Cadherins in the human placenta – epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and placental development

Placenta ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 31 (9) ◽  
pp. 747-755 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.I. Kokkinos ◽  
P. Murthi ◽  
R. Wafai ◽  
E.W. Thompson ◽  
D.F. Newgreen
Reproduction ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 161 (1) ◽  
pp. F53-F65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graham J Burton ◽  
Tereza Cindrova-Davies ◽  
Hong wa Yung ◽  
Eric Jauniaux

Development of the human placenta takes place in contrasting oxygen concentrations at different stages of gestation, from ~20 mmHg during the first trimester rising to ~60 mmHg at the start of the second trimester before gradually declining to ~40 mmHg at term. In view of these changes, the early placenta has been described as ‘hypoxic’. However, placental metabolism is heavily glycolytic, supported by the rich supply of glucose from the endometrial glands, and there is no evidence of energy compromise. On the contrary, the trophoblast is highly proliferative, with the physiological low-oxygen environment promoting maintenance of stemness in progenitor populations. These conditions favour the formation of the cytotrophoblastic shell that encapsulates the conceptus and interfaces with the endometrium. Extravillous trophoblast cells on the outer surface of the shell undergo an epithelial-mesenchymal transition and acquire invasive potential. Experimental evidence suggests that these changes may be mediated by the higher oxygen concentration present within the placental bed. Interpreting in vitro data is often difficult, however, due to the use of non-physiological oxygen concentrations and trophoblast-like cell lines or explant models. Trophoblast is more vulnerable to hyperoxia or fluctuating levels of oxygen than to hypoxia, and some degree of placental oxidative stress likely occurs in all pregnancies towards term. In complications of pregnancy, such as early-onset pre-eclampsia, malperfusion generates high levels of oxidative stress, causing release of factors that precipitate the maternal syndrome. Further experiments are required using genuine trophoblast progenitor cells and physiological concentrations to fully elucidate the pathways by which oxygen regulates placental development.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. e201800252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander M Tseng ◽  
Amanda H Mahnke ◽  
Alan B Wells ◽  
Nihal A Salem ◽  
Andrea M Allan ◽  
...  

Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), like other pregnancy complications, can result in placental insufficiency and fetal growth restriction, although the linking causal mechanisms are unclear. We previously identified 11 gestationally elevated maternal circulating miRNAs (HEamiRNAs) that predicted infant growth deficits following PAE. Here, we investigated whether theseHEamiRNAs contribute to the pathology of PAE, by inhibiting trophoblast epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), a pathway critical for placental development. We now report for the first time that PAE inhibits expression of placental pro-EMT pathway members in both rodents and primates, and thatHEamiRNAs collectively, but not individually, mediate placental EMT inhibition.HEamiRNAs collectively, but not individually, also inhibited cell proliferation and the EMT pathway in cultured trophoblasts, while inducing cell stress, and following trophoblast syncytialization, aberrant endocrine maturation. Moreover, a single intravascular administration of the pooled murine-expressedHEamiRNAs, to pregnant mice, decreased placental and fetal growth and inhibited the expression of pro-EMT transcripts in the placenta. Our data suggest thatHEamiRNAs collectively interfere with placental development, contributing to the pathology of PAE, and perhaps also, to other causes of fetal growth restriction.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander M. Tseng ◽  
Amanda H. Mahnke ◽  
Alan B. Wells ◽  
Nihal A. Salem ◽  
Andrea M. Allan ◽  
...  

AbstractPrenatal Alcohol exposure (PAE), like other pregnancy complications, can result in placental insufficiency and fetal growth restriction, though the linking causal mechanisms are unclear. We previously identified 11 gestationally-elevated maternal circulating miRNAs that predicted infant growth deficits following PAE. Here, we investigated whether theseHEamiRNAs contribute to the pathology of PAE, by inhibiting trophoblast epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a pathway critical for placental development. We now report for the first time, that PAE inhibits expression of placental pro-EMT pathway members in both rodents and primates, and thatHEamiRNAs collectively, but not individually, mediate placental EMT inhibition.HEamiRNAs collectively, but not individually, also inhibited cell proliferation and the EMT pathway in cultured trophoblasts, while inducing cell stress, and following trophoblast syncytialization, aberrant endocrine maturation. Moreover, a single intra-vascular administration of the pooled murine-expressedHEamiRNAs, to pregnant mice, decreased placental and fetal growth and inhibited expression of pro-EMT transcripts in placenta. Our data suggests thatHEamiRNAs collectively interfere with placental development, contributing to the pathology of PAE, and perhaps also, to other causes of fetal growth restriction.SummaryMaternal gestational circulating microRNAs, predictive of adverse infant outcomes including growth deficits, following prenatal alcohol exposure, contribute to placental pathology by impairing the EMT pathway in trophoblasts.


Author(s):  
Zi-Yi Wu ◽  
Yong-Qiao He ◽  
Tong-Min Wang ◽  
Da-Wei Yang ◽  
Dan-Hua Li ◽  
...  

Oncofetal chondroitin sulfate expression plays an important role in the development of tumors and the pathogenesis of malaria in pregnancy. However, the biosynthesis and functions of these chondroitin sulfates, particularly the tissue-specific regulation either in tumors or placenta, have not been fully elucidated. Here, by examining the glycogenes availability in chondroitin sulfate biosynthesis such as xylosytransferase, chondroitin synthase, sulfotransferase, and epimerase, the conserved or differential CS glycosylation in normal, colorectal cancer (CRC), and placenta tissue were predicted. We found that the expression of seven chondroitin sulfate biosynthetic enzymes, namely B4GALT7, B3GALT6, B3GAT3, CHSY3, CHSY1, CHPF, and CHPF2, were significantly increased, while four other enzymes (XYLT1, CHST7, CHST15, and UST) were decreased in the colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) and rectum adenocarcinoma (READ) patients. In the human placenta, where the distinct chondroitin sulfate is specifically bound with VAR2CSA on Plasmodium parasite-infected RBC, eight chondroitin sulfate biosynthesis enzymes (CSGALNACT1, CSGALNACT2, CHSY3, CHSY1, CHPF, DSE, CHST11, and CHST3) were significantly higher than the normal colon tissue. The similarly up-regulated chondroitin synthases (CHSY1, CHSY3, and CHPF) in both cancer tissue and human placenta indicate an important role of the proteoglycan CS chains length for Plasmodium falciparum VAR2CSA protein binding. Interestingly, twelve highly expressed chondroitin sulfate enzymes were significantly correlated to worse outcomes (prognosis) in both COAD and READ. Furthermore, we showed that the levels of chondroitin sulfate enzymes are significantly correlated with the expression of immuno-regulators and immune infiltration levels in CRCs and placenta, and involved in multiple essential pathways, such as extracellular matrix organization, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and cell adhesion. Our study provides novel insights into the oncofetal chondroitin sulfate biosynthesis regulation and identifies promising targets and biomarkers of immunotherapy for CRC and malaria in pregnancy.


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