = 0.03-0.32; p = .02). Twenty-seven percent (143/528) of the study subjects were Hispanic. Hispanic African American [AA] women and women of races other than White and AA had higher levels of CRP at early to mid-pregnancy compared with White women (β = .57; 95% CI: 0.17-0.97; p < .01 and β = .27; 95% CI: 0.05-0.48; p = .02, respectively). IL-8 levels were not associated with fetal sex in early and late pregnancy (p's > .05). Other factors such as gestational diabetes and early pregnancy BMI were associated with higher CRP levels and higher CRP and IL-8 levels, respectively. Dichotomizing log-normalized cytokine levels at the median in a sensitivity analysis, women with male fetuses had lower odds of high (above-median) IL-8 levels at early pregnancy. Also, women with races other than AA and White carrying male fetuses had higher odds of having high (above-median) late-pregnancy CRP and early-pregnancy IL-8 levels (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.80, 95% CI: 0.24-1.23; p = .02 and aOR = 3.57; 95% CI: 0.23-1.03; p = .02, respectively). Of the pregnancy complications, women with gestational diabetes mellitus had a higher paired difference of early and late pregnancy CRP levels (β = .38; 95% CI: 0.09-0.68; p = .01), but no difference in IL-8 levels (p's > .05). No associations between the inflammatory markers and preeclampsia were found. CONCLUSION Fetal sex is associated with CRP in early pregnancy and an association with IL-8 in early pregnancy is implied. Our study further indicates that maternal race/ethnicity could be a contributing factor in the relationship between fetal sex and inflammatory responses during pregnancy. However, the specificity and level of the contribution might vary by type of cytokine, pregnancy stage, and other confounding factors such as BMI that may impact these associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjali Jha
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Noah Baumann
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Iskander Shadid
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Toxicology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jhill Shah
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yih-Chieh S Chen
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kathleen A Lee-Sarwar
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Robert S Zeiger
- Department of Clinical Science, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - George T O'Connor
- Pulmonary Center and Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Leonard B Bacharier
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Vincent J Carey
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nancy Laranjo
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Raina N Fichorova
- Laboratory of Genital Tract Biology, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Augusto A Litonjua
- Division of Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine, Golisano Children's Hospital at Strong, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Scott T Weiss
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hooman Mirzakhani
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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16
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Wong C, Schreiber V, Crawford K, Kumar S. Male infants are at higher risk of neonatal mortality and severe morbidity. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol 2023; 63:550-555. [PMID: 37143308 DOI: 10.1111/ajo.13689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND While a male infant is usually born with a higher birthweight than his female counterpart, he is more at risk of variety of adverse perinatal outcomes. Indeed, throughout life, females exhibit a marked survival advantage compared to males. The aetiology for such pertinent sex disparity remains unclear and is likely multifactorial. AIMS The aim of this study was to investigate obstetric and perinatal outcomes by infant sex from 28 weeks in a contemporary, large Australian birth cohort. MATERIALS AND METHODS A 14-year retrospective cohort study of 130 133 births over 28 weeks gestation from a single tertiary centre. RESULTS Male infants had overall higher rates of neonatal mortality (0.12% vs 0.06%, P < 0.001) and severe neonatal morbidity (12% vs 9.1%, P < 0.001) (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.41, 95% CI 1.35-1.47). The odds of overall perinatal mortality (stillbirth and neonatal death) were higher for male infants (aOR 1.30, 95% CI 1.08-1.56). The difference in severe neonatal morbidity when stratified by gestational age at birth only remained significant from >35 weeks gestation. Regardless of infant sex, rates of neonatal mortality and morbidity were lowest at 39 weeks gestation. Rates of preterm birth and operative birth were also higher for male infants. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrates significant disparities in clinical outcomes by infant sex with males at a disadvantage to female infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia Wong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Mater Mother's Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Veronika Schreiber
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Mater Research Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Kylie Crawford
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Mater Research Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Sailesh Kumar
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Mater Mother's Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Mater Research Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Centre for Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Mater Mother's Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Stillbirth, Mater Research Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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17
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Christians JK, Ahmadzadeh-Seddeighi S, Bilal A, Bogdanovic A, Ho R, Leung EV, MacGregor MA, Nadasdy NM, Principe GM. Sex differences in the effects of prematurity and/or low birthweight on neurodevelopmental outcomes: systematic review and meta-analyses. Biol Sex Differ 2023; 14:47. [PMID: 37434174 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-023-00532-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Premature birth and/or low birthweight have long-lasting effects on cognition. The purpose of the present systematic review is to examine whether the effects of prematurity and/or low birth weight on neurodevelopmental outcomes differ between males and females. METHODS Web of Science, Scopus, and Ovid MEDLINE were searched for studies of humans born premature and/or of low birthweight, where neurodevelopmental phenotypes were measured at 1 year of age or older. Studies must have reported outcomes in such a way that it was possible to assess whether effects were greater in one sex than the other. Risk of bias was assessed using both the Newcastle-Ottawa scale and the National Institutes of Health Quality assessment tool for observational cohort and cross-sectional studies. RESULTS Seventy-five studies were included for descriptive synthesis, although only 24 presented data in a way that could be extracted for meta-analyses. Meta-analyses found that severe and moderate prematurity/low birthweight impaired cognitive function, and severe prematurity/low birthweight also increased internalizing problem scores. Moderate, but not severe, prematurity/low birthweight significantly increased externalizing problem scores. In no case did effects of prematurity/low birthweight differ between males and females. Heterogeneity among studies was generally high and significant, although age at assessment was not a significant moderator of effect. Descriptive synthesis did not identify an obvious excess or deficiency of male-biased or female-biased effects for any trait category. Individual study quality was generally good, and we found no evidence of publication bias. CONCLUSIONS We found no evidence that the sexes differ in their susceptibility to the effects of severe or moderate prematurity/low birthweight on cognitive function, internalizing traits or externalizing traits. Result heterogeneity tended to be high, but this reflects that one sex is not consistently more affected than the other. Frequently stated generalizations that one sex is more susceptible to prenatal adversity should be re-evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian K Christians
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada.
- Centre for Cell Biology, Development and Disease, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada.
- British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- Women's Health Research Institute, BC Women's Hospital and Health Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| | | | - Alishba Bilal
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Anastasia Bogdanovic
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Rebecca Ho
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Molecular Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Estee V Leung
- Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Megan A MacGregor
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Nolan M Nadasdy
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
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18
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Haninger-Vacariu N, Gleiss A, Gaggl M, Aigner C, Kain R, Prohászka Z, Szilágyi Á, Csuka D, Böhmig GA, Sunder-Plassmann R, Sunder-Plassmann G, Schmidt A. Pregnancy in Complement-Mediated Thrombotic Microangiopathy: Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes. Kidney Med 2023; 5:100669. [PMID: 37492116 PMCID: PMC10363558 DOI: 10.1016/j.xkme.2023.100669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Rationale & Objective Pregnancy, delivery, and neonatal outcomes in women with complement-mediated thrombotic microangiopathy (cTMA) have not been well described. A better understanding of these outcomes is necessary to provide women with competent pregnancy counseling. Study Design Cohort study. Setting and Participants Women with a history of cTMA and pregnancies enrolled into the Vienna thrombotic microangiopathy cohort. Exposure New onset or relapses of cTMA. Outcomes Pregnancy, delivery, and neonatal outcomes of pregnancies in women (a) before cTMA manifestation, (b) complicated by pregnancy-associated cTMA (P-cTMA), and (c) after first manifestation of cTMA or P-cTMA. Analytical Approach Mixed models were used to adjust the comparison of pregnancy, delivery, and neonatal outcomes between conditions (before, with, and after cTMA) for repeated pregnancies using the mother's ID as random factor. In addition, the fixed factors, mother's age and neonate's sex, were used for adjustment. For (sex-adjusted and age-adjusted) centile outcomes, only the mother's age was used. Adjusted odds ratios were derived from a generalized linear mixed model with live birth as the outcome. Least squares means and pairwise differences between them were derived from the linear mixed models for the remaining outcomes. Results 28 women reported 74 pregnancies. Despite higher rates of fetal loss before the diagnosis of P-cTMA and preterm births with P-cTMA, most of the women were able to conceive successfully. Neonatal development in all 3 conditions of pregnancies was excellent. Pregnancy and neonatal outcomes were better in women with a pregnancy after the diagnosis of cTMA. Limitations Although our data set comprises a considerable number of 74 pregnancies, the effective sample size is lower because only 28 mothers with multiple pregnancies were observed. The statistical power for detecting clinically relevant effects was probably low. A recall bias for miscarriages cannot be ruled out. Conclusions Prepregnancy counseling of women with a history of cTMA can be supportive of their desire to become pregnant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalja Haninger-Vacariu
- Division of Nephrology and Dialysis, Department of Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andreas Gleiss
- Center for Medical Science, Institute of Clinical Biometrics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Martina Gaggl
- Division of Nephrology and Dialysis, Department of Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christof Aigner
- Division of Nephrology and Dialysis, Department of Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Renate Kain
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Zoltán Prohászka
- Research Laboratory, Department of Internal Medicine and Hematology, and MTA-SE Research Group of Immunology and Hematology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ágnes Szilágyi
- Research Laboratory, Department of Internal Medicine and Hematology, and MTA-SE Research Group of Immunology and Hematology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Dorottya Csuka
- Research Laboratory, Department of Internal Medicine and Hematology, and MTA-SE Research Group of Immunology and Hematology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Georg A. Böhmig
- Division of Nephrology and Dialysis, Department of Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Raute Sunder-Plassmann
- Genetics Laboratory, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gere Sunder-Plassmann
- Division of Nephrology and Dialysis, Department of Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alice Schmidt
- Division of Nephrology and Dialysis, Department of Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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19
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Castro JJ, Umana-Perez A, Castaño-Moreno E, Casanello P, Ronco AM. DHA Supplementation during Pregnancy in Women with Obesity Normalizes IGF2R Levels in the Placenta of Male Newborns. Int J Endocrinol 2023; 2023:1515033. [PMID: 37408866 PMCID: PMC10319466 DOI: 10.1155/2023/1515033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Insulin-like growth factor receptor 2 (IGF2R) regulates placental nutrient transport, and its soluble form is related to obesity in adults. If the placental expression of IGF2R is altered in women with obesity is unknown. Whether maternal supplementation with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a polyunsaturated fatty acid with anti-inflammatory properties, has a modulatory role in IGF2R's function has not been elucidated. We hypothesized that maternal obesity (Ob) would be associated with alterations in placental IGF2R expression, which may be prevented with DHA supplementation during pregnancy. Methods At delivery, we obtained placentas from women with Ob (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2, n = 17), Ob supplemented with 800 mg/day of DHA during pregnancy (Ob + DHA, n = 13), and normal-weight women (Nw, BMI ≥ 18.5 ≤ 24.9 kg/m2, n = 14). The IGF2R mRNA and protein were determined by RT-PCR and western blotting, respectively. Moreover, we quantified the gene expression of molecules that modulate the IGF2R function in the extracellular domain, such as TACE/ADAM17, PLAU, and IGF2. Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric tests were used to compare results between two or three groups accordingly. Results The IGF2R levels in the Ob placentas of the male offspring were higher than in the Nw group. The DHA supplementation prevented this effect, suggesting an unknown relationship between IGF2R-Ob-DHA in placental tissues. Conclusion We report, for the first time, that DHA supplementation during pregnancy in women with obesity normalizes the increased IGF2R levels in male placentas, reducing the risk of adverse outcomes related to the IGF2/IGF2R system in male newborns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan José Castro
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Grupo de Investigación en Hormonas, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Código Postal: 111321, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Adriana Umana-Perez
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Grupo de Investigación en Hormonas, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Código Postal: 111321, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Erika Castaño-Moreno
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Metabolic Regulation, Human Nutrition Unit, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, Doctor Fernando Monckeberg Barros (INTA), University of Chile, Post Code 7830490, Santiago, Chile
- Institute for Obesity Research, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, Monterrey 64849, NL, Mexico
| | - Paola Casanello
- Department of Neonatology and Department of Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Post Code: 8330024, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ana María Ronco
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Metabolic Regulation, Human Nutrition Unit, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, Doctor Fernando Monckeberg Barros (INTA), University of Chile, Post Code 7830490, Santiago, Chile
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20
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Unger HW, Hadiprodjo AJ, Gutman JR, Briand V, Fievet N, Valea I, Tinto H, D'Alessandro U, Landis SH, Ter Kuile F, Ouma P, Oneko M, Mwapasa V, Slutsker L, Terlouw DJ, Kariuki S, Ayisi J, Nahlen B, Desai M, Madanitsa M, Kalilani-Phiri L, Ashorn P, Maleta K, Tshefu-Kitoto A, Mueller I, Stanisic D, Cates J, Van Eijk AM, Ome-Kaius M, Aitken EH, Rogerson SJ. Fetal sex and risk of pregnancy-associated malaria in Plasmodium falciparum-endemic regions: a meta-analysis. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10310. [PMID: 37365258 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37431-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
In areas of moderate to intense Plasmodium falciparum transmission, malaria in pregnancy remains a significant cause of low birth weight, stillbirth, and severe anaemia. Previously, fetal sex has been identified to modify the risks of maternal asthma, pre-eclampsia, and gestational diabetes. One study demonstrated increased risk of placental malaria in women carrying a female fetus. We investigated the association between fetal sex and malaria in pregnancy in 11 pregnancy studies conducted in sub-Saharan African countries and Papua New Guinea through meta-analysis using log binomial regression fitted to a random-effects model. Malaria infection during pregnancy and delivery was assessed using light microscopy, polymerase chain reaction, and histology. Five studies were observational studies and six were randomised controlled trials. Studies varied in terms of gravidity, gestational age at antenatal enrolment and bed net use. Presence of a female fetus was associated with malaria infection at enrolment by light microscopy (risk ratio 1.14 [95% confidence interval 1.04, 1.24]; P = 0.003; n = 11,729). Fetal sex did not associate with malaria infection when other time points or diagnostic methods were used. There is limited evidence that fetal sex influences the risk of malaria infection in pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holger W Unger
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, NT, Australia
- Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, Australia
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - Anastasia Jessica Hadiprodjo
- Department of Medicine (RMH), Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Julie R Gutman
- Malaria Branch, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Center for Global Health, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Valerie Briand
- Université de Paris, UMR261, IRD, Paris, France
- Epicentre MSF, Paris, France
| | | | - Innocent Valea
- Unite de Recherche Clinique de Nanoro, Institut de Recherche en Sciences de La Santé-DRCO, Nanoro, Burkina Faso
- Departement de Recherche Clinique, Centre Muraz, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Halidou Tinto
- Unite de Recherche Clinique de Nanoro, Institut de Recherche en Sciences de La Santé-DRCO, Nanoro, Burkina Faso
- Departement de Recherche Clinique, Centre Muraz, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Umberto D'Alessandro
- Medical Research Council Unit, The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, Gambia
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | | | - Feiko Ter Kuile
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - Peter Ouma
- Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)/Centre for Global Health Research, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Martina Oneko
- Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)/Centre for Global Health Research, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Victor Mwapasa
- School of Public Health and Family Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Laurence Slutsker
- Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases, Center for Malaria Control and Elimination, PATH, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Dianne J Terlouw
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
- Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Simon Kariuki
- Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)/Centre for Global Health Research, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - John Ayisi
- Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)/Centre for Global Health Research, Kisumu, Kenya
| | | | - Meghna Desai
- Malaria Branch, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Center for Global Health, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Linda Kalilani-Phiri
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - Per Ashorn
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Department for Pediatrics, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Kenneth Maleta
- School of Public Health and Family Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi
| | | | - Ivo Mueller
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Danielle Stanisic
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
| | - Jordan Cates
- Department of Epidemiology, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Anna Maria Van Eijk
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - Maria Ome-Kaius
- Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Goroka, Papua New Guinea
| | - Elizabeth H Aitken
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Stephen J Rogerson
- Department of Medicine (RMH), Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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21
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Falahi S, Abdoli A, Kenarkoohi A. Maternal COVID-19 infection and the fetus: Immunological and neurological perspectives. New Microbes New Infect 2023; 53:101135. [PMID: 37143853 PMCID: PMC10133021 DOI: 10.1016/j.nmni.2023.101135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunoneuropsychiatry is an emerging field about the interaction between the immune and nervous systems. Infection and infection-related inflammation (in addition to genetics and environmental factors) can act as the etiopathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders (NPDs). Exposure to COVID-19 in utero may be a risk factor for developing NPDs in offspring in the future. Maternal immune activation (MIA) and subsequent inflammation can affect fetal brain development. Inflammatory mediators, cytokines, and autoantibodies can pass through the placenta and the compromised blood-brain barrier after MIA, leading to neuroinflammation. Neuroinflammation also affects multiple neurobiological pathways; for example, it decreases the production of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Fetal sex may affect the mother's immune response. Pregnant women with male fetuses have been reported to have decreased maternal and placental humoral responses. This suggests that in pregnancies with a male fetus, fewer antibodies may be transferred to the fetus and contribute to males' increased susceptibility/vulnerability to infectious diseases compared to female infants. Here, we want to discuss maternal COVID-19 infection and its consequences for the fetus, particularly the neurological outcomes and the interaction between fetal sex and possible changes in maternal immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahab Falahi
- Zoonotic Diseases Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran
| | - Amir Abdoli
- Zoonoses Research Center, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran
| | - Azra Kenarkoohi
- Zoonotic Diseases Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran
- Department of Laboratory Sciences, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran
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22
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Ruis M, Hoffman K, Stapleton HM. Brominated flame retardants and legacy organochlorines in archived human placenta samples: Sex differences, temporal analysis and associations with infant birth weight. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 322:138170. [PMID: 36804493 PMCID: PMC10039416 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Perinatal exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) has been suggested to play a role in the etiology of adverse pregnancy outcomes. This study evaluated temporal changes in the accumulation of several classes of POPs, including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and several organochlorine pesticides in human placenta and examined their associations with birth outcomes at delivery. Placental tissues (n = 99) previously collected and archived at the Duke University Medical Center from 2009 to 2015 were analyzed for 22 POPs using gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The mean age of mothers was 30.6 years; 8% of newborns were characterized as low birthweight (<2500 g). Of the 22 POPs targeted in the analysis, only p,p'-DDE, BDE-47 and BDE-100 were detected in more than 50% of the samples, with median concentrations of 0.110, 0.310, and 0.033 ng/g wet weight, respectively. Placental PBDE concentrations generally decreased over time, particularly BDE-47. Placental tissues associated with female infants had significantly higher levels of BDE-100 than placental tissues associated with male infants (p = 0.02) and a similar, but not statistically significant trend was observed for BDE-47 (p = 0.07). Multivariate regression models revealed that placental BDE-47 concentrations were associated with a significantly lower birthweight among male, but not female infants. A similar, although non-statistically significant, trend was observed for other POPs, further suggesting sex-specific associations between gestational exposure to POPs and birthweight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Ruis
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Levine Science Research Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Kate Hoffman
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Levine Science Research Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA; Children's Health Discovery Initiative, Duke School of Medicine, North Carolina, United States
| | - Heather M Stapleton
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Levine Science Research Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
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23
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Hooks SK, Abiodun-Ojo O, Noah AI, Hill AV, Perez-Patron MJ, Menon R, Taylor BD. Evaluating the Impact of Fetal Sex on Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Following Interaction with Maternal Characteristics. Reprod Sci 2023; 30:1359-1365. [PMID: 36241953 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-022-01106-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Fetal-sex-specific changes to placental immunity and metabolism occur in response to obesity. Few studies have determined if fetal sex interacts with maternal characteristics to alter risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Among 43,727 singleton pregnancies, we examined the association between male fetal sex and GDM using log-binomial logistic regression to calculate relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Interactions were examined between fetal sex and maternal characteristics on the risk of GDM by calculating relative excess risk due to interaction. After adjusting for body mass index, race/ethnicity, maternal age, education, and gravidity, male fetal sex was not associated with GDM (RRadj. 0.95, 95% CI 0.93, 1.04). We found a positive interaction between male fetal sex and obesity (p = 0.04). Nonobese women with male fetuses were less likely to develop GDM, but in the presence of obesity, an opposite trend was observed. There was a positive interaction between male fetal sex and GDM on the risk of preterm delivery < 37-weeks gestation (p = 0.0006). In response to underlying maternal obesity, fetal sex may modify the risk of GDM. In addition, male fetal sex may increase the occurrence of preterm birth among women with GDM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Kaitlyn Hooks
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Population Health, University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Olayinka Abiodun-Ojo
- Department of Internal Medicine, Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Akaninyene I Noah
- Division of Basic Science and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Ashley V Hill
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Maria J Perez-Patron
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Ramkumar Menon
- Division of Basic Science and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Brandie DePaoli Taylor
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Population Health, University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston, Galveston, TX, USA.
- Division of Basic Science and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
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24
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Kusinski LC, Meek CL. Big babies, small babies: metformin exposure in pregnancy. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 2023; 11:145-146. [PMID: 36746162 DOI: 10.1016/s2213-8587(23)00034-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura C Kusinski
- Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science Metabolic Research Laboratories, University of Cambridge, UK; Cambridge University NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Claire L Meek
- Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science Metabolic Research Laboratories, University of Cambridge, UK; Cambridge University NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK.
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25
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Parayiwa C, Harley D, Richardson A, Behie A. Severe cyclones and sex-specific birth outcomes in Queensland, Australia: An interrupted time-series analysis. Am J Hum Biol 2023; 35:e23846. [PMID: 36484299 PMCID: PMC10078530 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES A male is less adaptable to biological stressors than a female fetus with consequent higher morbidity and mortality. Adverse birth outcomes increase and male livebirths decrease after environmental disasters, economic crises, and terrorist events. We hypothesized the ratio of male to female livebirths would decrease in areas affected by severe tropical cyclones (TCs) in Queensland, Australia. Additionally, in male livebirths, there would be an increase in preterm and low birthweight births. Lastly, we hypothesized that the pregnancy stage at which exposure occurred would modify the association between TC exposure and observed outcomes. METHODS Interrupted time series analysis was used to analyze Queensland administrative birth records from July 2007 to June 2018 for significant changes in the sex ratio at birth, measured as the proportion of male livebirths. Adjusted generalized linear models were fitted to births in areas affected by two category five TCs: cyclones Yasi (February 2011) and Marcia (February 2015). To explore male mortality and morbidity risk, additional analysis was conducted on the proportion of male stillborn, low birthweight, and preterm births. The association between estimated pregnancy stage during the TC and the proportion of male births was also analyzed. RESULTS Contrary to our hypothesis, increases in the proportion of male livebirths were observed following early-pregnancy exposure to cyclone Yasi and mid-pregnancy exposure to Marcia, although the latter was not statistically significant. No significant changes were observed in proportions of male stillborn, low birthweight, and preterm births. CONCLUSIONS This study found a significant association between severe TCs and sex ratio at birth. The stage of pregnancy at which maternal stressors were experienced modified this association. Among people exposed in early to mid-pregnancy, the proportion of male births was higher. This may be because of differential loss of females in utero. Studying sex differences in birth outcomes provides insight into in utero vulnerabilities associated with environmental stressors. Climate change is increasing the intensity and frequency of natural disasters. Understanding fetal vulnerability to environmental stressors will provide crucial information supporting early life health interventions that mitigate the immediate and long-term effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia Parayiwa
- School of Archaeology and Anthropology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - David Harley
- UQ Centre for Clinical Research, Brisbane, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia
| | - Alice Richardson
- School of Archaeology and Anthropology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Alison Behie
- School of Archaeology and Anthropology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
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Simmi K, Chetna B, Smiti N, Gurpreet G. Sex-Specific Variations in Vitamin D and Vitamin D Binding Protein (Vdbp) and Flipped Pattern of their Association in Preeclamptic Women with Dyslipidemia. Curr Hypertens Rev 2023; 19:180-186. [PMID: 37587824 DOI: 10.2174/1573402119666230816090148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Women with preeclampsia frequently have disorders of calcium metabolism during their pregnancies, including hypocalciuria and low vitamin D levels. The link between fetal sex and vitamin D and vitamin D binding protein levels in pregnancy and preeclampsia is not clear. AIM Present study was designed to explore sex-specific variations in vitamin D and vitamin D binding protein levels in maternal and umbilical cord blood samples for age and gestation matched 20 primigravida normotensive and 20 primigravida with preeclampsia with a singleton pregnancy. METHODS Routine investigations, vitamin D binding protein (VDBP), and serum vitamin D in both maternal serum and cord blood were measured in both groups. Association between maternal and cord blood vitamin D levels was highly positive in both cases and control with babies of either sex. RESULTS This association exhibited sexual dimorphism between cord blood vitamin D and vitamin D binding protein (VDBP) suggesting that the occurrence of pregnancy complications differs according to fetal sex with a higher cardiovascular and metabolic load for the mother in the presence of a male fetus. CONCLUSION Vitamin D binding protein (VDBP) measurement along with vitamin D level should be advised in clinical practice for early detection and screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kharb Simmi
- Department of Biochemistry, Pt. B.D. Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana, India
| | - Bhatotiya Chetna
- Department of Biochemistry, Pt. B.D. Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana, India
| | - Nanda Smiti
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pt. B.D. Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana, India
| | - Gill Gurpreet
- Department of Biochemistry, Pt. B.D. Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana, India
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Placental macrophage responses to viral and bacterial ligands and the influence of fetal sex. iScience 2022; 25:105653. [PMID: 36505933 PMCID: PMC9732417 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial and viral infections of the placenta are associated with inflammation and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Hofbauer cells (HBCs) are fetal-origin macrophages in the placenta, proposed to protect the fetus from vertical pathogen transmission. We performed quantitative proteomics on term HBCs under resting conditions and following exposure to bacterial and viral pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), and investigated the contribution of fetal sex. Resting HBCs expressed proteins pertinent to macrophage function, including chemokines, cytokines, Toll-like receptors, and major histocompatibility complex class I and II molecules. HBCs mounted divergent responses to bacterial versus viral PAMPs but exhibited protein expression changes suggestive of a more pro-inflammatory phenotype. A comparison between male and female HBCs showed that the latter mounted a stronger and wider response. Here, we provide a comprehensive understanding of the sex-dependent responses of placental macrophages to infectious triggers, which were primarily associated with lipid metabolism in males and cytoskeleton organization in females.
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Hoyek S, Peacker BL, Acaba-Berrocal LA, Al-Khersan H, Zhao Y, Hartnett ME, Berrocal AM, Patel NA. The Male to Female Ratio in Treatment-Warranted Retinopathy of Prematurity: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Ophthalmol 2022; 140:1110-1120. [PMID: 36201195 PMCID: PMC9539737 DOI: 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2022.3988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Importance Literature and anecdotal evidence suggest a relationship between male sex and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). It is not known whether a difference, if present, is sex-related pathophysiologic predisposition or sex difference in meeting ROP screening criteria. Objective To evaluate the association of sex with the development of treatment-warranted ROP. Data Sources PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched from 2000 to 2022. The search strategy used keywords including retinopathy of prematurity or ROP or retrolental fibroplasia and treatment or anti-VEGF or bevacizumab or ranibizumab or aflibercept or conbercept or laser or cryotherapy and gender or sex or male or female and medical subject headings terms. Study Selection All studies reporting on treatment with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor, laser photocoagulation, and/or cryotherapy for ROP were identified. Studies reporting sex distribution in the treatment group were included in the meta-analysis. Exclusion criteria included case reports, case series of fewer than 10 treated patients, systematic reviews, conference abstracts, letters to the editor, animal studies, and non-English records. Data Extraction and Synthesis Two reviewers independently screened and extracted the data following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The proportions of treated male and female infants were combined using random-effects meta-analysis. Main Outcomes and Measures Numbers and percentages of male and female infants treated for ROP. Results Of 11 368 identified studies, 316 met inclusion criteria, yielding a total of 31 026 treated patients. A higher percentage of male infants were treated for ROP (55% [95% CI, 0.54%-0.55%]), with low heterogeneity between studies (I2 = 34%; P < .001). Thirty-eight studies reported sex distribution in the screened population (170 053 patients; 92 612 [53%] male vs 77 441 [47%] female). There was no significant difference in the odds of receiving treatment between screened male and female infants (pooled odds ratio, 1.04 [95% CI, 0.91-1.18]; P = .67). Conclusions and Relevance More male infants are treated for ROP than female infants. This could be due to a known relative pathophysiological fragility of preterm male infants in addition to a difference in ROP screening rates, with more male infants meeting the criteria than female infants. These findings have implications for future studies and may prompt more careful clinical monitoring of male neonates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Hoyek
- Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Bryan L. Peacker
- Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | - Luis A. Acaba-Berrocal
- Department of Ophthalmology, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago
| | - Hasenin Al-Khersan
- Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
| | - Yan Zhao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston
| | | | - Audina M. Berrocal
- Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
| | - Nimesh A. Patel
- Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston
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Linde LE, Rasmussen S, Moster D, Kessler J, Baghestan E, Gissler M, Ebbing C. Risk factors and recurrence of cause-specific postpartum hemorrhage: A population-based study. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0275879. [PMID: 36240210 PMCID: PMC9565392 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To explore risk profiles of the different types of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH >500ml or severe PPH >1500ml) and their recurrence risks in a subsequent delivery. METHODS With data from The Medical Birth Registry of Norway and Statistics Norway we performed a population-based cohort study including all singleton deliveries in Norway from 1967-2017. Multilevel logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratio (OR), with 95% confidence interval (CI), with different PPH types (PPH >500ml or PPH >1500ml (severe PPH) combined with retained placenta, uterine atony, obstetric trauma, dystocia, or undefined cause) as outcomes. RESULT We identified 277 746 PPH cases of a total of 3 003 025 births (9.3%) from 1967 to 2017. Retained placenta (and/or membranes) was most often registered as severe PPH (29.3%). Maternal, fetal, and obstetric characteristics showed different associations with the PPH types. Male sex of the neonate was associated with reduced risk of PPH. This effect was strongest on PPH due to retained placenta (adjusted OR, (aOR): 0.80, 95% CI 0.78-0.82), atony (aOR 0.92, 95% CI: 0.90-0.93) and PPH with undefined cause (aOR 0.96, 95% CI: 0.95-0.97). Previous cesarean section showed a strong association with PPH due to dystocia (aOR of 13.2, 95% CI: 12.5-13.9). Recurrence risks were highest for the same type: PPH associated with dystocia (aOR: 6.8, 95% CI: 6.3-7.4), retained placenta and/or membranes (aOR: 5.9, 95% CI: 5.5-6.4), atony (aOR: 4.0, 95% CI: 3.8-4.2), obstetric trauma (aOR: 3.9, 95% CI: 3.5-4.3) and PPH of undefined cause (aOR: 2.2, 95% CI: 2.1-2.3). CONCLUSION Maternal, fetal and obstetric characteristics had differential effects on types of PPH. Recurrence differed considerably between PPH types. Retained placenta was most frequently registered with severe PPH, and showed strongest effect of sex; delivery of a boy was associated with lower risk of PPH. Previous cesarean increased the risk of PPH due to dystocia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Svein Rasmussen
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Dag Moster
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Pediatrics, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Jörg Kessler
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Elham Baghestan
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Mika Gissler
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Knowledge Brokers, Helsinki, Finland
- Karolinska Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Cathrine Ebbing
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
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Montenegro de Andrade Lima Bernardes JF, da Silva Lobo Maia Gonçalves HM. Risk of postpartum hemorrhage and fetal gender. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2022; 308:313-314. [PMID: 36214889 DOI: 10.1007/s00404-022-06723-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- João Francisco Montenegro de Andrade Lima Bernardes
- Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS@RISE), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Plácido da Costa, s/n, 4200-450, Porto, Portugal.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, São João Hospital, Porto, Portugal
| | - Hernâni Manuel da Silva Lobo Maia Gonçalves
- Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS@RISE), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Plácido da Costa, s/n, 4200-450, Porto, Portugal. .,Department of Community Medicine, Information and Health Decision Sciences (MEDCIDS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
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31
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Alam N, Rahman MM, Bashar MI, Ahmed A, Ali T, Haider MM. Sex differences in the care of the fetus in the mother's womb and the neonate on her lap: Evidence from demographic surveillance and survey data from Bangladesh. SSM Popul Health 2022; 19:101261. [PMID: 36238821 PMCID: PMC9550641 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2022.101261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Valuation of sons over daughters introduces sex-biased health, economic, and socio-demographic inequalities in many societies. This study aims to examine fetus-sex differences in maternity services and sex differences in medical care for terminally ill neonates in Bangladesh, using secondary data from the Matlab Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS), maintained by icddr,b since 1966 along with data from the Bangladesh Maternal Mortality and Health Care Survey (BMMS) 2016. The HDSS follows a well-defined rural population (0.24 million in 2018) to register vital events and migrations and records the use of maternity services for the index birth and medical care-seeking during the terminal illness of each death in verbal autopsy. The BMMS 2016 recorded maternity care and maternal complications for the last live birth of mothers in the same population (weighted n = 27,133; unweighted n = 26,939). Bivariate analyses estimated the use (in %) of maternity services for the index live births and medical services for terminally ill neonates for each socio-demographic variable. Logistic regression models estimated odds ratios (AORs) adjusted for socio-demographic variables and clustering of births to the same mothers. The HDSS registered 49,827 live births and 1,049 neonatal deaths during 2009-2018. We found similar prenatal care-seeking for male and female fetuses but higher facility delivery (AOR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.12-1.23) and C-sections (AOR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.15-1.25) for male fetus pregnancies, differences that remain after adjusting for maternal complications. Sex differences persisted in seeking care for terminally ill neonates. Trained provider consultation (AOR = 1.46, CI: 1.00-2.12); hospital admissions (AOR = 1.43, CI: 1.01-2.03); and dying in hospital (AOR = 1.91, CI: 1.31-2.78) were all higher for male neonates. Other variables positively associated with delivery care and medical care-seeking were lower birth order of the child, higher maternal education, and higher household wealth status. Policy and decision-makers need to be aware of gender disparities in maternity care and care of sick neonates and plan remedial actions.
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Brombach C, Tong W, Giussani DA. Maternal obesity: new placental paradigms unfolded. Trends Mol Med 2022; 28:823-835. [PMID: 35760668 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2022.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The prevalence of maternal obesity is increasing at an alarming rate, and is providing a major challenge for obstetric practice. Adverse effects on maternal and fetal health are mediated by complex interactions between metabolic, inflammatory, and oxidative stress signaling in the placenta. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) are common downstream pathways of cell stress, and there is evidence that this conserved homeostatic response may be a key mediator in the pathogenesis of placental dysfunction. We summarize the current literature on the placental cellular and molecular changes that occur in obese women. A special focus is cast onto placental ER stress in obese pregnancy, which may provide a novel link for future investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wen Tong
- Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EL, UK; Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK; Cambridge Strategic Research Initiative in Reproduction, Cambridge CB2 3EL, Cambridge UK.
| | - Dino A Giussani
- Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EL, UK; Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK; Cambridge Strategic Research Initiative in Reproduction, Cambridge CB2 3EL, Cambridge UK; Cambridge Cardiovascular Centre for Research Excellence, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK.
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33
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Braun AE, Mitchel OR, Gonzalez TL, Sun T, Flowers AE, Pisarska MD, Winn VD. Sex at the interface: the origin and impact of sex differences in the developing human placenta. Biol Sex Differ 2022; 13:50. [PMID: 36114567 PMCID: PMC9482177 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-022-00459-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The fetal placenta is a source of hormones and immune factors that play a vital role in maintaining pregnancy and facilitating fetal growth. Cells in this extraembryonic compartment match the chromosomal sex of the embryo itself. Sex differences have been observed in common gestational pathologies, highlighting the importance of maternal immune tolerance to the fetal compartment. Over the past decade, several studies examining placentas from term pregnancies have revealed widespread sex differences in hormone signaling, immune signaling, and metabolic functions. Given the rapid and dynamic development of the human placenta, sex differences that exist at term (37–42 weeks gestation) are unlikely to align precisely with those present at earlier stages when the fetal–maternal interface is being formed and the foundations of a healthy or diseased pregnancy are established. While fetal sex as a variable is often left unreported in studies performing transcriptomic profiling of the first-trimester human placenta, four recent studies have specifically examined fetal sex in early human placental development. In this review, we discuss the findings from these publications and consider the evidence for the genetic, hormonal, and immune mechanisms that are theorized to account for sex differences in early human placenta. We also highlight the cellular and molecular processes that are most likely to be impacted by fetal sex and the evolutionary pressures that may have given rise to these differences. With growing recognition of the fetal origins of health and disease, it is important to shed light on sex differences in early prenatal development, as these observations may unlock insight into the foundations of sex-biased pathologies that emerge later in life. Placental sex differences exist from early prenatal development, and may help explain sex differences in pregnancy outcomes. Transcriptome profiling of early to mid-gestation placenta reveals that immune signaling is a hub of early prenatal sex differences. Differentially expressed genes between male and female placenta fall into the following functional associations: chromatin modification, transcription, splicing, translation, signal transduction, metabolic regulation, cell death and autophagy regulation, ubiquitination, cell adhesion and cell–cell interaction. Placental sex differences likely reflect the interaction of cell-intrinsic chromosome complement with extrinsic endocrine signals from the fetal compartment that accompany gonadal differentiation. Understanding the mechanisms behind sex differences in placental development and function will provide key insight into molecular targets that can be modulated to improve sex-biased obstetrical complications.
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Ramiro-Cortijo D, Gila-Diaz A, Herranz Carrillo G, Cañas S, Gil-Ramírez A, Ruvira S, Martin-Cabrejas MA, Arribas SM. Influence of Neonatal Sex on Breast Milk Protein and Antioxidant Content in Spanish Women in the First Month of Lactation. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11081472. [PMID: 36009190 PMCID: PMC9405477 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11081472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast milk (BM) is the best food for newborns. Male sex is associated with a higher risk of fetal programming, prematurity, and adverse postnatal outcome, being that BM is an important health determinant. BM composition is dynamic and modified by several factors, including lactation period, prematurity, maternal nutritional status, and others. This study was designed to evaluate the influence of sex on BM composition during the first month of lactation, focused on macronutrients and antioxidants. Forty-eight breastfeeding women and their fifty-five newborns were recruited at the Hospital Clínico San Carlos (Madrid, Spain). Clinical sociodemographic data and anthropometric parameters were collected. BM samples were obtained at days 7, 14, and 28 of lactation to assess fat (Mojonnier method), protein (Bradford method), and biomarkers of oxidative status: total antioxidant capacity (ABTS and FRAP methods), thiol groups, reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities, lipid peroxidation, and protein oxidation (spectrophotometric methods). Linear mixed models with random effects adjusted by maternal anthropometry, neonatal Z-scores at birth, and gestational age were used to assess the main effects of sex, lactation period, and their interaction. BM from mothers with male neonates exhibited significantly higher protein, ABTS, FRAP, and GSH levels, while catalase showed the opposite trend. No differences between sexes were observed in SOD, total thiols, and oxidative damage biomarkers. Most changes were observed on day 7 of lactation. Adjusted models demonstrated a significant association between male sex and proteins (β = 2.70 ± 1.20; p-Value = 0.048). In addition, total antioxidant capacity by ABTS (β = 0.11 ± 0.06) and GSH (β = 1.82 ± 0.94) showed a positive trend near significance (p-Value = 0.056; p-Value = 0.064, respectively). In conclusion, transitional milk showed sex differences in composition with higher protein and GSH levels in males. This may represent an advantage in the immediate perinatal period, which may help to counteract the worse adaptation of males to adverse intrauterine environments and prematurity.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Ramiro-Cortijo
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Arzobispo Morcillo, 2, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (D.R.-C.); (A.G.-D.); (S.R.)
- Food, Oxidative Stress and Cardiovascular Health (FOSCH) Research Group, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain; (S.C.); (A.G.-R.); (M.A.M.-C.)
| | - Andrea Gila-Diaz
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Arzobispo Morcillo, 2, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (D.R.-C.); (A.G.-D.); (S.R.)
- Food, Oxidative Stress and Cardiovascular Health (FOSCH) Research Group, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain; (S.C.); (A.G.-R.); (M.A.M.-C.)
| | - Gloria Herranz Carrillo
- Division of Neonatology, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), C/Profesor Martin Lagos s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Silvia Cañas
- Food, Oxidative Stress and Cardiovascular Health (FOSCH) Research Group, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain; (S.C.); (A.G.-R.); (M.A.M.-C.)
- Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Food Science, Faculty of Science, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Food Science Research, CIAL (UAM-CSIC), Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, C/Nicolás Cabrera, 9, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Alicia Gil-Ramírez
- Food, Oxidative Stress and Cardiovascular Health (FOSCH) Research Group, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain; (S.C.); (A.G.-R.); (M.A.M.-C.)
- Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Food Science, Faculty of Science, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Food Science Research, CIAL (UAM-CSIC), Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, C/Nicolás Cabrera, 9, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Santiago Ruvira
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Arzobispo Morcillo, 2, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (D.R.-C.); (A.G.-D.); (S.R.)
- Food, Oxidative Stress and Cardiovascular Health (FOSCH) Research Group, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain; (S.C.); (A.G.-R.); (M.A.M.-C.)
- PhD Programme in Pharmacology and Physiology, Doctoral School, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - María A. Martin-Cabrejas
- Food, Oxidative Stress and Cardiovascular Health (FOSCH) Research Group, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain; (S.C.); (A.G.-R.); (M.A.M.-C.)
- Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Food Science, Faculty of Science, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Food Science Research, CIAL (UAM-CSIC), Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, C/Nicolás Cabrera, 9, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Silvia M. Arribas
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Arzobispo Morcillo, 2, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (D.R.-C.); (A.G.-D.); (S.R.)
- Food, Oxidative Stress and Cardiovascular Health (FOSCH) Research Group, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain; (S.C.); (A.G.-R.); (M.A.M.-C.)
- Correspondence:
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Richardson BS, Rajagopaul A, de Vrijer B, Eastabrook G, Regnault TRH. Fetal sex impacts birth to placental weight ratio and umbilical cord oxygen values with implications for regulatory mechanisms. Biol Sex Differ 2022; 13:35. [PMID: 35768846 PMCID: PMC9245359 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-022-00445-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background We determined the effect of fetal sex on birth/placental weight and umbilical vein and artery oxygen values with implications for placental efficiency and regulatory mechanisms underlying fetal–placental growth differences.
Methods A hospital database was used to obtain birth/placental weight, cord PO2 and other information on patients delivering between Jan 1, 1990 and Jun 15, 2011 with GA > 34 weeks (N = 69,836). Oxygen saturation was calculated from the cord PO2 and pH data, while fractional O2 extraction was calculated from the oxygen saturation data. The effect of fetal sex on birth/placental weight, cord PO2, O2 saturation, and fractional O2 extraction was examined in all patients adjusting for pregnancy and labor/delivery covariates, and in a subset of low-risk patients. Results Birth/placental weights were lower in females indicating decreased placental efficiency. Umbilical vein oxygen values were higher in females attributed to increased uterine blood flow, while artery oxygen values were lower in females attributed to decreased hemoglobin and umbilical blood flow, and increased oxygen consumption. Fetal O2 extraction was increased in females confirming increased O2 consumption relative to delivery. Conclusions Sex-related differences in uterine/umbilical blood flows, placental development, and fetal O2 consumption can be linked to the differences observed in cord oxygen. The lower umbilical artery oxygen in females as a measure of systemic oxygenation signaling growth could account for their decreased birth weights, while slower development in female placentae could account for their lower placental weights, which could be differentially effected contributing to their lower birth/placental weights. Birth/placental wt is decreased in females as a measure of placental efficiency. Cord vein O2 is increased in females as a measure of placental O2 transport. Cord artery O2 is decreased in females as a measure of fetal systemic O2 levels. Sex differences in placental development link to cord O2-birth/placental wt findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan S Richardson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Western University, London, Canada. .,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Western University, London, Canada. .,Department of Pediatrics, Western University, London, Canada. .,Children's Health Research Institute, London, Canada. .,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, London Health Sciences Centre, Victoria Hospital, 800 Commissioners Road E, London, ON, N6A 5W9, Canada.
| | - Akasham Rajagopaul
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Western University, London, Canada
| | - Barbra de Vrijer
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Western University, London, Canada.,Children's Health Research Institute, London, Canada
| | - Genevieve Eastabrook
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Western University, London, Canada.,Children's Health Research Institute, London, Canada
| | - Timothy R H Regnault
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Western University, London, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Western University, London, Canada.,Children's Health Research Institute, London, Canada
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van Duijn L, Steegers-Theunissen RP, Baart EB, Willemsen S, Laven JS, Rousian M. The impact of culture medium used in IVF-treatment on post-implantation embryonic growth and development with emphasis on sex-specificity: The Rotterdam Periconception Cohort. Reprod Biomed Online 2022; 45:1085-1096. [DOI: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2022.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Petry CJ, Hughes IA, Ong KK. Increased basal insulin sensitivity in late pregnancy in women carrying a male fetus: a cohort study. Biol Sex Differ 2022; 13:20. [PMID: 35509032 PMCID: PMC9069709 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-022-00429-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It has been suggested that fetal sex may be able to modify maternal metabolism and physiology during pregnancy. Recently pregnant women carrying a male fetus were reported to be more insulin sensitive than those carrying females, although related evidence is inconsistent. METHODS In this study we administered a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test at around week 28 of pregnancy in 813 pregnant women from a contemporary birth cohort (the Cambridge Baby Growth Study), derived surrogate indices of insulin secretion and sensitivity, and related them to the fetal sex. RESULTS Carrying a male fetus was associated with lower fasting glucose (difference in mean concentrations ≈ 0.1 mmol/L; β' = 0.063; p = 0.02) and insulin (≈ 1.1 pmol/L; β' = 0.075; p = 0.01) concentrations but not with post-load glucose or insulin concentrations. Male fetal sex was also associated with lower HOMA IR (≈ 1.08 units; β' = 0.071; p = 0.02) and higher QUICKI (≈ 1.06 units; β' = 0.080; p = 0.007) values suggesting increased basal insulin sensitivity. There were no differences in indices of insulin secretion, except for the insulin disposition index which was higher in women carrying a male fetus (≈ 1.15 units; β' = 0.090; p = 0.007). Birth weights were higher in male offspring. CONCLUSIONS Women carrying a male fetus were relatively more insulin sensitive in the fasting state and secreted more insulin relative to this degree of insulin sensitivity. These results are consistent with the idea that the fetal sex may be able to modify the maternal glucose-insulin axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clive J. Petry
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Hills Road, Box 116, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ UK
| | - Ieuan A. Hughes
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Hills Road, Box 116, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ UK
| | - Ken K. Ong
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Hills Road, Box 116, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ UK
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Seghieri G, Di Cianni G, Gualdani E, De Bellis A, Franconi F, Francesconi P. The impact of fetal sex on risk factors for gestational diabetes and related adverse pregnancy outcomes. Acta Diabetol 2022; 59:633-639. [PMID: 35037136 DOI: 10.1007/s00592-021-01836-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
AIMS To investigate whether fetal sex affects the impact of classical GDM risk factors on the diagnosis of gestational diabetes (GDM) as well as on related adverse pregnancy outcomes. METHODS This retrospective observational study concerned 206,917 singleton live births born to 170,126 women aged 15-45 over the years 2010-2018 in Tuscany, Italy. GDM was identified by administrative data-sources in 21,613 pregnancies (10.5%) by assessing, through multiple logistic models, whether fetal sex modified the risk of GDM driven by maternal risk factors, and whether it modified the risk of adverse outcomes such as prematurity (birth ≤ 37th gestational week), large for gestational age (LGA), unplanned caesarean sections, or 5-min-Apgar-index ≤ 7 in pregnancies with GDM. RESULTS GDM was diagnosed in 21,613 pregnancies (10.5%). Male fetal sex predicted a higher adjusted risk of GDM: OR = 1.05(95% CI: 1.01-1.07); p < 0.0009. In pregnancies with female sex, pre-pregnancy obesity amplified the risk of GDM: OR = 1.09(95% CI: 1.01-1.19); p = 0.04. In pregnancies with GDM, carrying a female fetus increased the risk of LGA associated with pregestational obesity OR = 1.45(95% CI: 1.15-1.81); p = 0.001, and in primiparous pregnancies, it protected mothers from the risk of unplanned caesarean sections OR = 0.80(95%CI: 0.67-0.92); p = 0.001. CONCLUSIONS While male fetal sex is associated with rise in the risk of GDM, giving birth to a girl amplifies the excess GDM risk driven by pregestational obesity, thus increasing the risk of LGA in pregnancies with GDM. Additionally, female fetal sex in pregnancies with GDM seems to protect from the risk of unplanned caesarean sections in primiparous pregnancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Seghieri
- Epidemiology Unit, Regional Health Agency of Tuscany, Via Pietro Dazzi 1, 50141, Florence, Italy.
| | - Graziano Di Cianni
- Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases Unit, Health Local Unit North-West Tuscany, Livorno, Italy
| | - Elisa Gualdani
- Epidemiology Unit, Regional Health Agency of Tuscany, Via Pietro Dazzi 1, 50141, Florence, Italy
| | - Alessandra De Bellis
- Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases Unit, "San Giovanni di Dio Hospital", Florence, Italy
| | - Flavia Franconi
- Laboratorio Nazionale di Farmacologia e Medicina di Genere, Istituto Nazionale Biostrutture Biosistemi, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Paolo Francesconi
- Epidemiology Unit, Regional Health Agency of Tuscany, Via Pietro Dazzi 1, 50141, Florence, Italy
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Sandovici I, Fernandez-Twinn DS, Hufnagel A, Constância M, Ozanne SE. Sex differences in the intergenerational inheritance of metabolic traits. Nat Metab 2022; 4:507-523. [PMID: 35637347 DOI: 10.1038/s42255-022-00570-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Strong evidence suggests that early-life exposures to suboptimal environmental factors, including those in utero, influence our long-term metabolic health. This has been termed developmental programming. Mounting evidence suggests that the growth and metabolism of male and female fetuses differ. Therefore, sexual dimorphism in response to pre-conception or early-life exposures could contribute to known sex differences in susceptibility to poor metabolic health in adulthood. However, until recently, many studies, especially those in animal models, focused on a single sex, or, often in the case of studies performed during intrauterine development, did not report the sex of the animal at all. In this review, we (a) summarize the evidence that male and females respond differently to a suboptimal pre-conceptional or in utero environment, (b) explore the potential biological mechanisms that underlie these differences and (c) review the consequences of these differences for long-term metabolic health, including that of subsequent generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ionel Sandovici
- Metabolic Research Laboratories and MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and National Institute for Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge, UK
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Denise S Fernandez-Twinn
- Metabolic Research Laboratories and MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Antonia Hufnagel
- Metabolic Research Laboratories and MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Miguel Constância
- Metabolic Research Laboratories and MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and National Institute for Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge, UK.
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Susan E Ozanne
- Metabolic Research Laboratories and MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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Are there sex differences in fetal growth strategies and in the long-term effects of pregnancy complications on cognitive functioning? J Dev Orig Health Dis 2022; 13:766-778. [DOI: 10.1017/s2040174422000204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Males and females have been proposed to have different prenatal growth strategies, whereby males invest more in fetal growth and less in placental development, leaving them more susceptible to early-life adversity. We tested predictions of this hypothesis using data from the National Collaborative Perinatal Project. Male newborns were heavier than females, but there was no difference in placental weight, adjusting for birthweight. Among infants born prior to 33 weeks, the difference in birthweight between males and females was greater among those who did not survive than among those who did, potentially reflecting a strategy whereby males maintained growth in the face of prenatal insults, while females adjusted growth. However, there was no significant difference in mortality between the sexes. Being born small-for-gestational age or very preterm (prior to 33 weeks) was associated with significantly reduced performance for most of the cognitive traits examined at 7 years, although maternal preeclampsia was associated with reduced performance in fewer traits. Generally, these effects of early-life adversity (poor fetal growth, prematurity, and preeclampsia) did not differ between the sexes. However, analyzing the sexes separately (rather than testing the interaction between sex and adversity) resulted in numerous spurious sex-specific effects, whereby the effect of early-life adversity appeared to be significant in one sex but not the other. Overall, we found little support for the hypothesis that males prioritize growth more than females, and that this makes them more susceptible to early-life adversity. Furthermore, our results show that analyzing the sexes separately, rather than testing the adversity by sex interaction, can be highly misleading.
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Jenabi E, Salimi Z, Ayubi E, Bashirian S, Salehi AM. The environmental risk factors prior to conception associated with placental abruption: an umbrella review. Syst Rev 2022; 11:55. [PMID: 35365209 PMCID: PMC8973534 DOI: 10.1186/s13643-022-01915-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The present umbrella review evaluated risk factors prior to conception associated with placental abruption based on meta-analyses and systematic reviews. METHODS We searched PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science until June 25, 2021. All meta-analyses that had focused on assessing the risk factors associated with placental abruption were included. We calculated summary effect estimates, 95% CI, heterogeneity I2, 95% prediction interval, small-study effects, excess significance biases, and sensitive analysis. The quality of the meta-analyses was evaluated with A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR 2). RESULTS There was no risk factor in the present umbrella review with the high level of evidence (class I or II). Eight risk factors including maternal asthma (RR 1.29 95% CI 1.14, 1.47), prior cesarean section (RR 1.38, 95% CI 1.35-1.42), cocaine using (RR 4.55, 95% CI 1.78-6.50), endometriosis (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.12-1.76), chronic hypertension (OR 3.13, 95% CI 2.04-4.80), advanced maternal age (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.35-1.54), maternal smoking (OR 1.80, 95% CI 1.75-1.85) (RR 1.65, 95% CI 1.51-1.80), and use of assisted reproductive techniques (ART) (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.70-2.06) were graded as suggestive evidence (class III). The other four risk factors including pre-pregnancy underweight (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.12-1.70), preeclampsia (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.47-2.04), uterine leiomyoma (OR 2.63, 95% CI 1.38-3.88), and marijuana use (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.32-2.40) were graded as risk factors with weak evidence (class IV). CONCLUSION Maternal asthma, prior cesarean section, cocaine use, endometriosis, chronic hypertension, advanced maternal age, maternal smoking, and use of ART, pre-pregnancy underweight, preeclampsia, uterine leiomyoma, and marijuana use were risk factors associated with placental abruption. Although factors associated with placental abruption have been investigated, the current meta-analytic associations cannot disentangle the complex etiology of placental abruption mainly due to their low quality of evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ensiyeh Jenabi
- Mother and Child Care Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Zohreh Salimi
- Autism Spectrum Disorders Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
| | - Erfan Ayubi
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Saeid Bashirian
- Autism Spectrum Disorders Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
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42
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Overexpression of Galectin-4 in placentas of women with gestational diabetes. J Reprod Immunol 2022; 151:103629. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2022.103629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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Thurstans S, Opondo C, Seal A, Wells JC, Khara T, Dolan C, Briend A, Myatt M, Garenne M, Mertens A, Sear R, Kerac M. Understanding Sex Differences in Childhood Undernutrition: A Narrative Review. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14050948. [PMID: 35267923 PMCID: PMC8912557 DOI: 10.3390/nu14050948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Complementing a recent systematic review and meta-analysis which showed that boys are more likely to be wasted, stunted, and underweight than girls, we conducted a narrative review to explore which early life mechanisms might underlie these sex differences. We addressed different themes, including maternal and newborn characteristics, immunology and endocrinology, evolutionary biology, care practices, and anthropometric indices to explore potential sources of sex differences in child undernutrition. Our review found that the evidence on why sex differences occur is limited but that a complex interaction of social, environmental, and genetic factors likely underlies these differences throughout the life cycle. Despite their bigger size at birth and during infancy, in conditions of food deprivation, boys experience more undernutrition from as early as the foetal period. Differences appear to be more pronounced in more severe presentations of undernutrition and in more socioeconomically deprived contexts. Boys are more vulnerable to infectious disease, and differing immune and endocrine systems appear to explain some of this disadvantage. Limited evidence also suggests that different sociological factors and care practices might exert influence and have the potential to exacerbate or reverse observed differences. Further research is needed to better understand sex differences in undernutrition and the implications of these for child outcomes and prevention and treatment programming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan Thurstans
- Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK; (R.S.); (M.K.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Charles Opondo
- Department of Medical Statistics, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK;
- National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LF, UK
| | - Andrew Seal
- UCL Institute for Global Health, London WC1E 6BT, UK;
| | - Jonathan C. Wells
- Population, Policy and Practice Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH, UK;
| | - Tanya Khara
- Emergency Nutrition Network, Oxford OX5 2DN, UK; (T.K.); (C.D.)
| | - Carmel Dolan
- Emergency Nutrition Network, Oxford OX5 2DN, UK; (T.K.); (C.D.)
| | - André Briend
- Center for Child Health Research, School of Medicine, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland;
- Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mark Myatt
- Brixton Health, Llwyngwril, Gwynedd LL37 2JD, Wales, UK;
| | - Michel Garenne
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, UMI Résiliences, 93140 Bondy, France;
- Institut Pasteur, Epidémiologie des Maladies Emergentes, 75015 Paris, France
- Senior Fellow, FERDI, Université d’Auvergne, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa
| | - Andrew Mertens
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-7360, USA;
| | - Rebecca Sear
- Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK; (R.S.); (M.K.)
| | - Marko Kerac
- Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK; (R.S.); (M.K.)
- Maternal, Adolescent, Reproductive & Child Health Centre (MARCH), London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
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Aye IL, Aiken CE, Charnock-Jones DS, Smith GC. Placental energy metabolism in health and disease-significance of development and implications for preeclampsia. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2022; 226:S928-S944. [PMID: 33189710 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2020.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The placenta is a highly metabolically active organ fulfilling the bioenergetic and biosynthetic needs to support its own rapid growth and that of the fetus. Placental metabolic dysfunction is a common occurrence in preeclampsia although its causal relationship to the pathophysiology is unclear. At the outset, this may simply be seen as an "engine out of fuel." However, placental metabolism plays a vital role beyond energy production and is linked to physiological and developmental processes. In this review, we discuss the metabolic basis for placental dysfunction and propose that the alterations in energy metabolism may explain many of the placental phenotypes of preeclampsia such as reduced placental and fetal growth, redox imbalance, oxidative stress, altered epigenetic and gene expression profiles, and the functional consequences of these aberrations. We propose that placental metabolic reprogramming reflects the dynamic physiological state allowing the tissue to adapt to developmental changes and respond to preeclampsia stress, whereas the inability to reprogram placental metabolism may result in severe preeclampsia phenotypes. Finally, we discuss common tested and novel therapeutic strategies for treating placental dysfunction in preeclampsia and their impact on placental energy metabolism as possible explanations into their potential benefits or harm.
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45
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Linde LE, Ebbing C, Moster D, Kessler J, Baghestan E, Gissler M, Rasmussen S. Recurrence of postpartum hemorrhage, maternal and paternal contribution, and the effect of offspring birthweight and sex: a population-based cohort study. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2022; 306:1807-1814. [PMID: 34999924 PMCID: PMC9519656 DOI: 10.1007/s00404-021-06374-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Purpose This study examines individual aggregation of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), paternal contribution and how offspring birthweight and sex influence recurrence of PPH. Further, we wanted to estimate the proportion of PPH cases attributable to a history of PPH or current birthweight. Methods We studied all singleton births in Norway from 1967 to 2017 using data from Norwegian medical and administrational registries. Subsequent births in the parents were linked. Multilevel logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for PPH defined as blood loss > 500 ml, blood loss > 1500 ml, or the need for blood transfusion in parous women. Main exposures were previous PPH, high birthweight, and fetal sex. We calculated adjusted population attributable fractions for previous PPH and current high birthweight. Results Mothers with a history of PPH had three- and sixfold higher risks of PPH in their second and third deliveries, respectively (adjusted OR 2.9; 95% CI 2.9–3.0 and 6.0; 5.5–6.6). Severe PPH (> 1500 ml) had the highest risk of recurrence. The paternal contribution to recurrence of PPH in deliveries with two different mothers was weak, but significant. If the neonate was male, the risk of PPH was reduced. A history of PPH or birthweight ≥ 4000 g each accounted for 15% of the total number of PPH cases. Conclusion A history of PPH and current birthweight exerted strong effects at both the individual and population levels. Recurrence risk was highest for severe PPH. Occurrence and recurrence were lower in male fetuses, and the paternal influence was weak. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00404-021-06374-3.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cathrine Ebbing
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Dag Moster
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Pediatrics, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Jörg Kessler
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Elham Baghestan
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Mika Gissler
- Department of Information Services, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.,Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Svein Rasmussen
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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Stokkeland LMT, Giskeødegård GF, Ryssdal M, Jarmund AH, Steinkjer B, Madssen TS, Stafne SN, Stridsklev S, Løvvik TS, Iversen AC, Vanky E. Changes in Serum Cytokines Throughout Pregnancy in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2022; 107:39-52. [PMID: 34529073 PMCID: PMC8684459 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgab684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder associated with low-grade inflammation and increased incidence of pregnancy complications, but its influence on the maternal immune system in pregnancy is unknown. Longitudinal serum cytokine profiling is a sensitive measure of the complex immunological dynamics of pregnancy. OBJECTIVE This work aimed to determine the immunological dynamics of serum cytokines throughout pregnancy in women with PCOS and compare it to pregnancy in women without PCOS. METHODS A post hoc analysis was conducted of longitudinal serum samples from 2 randomized, placebo-controlled multicenter studies of pregnant women with PCOS and 2 studies of pregnant women without PCOS. Pregnant women with PCOS (n = 358) and without PCOS (n = 258, controls) provided 1752 serum samples from 4 time points in pregnancy (weeks 10, 19, 32, and 36). Main outcome measures included maternal serum levels of 22 cytokines and C-reactive protein (CRP) at 4 time points in pregnancy. RESULTS Women with PCOS showed marked immunological changes in serum cytokines throughout pregnancy. Compared to controls, women with PCOS showed higher levels of 17 cytokines and CRP at week 10 of pregnancy and a distinct cytokine development throughout pregnancy. The immunological dynamics in women with PCOS was significantly affected by maternal body mass index, smoking, and fetal sex. CONCLUSION Pregnancy in women with PCOS was associated with a strong early mobilization of inflammatory and other serum cytokines persisting throughout pregnancy, indicating a more activated immune status. These findings provide a novel basis for further study of PCOS and pregnancy complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Live Marie T Stokkeland
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7491 Trondheim, Norway
- Centre of Molecular Inflammation Research (CEMIR), NTNU, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
- Correspondence: Live M. T. Stokkeland, MD, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, NTNU, PO Box 8905, 7491 Trondheim, Norway.
| | | | - Mariell Ryssdal
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7491 Trondheim, Norway
- Centre of Molecular Inflammation Research (CEMIR), NTNU, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Anders Hagen Jarmund
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7491 Trondheim, Norway
- Centre of Molecular Inflammation Research (CEMIR), NTNU, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Bjørg Steinkjer
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7491 Trondheim, Norway
- Centre of Molecular Inflammation Research (CEMIR), NTNU, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | | | - Signe N Stafne
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, NTNU, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Clinical Services, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, 7006 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Solhild Stridsklev
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7491 Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, 7006 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Tone S Løvvik
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7491 Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, 7006 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Ann-Charlotte Iversen
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7491 Trondheim, Norway
- Centre of Molecular Inflammation Research (CEMIR), NTNU, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, 7006 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Eszter Vanky
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7491 Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, 7006 Trondheim, Norway
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Flowers AE, Gonzalez TL, Joshi NV, Eisman LE, Clark EL, Buttle RA, Sauro E, DiPentino R, Lin Y, Wu D, Wang Y, Santiskulvong C, Tang J, Lee B, Sun T, Chan JL, Wang ET, Jefferies C, Lawrenson K, Zhu Y, Afshar Y, Tseng HR, Williams J, Pisarska MD. Sex differences in microRNA expression in first and third trimester human placenta†. Biol Reprod 2021; 106:551-567. [PMID: 35040930 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioab221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal and fetal pregnancy outcomes related to placental function vary based on fetal sex, which may be due to sexually dimorphic epigenetic regulation of RNA expression. We identified sexually dimorphic miRNA expression throughout gestation in human placentae. Next-generation sequencing identified miRNA expression profiles in first and third trimester uncomplicated pregnancies using tissue obtained at chorionic villous sampling (n = 113) and parturition (n = 47). Sequencing analysis identified 986 expressed mature miRNAs from female and male placentae at first and third trimester (baseMean>10). Of these, 11 sexually dimorphic (FDR < 0.05) miRNAs were identified in the first and 4 in the third trimester, all upregulated in females, including miR-361-5p, significant in both trimesters. Sex-specific analyses across gestation identified 677 differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs at FDR < 0.05 and baseMean>10, with 508 DE miRNAs in common between female-specific and male-specific analysis (269 upregulated in first trimester, 239 upregulated in third trimester). Of those, miR-4483 had the highest fold changes across gestation. There were 62.5% more female exclusive differences with fold change>2 across gestation than male exclusive (52 miRNAs vs 32 miRNAs), indicating miRNA expression across human gestation is sexually dimorphic. Pathway enrichment analysis identified significant pathways that were differentially regulated in first and third trimester as well as across gestation. This work provides the normative sex dimorphic miRNA atlas in first and third trimester, as well as the sex-independent and sex-specific placenta miRNA atlas across gestation, which may be used to identify biomarkers of placental function and direct functional studies investigating placental sex differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy E Flowers
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Tania L Gonzalez
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nikhil V Joshi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Laura E Eisman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ekaterina L Clark
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Rae A Buttle
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Erica Sauro
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Rosemarie DiPentino
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yayu Lin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Di Wu
- Genomics Core, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yizhou Wang
- Genomics Core, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Chintda Santiskulvong
- CS Cancer Applied Genomics Shared Resource, CS Cancer, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jie Tang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Bora Lee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Tianyanxin Sun
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jessica L Chan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Erica T Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Caroline Jefferies
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kate Lawrenson
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yazhen Zhu
- California NanoSystems Institute, Crump Institute for Molecular Imaging, Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yalda Afshar
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Hsian-Rong Tseng
- California NanoSystems Institute, Crump Institute for Molecular Imaging, Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - John Williams
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Margareta D Pisarska
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Dos Santos Fagundes I, Brendler EP, Nunes Erthal I, Eder Ribeiro RJ, Caron-Lienert RS, Machado DC, Pinheiro da Costa BE, Poli-de-Figueiredo CE. Total Th1/Th2 cytokines profile from peripheral blood lymphocytes in normal pregnancy and preeclampsia syndrome. Hypertens Pregnancy 2021; 41:15-22. [PMID: 34812111 DOI: 10.1080/10641955.2021.2008424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
To evaluate total Th1/Th2 cytokines in CD3+ cells (immunocompetent T-lymphocytes) and peripheral blood lymphocytes, mostly CD4+ (T helper cells) and CD8+ (T-cytotoxic cells) subpopulations in preeclampsia. Total blood leukocytes and lymphocytes counts, percent cells: CD3+, INF-g+/CD3+, IL-4+/CD3+, and IL-10+/CD3+, CD4+/CD8+ were determined by flow-cytometry. Preeclampsia (n= 26) and normal pregnancy (n= 25) participants were age and gestational age matched. CD4+ lymphocytes count was higher in preeclampsia, compared with normal pregnancy (43.6 ± 5.8 vs 37.6 ± 5.6%; P< 0.001). CD3+ cells Th1/Th2 shift was not detected in preeclampsia, yet may be present in other cell types, such as CD4+ and CD3 - lymphocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iara Dos Santos Fagundes
- Serviço de Imunologia Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Federal University of Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Pletsch Brendler
- School of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande Do Sul, Pucrs, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Isadora Nunes Erthal
- School of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande Do Sul, Pucrs, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | | | | | - Denise Cantarelli Machado
- School of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande Do Sul, Pucrs, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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49
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Baker BC, Lui S, Lorne I, Heazell AEP, Forbes K, Jones RL. Sexually dimorphic patterns in maternal circulating microRNAs in pregnancies complicated by fetal growth restriction. Biol Sex Differ 2021; 12:61. [PMID: 34789323 PMCID: PMC8597318 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-021-00405-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Current methods fail to accurately predict women at greatest risk of developing fetal growth restriction (FGR) or related adverse outcomes, including stillbirth. Sexual dimorphism in these adverse pregnancy outcomes is well documented as are sex-specific differences in gene and protein expression in the placenta. Circulating maternal serum microRNAs (miRNAs) offer potential as biomarkers that may also be informative of underlying pathology. We hypothesised that FGR would be associated with an altered miRNA profile and would differ depending on fetal sex. Methods miRNA expression profiles were assessed in maternal serum (> 36 weeks’ gestation) from women delivering a severely FGR infant (defined as an individualised birthweight centile (IBC) < 3rd) and matched control participants (AGA; IBC = 20–80th), using miRNA arrays. qPCR was performed using specific miRNA primers in an expanded cohort of patients with IBC < 5th (n = 15 males, n = 16 females/group). Maternal serum human placental lactogen (hPL) was used as a proxy to determine if serum miRNAs were related to placental dysfunction. In silico analyses were performed to predict the potential functions of altered miRNAs. Results Initial analyses revealed 11 miRNAs were altered in maternal serum from FGR pregnancies. In silico analyses revealed all 11 altered miRNAs were located in a network of genes that regulate placental function. Subsequent analysis demonstrated four miRNAs showed sexually dimorphic patterns. miR-28-5p was reduced in FGR pregnancies (p < 0.01) only when there was a female offspring and miR-301a-3p was only reduced in FGR pregnancies with a male fetus (p < 0.05). miR-454-3p was decreased in FGR pregnancies (p < 0.05) regardless of fetal sex but was only positively correlated to hPL when the fetus was female. Conversely, miR-29c-3p was correlated to maternal hPL only when the fetus was male. Target genes for sexually dimorphic miRNAs reveal potential functional roles in the placenta including angiogenesis, placental growth, nutrient transport and apoptosis. Conclusions These studies have identified sexually dimorphic patterns for miRNAs in maternal serum in FGR. These miRNAs may have potential as non-invasive biomarkers for FGR and associated placental dysfunction. Further studies to determine if these miRNAs have potential functional roles in the placenta may provide greater understanding of the pathogenesis of placental dysfunction and the differing susceptibility of male and female fetuses to adverse in utero conditions. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13293-021-00405-z. Detection and treatment of pregnancies at high risk of fetal growth restriction (FGR) and stillbirth remains a major obstetric challenge; circulating maternal serum microRNAs (miRNAs) offer potential as novel biomarkers. Unbiased analysis of serum miRNAs in women in late pregnancy identified a specific profile of circulating miRNAs in women with a growth-restricted infant. Some altered miRNAs (miR-28-5p, miR-301a-3p) showed sexually dimorphic expression in FGR pregnancies and others a fetal-sex dependent association to a hormonal marker of placental dysfunction (miR-454-3p, miR-29c-3p). miR-301a-3p and miR-28-5p could potentially be used to predict FGR specifically in pregnancies with a male or female baby, respectively, however larger cohort studies are required. Further investigations of these miRNAs and their relationship to placental dysfunction will lead to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of FGR and why there is differing susceptibility of male and female fetuses to FGR and stillbirth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernadette C Baker
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
| | - Sylvia Lui
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.,Division of Inflammation and Repair, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Isabel Lorne
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Alexander E P Heazell
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.,St Mary's Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, M13 9WL, UK
| | - Karen Forbes
- Discovery and Translational Science Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
| | - Rebecca L Jones
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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50
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Christians JK. The Placenta's Role in Sexually Dimorphic Fetal Growth Strategies. Reprod Sci 2021; 29:1895-1907. [PMID: 34699045 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-021-00780-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Fetal sex affects the risk of pregnancy complications and the long-term effects of prenatal environment on health. Some have hypothesized that growth strategies differ between the sexes, whereby males prioritize growth whereas females are more responsive to their environment. This review evaluates the role of the placenta in such strategies, focusing on (1) mechanisms underlying sexual dimorphism in gene expression, (2) the nature and extent of sexual dimorphism in placental gene expression, (3) sexually dimorphic responses to nutrient supply, and (4) sexual dimorphism in morphology and histopathology. The sex chromosomes contribute to sex differences in placental gene expression, and fetal hormones may play a role later in development. Sexually dimorphic placental gene expression may contribute to differences in the prevalence of complications such as preeclampsia, although this link is not clear. Placental responses to nutrient supply frequently show sexual dimorphism, but there is no consistent pattern where one sex is more responsive. There are sex differences in the prevalence of placental histopathologies, and placental changes in pregnancy complications, but also many similarities. Overall, no clear patterns support the hypothesis that females are more responsive to the maternal environment, or that males prioritize growth. While male fetuses are at greater risk of a variety of complications, total prenatal mortality is higher in females, such that males exposed to early insults may be more likely to survive and be observed in studies of adverse outcomes. Going forward, robust statistical approaches to test for sex-dependent effects must be more widely adopted to reduce the incidence of spurious results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian K Christians
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada. .,Centre for Cell Biology, Development and Disease, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada. .,British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada. .,Women's Health Research Institute, BC Women's Hospital and Health Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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