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Adank MC, Benschop L, Kors AW, Peterbroers KR, Smak Gregoor AM, Mulder MT, Schalekamp-Timmermans S, Roeters Van Lennep JE, Steegers EAP. Maternal lipid profile in early pregnancy is associated with foetal growth and the risk of a child born large-for-gestational age: a population-based prospective cohort study : Maternal lipid profile in early pregnancy and foetal growth. BMC Med 2020; 18:276. [PMID: 33004027 PMCID: PMC7532083 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-020-01730-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lipids such as cholesterol and triglycerides play an important role in both maternal and foetal energy metabolism. Little is known about maternal lipid levels in pregnancy and their effect on foetal growth. The aim of this study was to assess maternal lipid levels, foetal growth and the risk of small-for-gestational age (SGA) and large-for-gestational age (LGA). METHODS We included 5702 women from the Generation R Study, a prospective population-based cohort. Maternal lipid levels (total cholesterol, triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-c]) were measured in early pregnancy (median 13.4 weeks, 90% range [10.5 to 17.2]). Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), remnant cholesterol and non-HDL-c were calculated. Foetal growth was measured repeatedly by ultrasound. Information on birth anthropometrics was retrieved from medical records. A birth weight below the 10th percentile was defined as SGA and above the 90th percentile as LGA. RESULTS Maternal triglyceride and remnant cholesterol levels were associated with increased foetal head circumference and abdominal circumference growth rates. Triglycerides and remnant cholesterol were positively associated with the risk of LGA (odds ratio [OR] 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.01 to 1.22] and OR 1.11, 95% CI [1.01 to 1.23], respectively). These associations were independent of maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index, but not maternal glucose levels. We observed no association between maternal lipids in early pregnancy and SGA. CONCLUSIONS Our study suggests a novel association of early pregnancy triglyceride and remnant cholesterol levels with foetal growth, patterns of foetal growth and the risk of LGA. Future studies are warranted to explore clinical implication possibilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria C Adank
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. .,Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Laura Benschop
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Alet W Kors
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Kelly R Peterbroers
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Anna M Smak Gregoor
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Monique T Mulder
- Department of General Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Sarah Schalekamp-Timmermans
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Eric A P Steegers
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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Romero R, Kim YM, Pacora P, Kim CJ, Benshalom-Tirosh N, Jaiman S, Bhatti G, Kim JS, Qureshi F, Jacques SM, Jung EJ, Yeo L, Panaitescu B, Maymon E, Hassan SS, Hsu CD, Erez O. The frequency and type of placental histologic lesions in term pregnancies with normal outcome. J Perinat Med 2018; 46:613-630. [PMID: 30044764 PMCID: PMC6174692 DOI: 10.1515/jpm-2018-0055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Objective To determine the frequency and type of histopathologic lesions in placentas delivered by women with a normal pregnancy outcome. Methods This retrospective cohort study included placental samples from 944 women with a singleton gestation who delivered at term without obstetrical complications. Placental lesions were classified into the following four categories as defined by the Society for Pediatric Pathology and by our unit: (1) acute placental inflammation, (2) chronic placental inflammation, (3) maternal vascular malperfusion and (4) fetal vascular malperfusion. Results (1) Seventy-eight percent of the placentas had lesions consistent with inflammatory or vascular lesions; (2) acute inflammatory lesions were the most prevalent, observed in 42.3% of the placentas, but only 1.0% of the lesions were severe; (3) acute inflammatory lesions were more common in the placentas of women with labor than in those without labor; (4) chronic inflammatory lesions of the placenta were present in 29.9%; and (5) maternal and fetal vascular lesions of malperfusion were detected in 35.7% and 19.7%, respectively. Two or more lesions with maternal or fetal vascular features consistent with malperfusion (high-burden lesions) were present in 7.4% and 0.7%, respectively. Conclusion Most placentas had lesions consistent with inflammatory or vascular lesions, but severe and/or high-burden lesions were infrequent. Mild placental lesions may be interpreted either as acute changes associated with parturition or as representative of a subclinical pathological process (intra-amniotic infection or sterile intra-amniotic inflammation) that did not affect the clinical course of pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Romero
- Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan USA
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan USA
| | - Yeon Mee Kim
- Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan USA
- Department of Pathology, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Percy Pacora
- Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan USA
| | - Chong Jai Kim
- Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Neta Benshalom-Tirosh
- Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan USA
| | - Sunil Jaiman
- Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan USA
- Department of Pathology, Hutzel Women’s Hospital, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan USA
| | - Gaurav Bhatti
- Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan USA
| | - Jung-Sun Kim
- Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan USA
- Department of Pathology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Faisal Qureshi
- Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan USA
- Department of Pathology, Hutzel Women’s Hospital, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan USA
| | - Suzanne M. Jacques
- Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan USA
- Department of Pathology, Hutzel Women’s Hospital, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan USA
| | - Eun Jung Jung
- Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan USA
| | - Lami Yeo
- Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan USA
| | - Bogdan Panaitescu
- Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan USA
| | - Eli Maymon
- Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel
| | - Sonia S. Hassan
- Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan USA
- Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan USA
| | - Chaur-Dong Hsu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan USA
| | - Offer Erez
- Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel
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Abstract
The placenta mediates maternal-fetal exchange and has historically been regarded as a passive conduit for nutrients. However, emerging evidence suggests that the placenta actively responds to nutritional and metabolic signals from the mother and the fetus. We propose that the placenta integrates a multitude of maternal and fetal nutritional cues with information from intrinsic nutrient-sensing signaling pathways to match fetal demand with maternal supply by regulating maternal physiology, placental growth, and nutrient transport. This process, which we have called placental nutrient sensing, ensures optimal allocation of resources between the mother and the fetus to maximize the chances for propagation of parental genes without jeopardizing maternal health. We suggest that these mechanisms have evolved because of the evolutionary pressures of maternal undernutrition, which result in decreased placental growth and down-regulation of nutrient transporters, thereby limiting fetal growth to ensure maternal survival. These regulatory loops may also function in response to maternal overnutrition, leading to increased placental growth and nutrient transport in cases of maternal obesity or gestational diabetes. Thus, placental nutrient sensing modulates maternal-fetal resource allocation to increase the likelihood of reproductive success. This model implies that the placenta plays a critical role in mediating fetal programming and determining lifelong health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Díaz
- Center for Pregnancy and Newborn Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Theresa L Powell
- Center for Pregnancy and Newborn Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Thomas Jansson
- Center for Pregnancy and Newborn Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
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Boeuf P, Aitken EH, Chandrasiri U, Chua CLL, McInerney B, McQuade L, Duffy M, Molyneux M, Brown G, Glazier J, Rogerson SJ. Plasmodium falciparum malaria elicits inflammatory responses that dysregulate placental amino acid transport. PLoS Pathog 2013; 9:e1003153. [PMID: 23408887 PMCID: PMC3567154 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1003153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2012] [Accepted: 11/21/2012] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Placental malaria (PM) can lead to poor neonatal outcomes, including low birthweight due to fetal growth restriction (FGR), especially when associated with local inflammation (intervillositis or IV). The pathogenesis of PM-associated FGR is largely unknown, but in idiopathic FGR, impaired transplacental amino acid transport, especially through the system A group of amino acid transporters, has been implicated. We hypothesized that PM-associated FGR could result from impairment of transplacental amino acid transport triggered by IV. In a cohort of Malawian women and their infants, the expression and activity of system A (measured by Na+-dependent 14C-MeAIB uptake) were reduced in PM, especially when associated with IV, compared to uninfected placentas. In an in vitro model of PM with IV, placental cells exposed to monocyte/infected erythrocytes conditioned medium showed decreased system A activity. Amino acid concentrations analyzed by reversed phase ultra performance liquid chromatography in paired maternal and cord plasmas revealed specific alterations of amino acid transport by PM, especially with IV. Overall, our data suggest that the fetoplacental unit responds to PM by altering its placental amino acid transport to maintain adequate fetal growth. However, IV more profoundly compromises placental amino acid transport function, leading to FGR. Our study offers the first pathogenetic explanation for FGR in PM. Malaria infection during pregnancy can cause fetal growth restriction and low birthweight associated with high infant mortality and morbidity rates. The pathogenesis of fetal growth restriction in placental malaria is largely unknown, but in other pathological pregnancies, impaired transplacental amino acid transport has been implicated. In a cohort of Malawian women and their infants, we found that placental malaria, especially when associated with local inflammation, was associated with decreased expression and activity of an important group of amino acid placental transporters. Using an in vitro model of placental malaria with local inflammation, we discovered that maternal monocyte products could impair the activity of amino acid transporters on placental cells. Amino acid concentrations in paired maternal and cord plasmas revealed specific alterations of amino acid transport by placental malaria, especially with local inflammation. Overall, our data suggest that, more than malaria infection per se, the local inflammation it triggers compromises placental amino acid transport function, leading to fetal growth restriction. Greater understanding of the mechanisms involved, combined with interventions to improve fetal growth in malaria, are important priorities in areas of the world where the co-existence of malaria and maternal malnutrition threatens the health and lives of millions of young babies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe Boeuf
- The University of Melbourne, Department of Medicine-RMH, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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Fan X, Petitt M, Gamboa M, Huang M, Dhal S, Druzin ML, Wu JC, Chen-Tsai Y, Nayak NR. Transient, inducible, placenta-specific gene expression in mice. Endocrinology 2012; 153:5637-44. [PMID: 23011919 PMCID: PMC3473213 DOI: 10.1210/en.2012-1556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Molecular understanding of placental functions and pregnancy disorders is limited by the absence of methods for placenta-specific gene manipulation. Although persistent placenta-specific gene expression has been achieved by lentivirus-based gene delivery methods, developmentally and physiologically important placental genes have highly stage-specific functions, requiring controllable, transient expression systems for functional analysis. Here, we describe an inducible, placenta-specific gene expression system that enables high-level, transient transgene expression and monitoring of gene expression by live bioluminescence imaging in mouse placenta at different stages of pregnancy. We used the third generation tetracycline-responsive tranactivator protein Tet-On 3G, with 10- to 100-fold increased sensitivity to doxycycline (Dox) compared with previous versions, enabling unusually sensitive on-off control of gene expression in vivo. Transgenic mice expressing Tet-On 3G were created using a new integrase-based, site-specific approach, yielding high-level transgene expression driven by a ubiquitous promoter. Blastocysts from these mice were transduced with the Tet-On 3G-response element promoter-driving firefly luciferase using lentivirus-mediated placenta-specific gene delivery and transferred into wild-type pseudopregnant recipients for placenta-specific, Dox-inducible gene expression. Systemic Dox administration at various time points during pregnancy led to transient, placenta-specific firefly luciferase expression as early as d 5 of pregnancy in a Dox dose-dependent manner. This system enables, for the first time, reliable pregnancy stage-specific induction of gene expression in the placenta and live monitoring of gene expression during pregnancy. It will be widely applicable to studies of both placental development and pregnancy, and the site-specific Tet-On G3 mouse will be valuable for studies in a broad range of tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiujun Fan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford Cancer Center, Stanford University, California 94305-5317, USA
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