Review
Cell Biology
Chien-Chu Huang, Ya-Wen Hsueh, Chia-Wei Chang, Hsi-Chen Hsu, Tung-Chuan Yang, Wu-Chou Lin, Hsun-Ming Chang
Summary: Early pregnancy is a complex process involving cellular elements of the fetal-maternal interface, and abnormalities in trophoblast-decidual interactions can lead to miscarriage and later pregnancy disorders. Although research has been performed in various species, there is significant species variation in trophoblast differentiation and gene regulation. Recent advancements in technology have allowed a comprehensive understanding of human implantation and placentation, and the clinical utility of fetal-maternal cellular trafficking has been explored for prenatal diagnosis and prediction of pregnancy complications. Therapeutic strategies targeting placenta-enriched molecules have also been proposed for placental dysfunction and diseases.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Zengjin Wang, Congcong Zhang, Fengyan Huang, Xiaojing Liu, Zhiping Wang, Bing Yan
Summary: Ingestion of nanoparticles during pregnancy can be dangerous to fetal brain development, especially in early pregnancy. Experimental results show that nanoparticles can cross multiple biological barriers, and the toxicity to the fetus depends on the stages of pregnancy and fetal development.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sebastien G. Bouret
Summary: The melanocortin system in the brain regulates feeding behavior, energy balance, and body weight. Investigating its development is helping researchers understand and explore treatments for chronic diseases, including obesity and type-2 diabetes. Disruption of the melanocortin system's development may lead to metabolic consequences later in life.
EXPERIMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jennifer Bermick, Sarah Watson, Shiloh Lueschow, Steven J. McElroy
Summary: The induction of maternal inflammation in mice leads to fetal injury that is believed to be IL-6 dependent. The fetal inflammatory response, defined by elevated fetal or amniotic fluid IL-6, has been described as a potential mechanism for subsequent fetal injury. The role of maternal IL-6 production and signaling in the fetal IL-6 response is currently unclear.
Article
Neurosciences
Vendula Luzna, Pavel Houdek, Karolina Liska, Alena Sumova
Summary: During fetal development, maternal signaling can impact the developing clock in the suprachiasmatic nuclei. Disruption of maternal signaling due to disturbances in the light/dark cycle can lead to changes in gene expression profiles in the fetal SCN. The fetal SCN is highly sensitive to various changes in maternal signaling related to environmental disturbances, showing gene-specific responses.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Melanie Breton-Larrivee, Elizabeth Elder, Lisa-Marie Legault, Alexandra Langford-Avelar, Amanda J. MacFarlane, Serge McGraw
Summary: Fetal alcohol exposure during pregnancy can cause fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), which is characterized by congenital malformations and cognitive, behavioral, and emotional impairments. Alcohol abstinence is the only way to prevent FASD, but many pregnant women still consume alcohol. Maternal nutritional interventions using methyl donors have been investigated as potential preventative measures to mitigate the adverse effects of fetal alcohol exposure.
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Li-Ping Chen, Yong-Feng Lai, Xiao-Hong Zhong, Jian-Hong You, Jiang-Hua Chen, Jing-Xian Xie, Xiao-Kang Chen, Xiao-Yan Chen, Guo-Rong Lyu
Summary: The study revealed a high prevalence of chromosomal abnormalities in fetuses of AMA women. ARSA increases the risk of chromosomal abnormalities in both age groups, especially when combined with AMA. When ARSA occurs in AMA women, there is a higher likelihood of chromosomal abnormalities.
BMC PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH
(2021)
Article
Physiology
Aaron Barron, Samprikta Manna, Colm J. McElwain, Andrea Musumeci, Fergus P. McCarthy, Gerard W. O'Keeffe, Cathal M. McCarthy
Summary: Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a common and serious hypertensive disorder of pregnancy that can have detrimental effects on both maternal and neonatal health. Exposure to maternal serum from women with PE has been found to increase neurite growth and mitochondrial function in neuronal cells, which could potentially contribute to the development of neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Georgia S. Clarke, Kathryn L. Gatford, Richard L. Young, David R. Grattan, Sharon R. Ladyman, Amanda J. Page
Summary: A balanced maternal diet is vital for fetal development and fat reserves for lactation. The body makes multiple adaptations during pregnancy to meet energy demands, with the central nervous system playing a key role in food intake and energy balance regulation. Understanding food intake regulation during pregnancy can help prevent maternal under- or overnutrition.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Mina Desai, Adrianna S. Torsoni, Marcio A. Torsoni, Agnlia Eisaghalian, Monica G. Ferrini, Michael G. Ross
Summary: Developmental programming studies using mouse models have investigated the effects of different housing temperatures on obesity development in offspring. The results showed that male offspring displayed increased body weight and adiposity when housed at thermoneutral temperature, while female offspring were not affected by housing temperature.
JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL ORIGINS OF HEALTH AND DISEASE
(2023)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Alice Katherine Freeman, Kelly A. Glendining, Christine L. Jasoni
Summary: The arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus plays a central role in regulating body weight homeostasis by sensing peripheral metabolic signals and relaying them through neural circuits to other brain areas. The early postnatal development of these neural circuits is crucial for normal body weight homeostasis, with peripheral regulators like leptin, insulin and ghrelin playing key roles. However, the exact processes underlying axonal and dendritic growth in this developmental stage remain unclear, with new molecular players being identified in the development of neural circuits regulating body weight homeostasis.
JOURNAL OF NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Grace Branjerdporn, Pamela Meredith, Trish Wilson, Jennifer Strong
Summary: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of selected prenatal factors on later infant development. The results showed that maternal-fetal attachment, maternal adult attachment, maternal well-being, and previous perinatal loss could predict infant development to a certain extent.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
S. V. Thangaraj, M. Kachman, K. M. Halloran, K. D. Sinclair, R. Lea, M. Bellingham, N. P. Evans, V. Padmanabhan
Summary: Exposure to biosolids alters the maternal metabolome in a fetal sex specific manner, potentially leading to adverse phenotypic outcomes in offspring.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Yourdasmine Ali Daoud, Cleo Tebby, Remy Beaudouin, Celine Brochot
Summary: Epidemiological studies have found associations between prenatal exposure to lead and neurodevelopmental effects in young children. To assess internal lead exposure in prenatal life, researchers developed a pregnancy physiologically based pharmacokinetic (p-PBPK) model. The model showed varying levels of lead in the fetus's blood and brain throughout pregnancy, with two peaks at the end of the first and third trimesters. Sensitivity analysis indicated that fetal blood lead levels were affected by the maternal burden of bone lead and fetal bone formation at different stages of pregnancy.
TOXICOLOGY AND APPLIED PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Hafsa Alemam, Nabil Enattah, Abdulmunam Fellah, Ehabeddin Elftisi, Abdurrahman Akarem, Abdulla Bashein
Summary: The study found moderate blood lead levels among pregnant women in Tripoli and Ghadames, with umbilical cord blood levels in neonates reflecting those in maternal blood. Detecting the sources of lead in the Libyan population is crucial for effective treatment of this issue.
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN HEALTH JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Juhyun Kim, Dong Won Kim, Adrian Lee, Madisen Mason, Yan Jouroukhin, Hyewon Woo, Robert H. Yolken, Mikhail Pletnikov
Summary: The study found that probiotic treatment can significantly influence the electrophysiological properties of neurons, bidirectionally modulating their intrinsic excitability in a gut microbiota and brain area-specific manner.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Dong Won Kim, Elsie Place, Kavitha Chinnaiya, Elizabeth Manning, Changyu Sun, Weina Dai, Kyoji Ohyama, Sarah Burbridge, Marysia Placzek, Seth Blackshaw, Ian Groves
Summary: This study used single-cell RNA sequencing and hybridization chain reaction to analyze the early development of the hypothalamus in chicks. It revealed that hypothalamic neuroepithelial cells are induced from prethalamic-like cells and identified different progenitor populations that give rise to specific hypothalamic cell types. The study also identified molecular mechanisms and candidate regulators involved in hypothalamic induction and subsequent development.
Article
Neurosciences
Alex Moore, Kavitha Chinnaiya, Dong Won Kim, Sarah Brown, Iain Stewart, Sarah Robins, Georgina K. C. Dowsett, Charlotte Muir, Marco Travaglio, Jo E. Lewis, Fran Ebling, Seth Blackshaw, Andrew Furley, Marysia Placzek
Summary: This study reveals that the cell adhesion molecule NrCAM regulates tanycytes in adult mice, affecting the expression of tanycyte-specific genes. Loss of NrCAM leads to a reduced number of tanycytes and decreased expression of tanycyte markers, but only has a subtle effect on the metabolic phenotype.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Peter D. Price, Daniela H. Palmer Droguett, Jessica A. Taylor, Dong Won Kim, Elsie S. Place, Thea F. Rogers, Judith E. Mank, Christopher R. Cooney, Alison E. Wright
Summary: This paper examines the main approaches for studying gene expression evolution, tests their inherent biases and discusses open questions about the evolution of the transcriptome.
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Thanh Hoang, Dong Won Kim, Haley Appel, Nicole A. Pannullo, Patrick Leavey, Manabu Ozawa, Sika Zheng, Minzhong Yu, Neal S. Peachey, Seth Blackshaw
Summary: This study used genetic lineage tracing, single-cell RNA sequencing, and electroretinogram analysis to show that knocking down Ptbp1 does not lead to neuronal conversion in adult Muller glia. Only a few changes in gene expression are observed, and the glial identity is maintained.
Article
Neurosciences
Elsie Place, Elizabeth Manning, Dong Won Kim, Arisa Kinjo, Go Nakamura, Kyoji Ohyama
Summary: Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)-expressing neurons in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC) play important roles in feeding and energy homeostasis. The expression and regulation of transcription factors implicated in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transitions (EMTs) were characterized during POMC neurogenesis in the embryonic chick. The study showed that SOX2, SOX9, PROX1, ISL1, and SOX11 were sequentially expressed in the developmental process, and that Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) and Notch signaling pathways converged to regulate hypothalamic cellular homeostasis.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Kelly A. Glendining, Rebecca E. Campbell
Summary: Polycystic ovary syndrome is a common endocrine disorder characterized by excessive levels of androgen and anovulatory infertility. It is also associated with comorbidities such as obesity, hyperinsulinemia, and increased risk of cardiovascular complications. The symptoms related to reproduction, endocrine, and metabolism vary greatly, posing challenges for clinical management.
CURRENT OPINION IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Dong Won Kim, Kevin J. J. Tu, Alice Wei, Ashley J. J. Lau, Anabel Gonzalez-Gil, Tianyu Cao, Kerstin Braunstein, Jonathan P. P. Ling, Juan C. C. Troncoso, Philip C. C. Wong, Seth Blackshaw, Ronald L. L. Schnaar, Tong Li
Summary: This study used single-cell RNA sequencing to investigate microglia subtypes in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease. The results showed that the combination of amyloid-beta and tau pathologies induced the emergence of novel microglia subtypes in a disease stage-specific manner. Additionally, Siglecs were identified as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for AD progression.
MOLECULAR NEURODEGENERATION
(2022)
Article
Biology
Kavitha Chinnaiya, Sarah Burbridge, Aragorn Jones, Dong Won Kim, Elsie Place, Elizabeth Manning, Ian Groves, Changyu Sun, Matthew Towers, Seth Blackshaw, Marysia Placzek, Elisabeth Knust
Summary: This study reveals that the tuberal hypothalamus is generated from hypothalamic floor plate-like cells. A stream of tuberal progenitors develops in the neural tube as a wave of BMP signalling sweeps through the hypothalamic floor plate. The BMP signalling initiates tuberal progenitor specification, but must be eliminated for these to progress to anterior neurogenic progenitors. This study provides an integrated account of the development of the tuberal hypothalamus.
Letter
Ecology
Peter D. Price, Daniela H. Palmer Droguett, Jessica A. Taylor, Dong W. Kim, Elsie S. Place, Thea F. Rogers, Judith E. Mank, Christopher R. Cooney, Alison E. Wright
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2022)
Letter
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Thanh Hoang, Dong Won Kim, Haley Appel, Manabu Ozawa, Sika Zheng, Juhyun Kim, Seth Blackshaw
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Dong Won Kim, Seth Blackshaw
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Qiang Liu, Benjamin J. Bell, Dong Won Kim, Sang Soo Lee, Mehmet F. Keles, Qili Liu, Ian D. Blum, Annette A. Wang, Elijah J. Blank, Jiali Xiong, Joseph L. Bedont, Anna J. Chang, Habon Issa, Jeremiah Y. Cohen, Seth Blackshaw, Mark N. Wu
Summary: This study reveals the role of a clock-output molecule in reducing arousal circuit excitability during the active phase, suggesting a multifaceted role for the circadian clock in regulating arousal.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Ophthalmology
Fatemeh Rajaii, Dong Won Kim, Jeong Han, Timothy McCulley, Nicholas Mahoney, Seth Blackshaw
INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ophthalmology
Dong Won Kim, Kamil Taneja, Thanh Hoang, Clayton P. Santiago, Timothy J. McCulley, Shannath L. Merbs, Nicholas R. Mahoney, Seth Blackshaw, Fatemeh Rajaii
Summary: Our study revealed distinct gene expression profiles in TAO orbital fat compared to controls, with enrichment of specific signaling pathways. Dynamic changes in gene expression were observed during orbital adipogenesis in TAO patients, with differential expression of adipocyte-specific genes in orbital fibroblasts. These findings provide insights for functional studies of genes and pathways critical for orbital adipogenesis.
INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE
(2021)