Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Livia Belcastro, Carolina S. Ferreira, Marcelle A. Saraiva, Daniela B. Mucci, Antonio Murgia, Carla Lai, Claire Vigor, Camille Oger, Jean-Marie Galano, Gabriela D. A. Pinto, Julian L. Griffin, Alexandre G. Torres, Thierry Durand, Graham J. Burton, Fatima L. C. Sardinha, Tatiana El-Bacha
Summary: The study revealed that women with pre-gestational obesity exhibit disrupted placental lipid metabolism, characterized by significant increases in DHA and AA levels, along with elevated levels of neuroprostanes and isoprostanes. These changes were associated with decreased placental FABP1 protein, maternal and placental inflammation, and birth weight.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Natasha de Alwis, Sally Beard, Natalie K. Binder, Natasha Pritchard, Tu'uhevaha J. Kaitu'u-Lino, Susan P. Walker, Owen Stock, Katie Groom, Scott Petersen, Amanda Henry, Joanne M. Said, Sean Seeho, Stefan C. Kane, Stephen Tong, Lisa Hui, Natalie J. Hannan
Summary: Elevated levels of OLAH in the placenta may be associated with placental dysfunction in pregnancies complicated by preterm preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction. Further research is required to understand the role of OLAH in the placenta, and whether these changes are a maternal adaptation or consequence of disease.
Article
Developmental Biology
Nikita Joshi, Akriti Sahay, Aditi Mane, Deepali Sundrani, Karuna Randhir, Girija Wagh, Kent Thornburg, Theresa Powell, Chittaranjan Yajnik, Sadhana Joshi
Summary: This study reveals differential expression of nutrient transporters in the syncytial membranes of preeclampsia placentae, which may impact fetal growth. The protein expression of CD320 was higher in the basal membrane of preeclampsia placentae. FATP2 and FATP4 protein expression was higher in the basal membrane compared to the microvillous membrane in both the control and preeclampsia groups.
Article
Plant Sciences
Kexin Nie, Yang Gao, Shen Chen, Zhi Wang, Hongzhan Wang, Yueheng Tang, Hao Su, Fuer Lu, Hui Dong, Ke Fang
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of how diosgenin alleviates NAFLD in T2DM and its relationship with SIRT6. The results showed that diosgenin attenuates NAFLD by regulating SIRT6-mediated fatty acid uptake. This study provides a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of NAFLD in T2DM.
Article
Reproductive Biology
Esteban Salazar-Petres, Daniela Pereira Carvalho, Jorge Lopez-Tello, Amanda Nancy Sferruzzi-Perri
Summary: In normal mouse pregnancy, placental structure, function, and mitochondrial phenotype respond differently to the growth of female and male fetuses. This study may provide design references for sex-specific therapies for placental insufficiency and fetal growth abnormalities, which could benefit the offspring throughout their lives.
BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Developmental Biology
Zhongmei Yang, Xiaofang Luo, Biao Huang, Xiaoyan Jia, Xiaojin Luan, Nan Shan, Zhongling An, Jinfeng Cao, Hongbo Qi
Summary: Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a common complication of pregnancy, and lipid metabolism may play a role in its development. However, the metabolic mechanisms of FGR are not well understood. This study used metabolomic profiling and gene analysis to identify metabolic profiles and potential genes and signaling pathways associated with FGR. The results showed that fatty acids accumulated in the placenta and decreased in fetal blood in FGR cases compared to controls, and linoleic acid metabolism was the focus of differential metabolite and gene enrichment analysis in the placenta.
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Sanjay Basak, Ranjit K. Das, Antara Banerjee, Sujay Paul, Surajit Pathak, Asim K. Duttaroy
Summary: Obesity in pregnancy has various effects on fetal neurodevelopment, such as disturbing the transport of essential long-chain PUFAs for brain development and altering the maternal gut microbiota, which further affects fetal brain development.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Oliver C. Watkins, Hannah E. J. Yong, Tania Ken Lin Mah, Victoria K. B. Cracknell-Hazra, Reshma Appukuttan Pillai, Preben Selvam, Neha Sharma, Amaury Cazenave-Gassiot, Anne K. Bendt, Keith M. Godfrey, Rohan M. Lewis, Markus R. Wenk, Shiao-Yng Chan
Summary: Fetal sex influences placental lipid metabolism and may be a key factor in the impact of maternal metabolic health on perinatal outcomes.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sarah M. Kedziora, Benedikt Obermayer, Meryam Sugulle, Florian Herse, Kristin Kraeker, Nadine Haase, Immaculate M. Langmia, Dominik N. Muller, Anne Cathrine Staff, Dieter Beule, Ralf Dechend
Summary: The placenta is a temporary organ with a unique structure and function to ensure healthy fetal development. Placental dysfunction caused by diabetes affects placental metabolism, inflammation, and weight, but the main driver of gene expression differences in the placenta is fetal sex.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Petra Bakovic, Maja Kesic, Maja Peric, Ivona Beceheli, Marina Horvaticek, Meekha George, Lipa Cicin-Sain, Gernot Desoye, Christian Wadsack, Ute Panzenboeck, Jasminka Stefulj
Summary: The study reveals the presence of functional 5-HT uptake systems in feto-placental endothelial cells and fetal platelets, as well as the sensitive to various psychotropic drugs of 5-HT transport into trophoblasts. The results highlight the importance of 5-HT homeostasis at the maternal-fetal interface.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Esther Dos Santos, Marta Hita Hernandez, Valerie Serazin, Francois Vialard, Marie-Noelle Dieudonne
Summary: Maternal obesity is associated with increased morbidity and mortality rates in mothers and children, and the placenta plays a crucial role in mediating the effects of the maternal environment on fetal development. This review focuses on the impact of maternal obesity (without gestational diabetes) on various aspects of placental function, including endocrine function, morphology, nutrient exchanges and metabolism, inflammatory/immune status, oxidative stress, and transcriptome. Understanding the sex-specific placental responses to maternal obesity is important for improving pregnancy outcomes and maternal and child health.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Developmental Biology
Marianne Allbrand, Daniel Eklund, Yang Cao, Kerstin Nilsson, Maria Lodefalk
Summary: This study investigated the relationship between placental gene expression of leptin, its receptor, and inflammatory cytokines in obese mothers and offspring birth weight and sex. The findings revealed a reverse U-shaped association between placental leptin expression and birth weight z-scores, with higher z-scores in female infants. Additionally, the expression of different genes differed by sex, suggesting a complex regulation of fetal growth by placental leptin signaling in maternal obesity.
Article
Physiology
Tina Napso, Samantha C. Lean, Minhui Lu, Emily J. Mort, Michelle Desforges, Ali Moghimi, Beverly Bartels, Tatiana El-Bacha, Abigail L. Fowden, Emily J. Camm, Amanda N. Sferruzzi-Perri
Summary: The study found that maternal obesity has a sex-dependent impact on placental phenotype, affecting fetal growth and substrate supply. These findings have implications for the design of personalized interventions or therapies for obese pregnant women.
Review
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Julian K. Christians
Summary: Fetal sex impacts pregnancy complications and long-term health effects of prenatal environment, with placenta playing a crucial role. Sexual dimorphism may affect gene expression, responses to nutrient supply, and histopathology, but there is no clear pattern supporting the hypothesis that one sex is more responsive. More robust statistical approaches are needed to test for sex-dependent effects in order to reduce spurious results.
REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Ling-Jun Li, Jing Wu, Zhen Chen, Natalie L. Weir, Michael Y. Tsai, Paul Albert, Cuilin Zhang
Summary: This study found that higher levels of plasma DHA and ALA in early pregnancy were associated with increased fetal size and weight throughout subsequent pregnancy.