The amniotic fluid proteome changes with gestational age in normal pregnancy: a cross-sectional study

The cell-free transcriptome in amniotic fluid (AF) has been shown to be informative of physiologic and pathologic processes in pregnancy; however, the change in AF proteome with gestational age has mostly been studied by targeted approaches. The objective of this study was to describe the gestational age-dependent changes in the AF proteome during normal pregnancy by using an omics platform. The abundance of 1310 proteins was measured on a high-throughput aptamer-based proteomics platform in AF samples collected from women during midtrimester (16–24 weeks of gestation, n = 15) and at term without labor (37–42 weeks of gestation, n = 13). Only pregnancies without obstetrical complications were included in the study. Almost 25% (320) of AF proteins significantly changed in abundance between the midtrimester and term gestation. Of these, 154 (48.1%) proteins increased, and 166 (51.9%) decreased in abundance at term compared to midtrimester. Tissue-specific signatures of the trachea, salivary glands, brain regions, and immune system were increased while those of the gestational tissues (uterus, placenta, and ovary), cardiac myocytes, and fetal liver were decreased at term compared to midtrimester. The changes in AF protein abundance were correlated with those previously reported in the cell-free AF transcriptome. Intersecting gestational age-modulated AF proteins and their corresponding mRNAs previously reported in the maternal blood identified neutrophil-related protein/mRNA pairs that were modulated in the same direction. The first study to utilize an aptamer-based assay to profile the AF proteome modulation with gestational age, it reveals that almost one-quarter of the proteins are modulated as gestation advances, which is more than twice the fraction of altered plasma proteins (~ 10%). The results reported herein have implications for future studies focused on discovering biomarkers to predict, monitor, and diagnose obstetrical diseases.

Combined Effect of Telomere Length and Mitochondrial DNA Copy Number As a Potential Biomarker Indicating PE Risk: a Case-Control Study in a Chinese Population

Purpose To explore changes of Telomere length (TL) and mitochondrial copy number (mtDNA-CN) in preeclampsia (PE) and to evaluatethe combined effect of maternal TL and mtDNA-CN on PE risk.Methods A case-control study of 471 subjects (130 PE cases and 341 age frequency matched controls) was conducted in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Jiangsu Province of China. Relative telomere length (RTL) and mtDNA-CN were measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and PE risk was calculated between groups by logistic regression analyses.Results PE patients displayed longer RTL (0.48 versus 0.30) and higher mtDNA-CN (3.02 versus 2.00) in maternal bloodas well as longer cord blood RTL(0.61 versus 0.35) but lower mtDNA-CN (1.69 versus 5.49) in cord blood (all p<0.001). Exercise during pregnancy exerted an obvious effect of prolonging maternal telomere length. Multiparous, women with folic acid intake during early pregnancy and those delivered vaginally showed longer telomere length while those factors imposed no or opposite effect on RTL in PE cases. Furthermore, RTL and mtDNA-CN were positively correlated in controls (in maternal blood r=0.18, p<0.01; in cord blood r=0.19, p<0.001), but this correlation was disrupted in PE cases, no matter in maternal blood or in cord blood. Longer maternal RTL and higher mtDNA-CN were associated with higher risk of PE, and the ROC curve of RTL and mtDNA-CN in predicting PE risk presented an AUC of 0.755(95%CI: 0.698-0.812).Conclusions Interaction of TL and mtDNA-CN may play an important role in pathogenesis of PE and it could be a potential biomarker indicating PE risk.

Trophoblast emboli in the lung of a snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus)

Spontaneous migration of placental trophoblasts into maternal blood vessels and embolization to other organs (ie, lung, adrenal gland, spleen, and liver) occurs in women and certain animals with hemochorial placentation. Although considered incidental in most species, increased incidence and numbers of trophoblast emboli are reported in women with gestational diseases with arterial hypertension (pre-eclampsia and eclampsia). To the best of our knowledge, trophoblast emboli have not been reported in lagomorphs. This case report describes the identification of trophoblast emboli in the lung of a wild snowshoe hare ( Lepus americanus). Death of this hare was attributed to pulmonary hemorrhages and hemothorax, but a definitive cause for the hemorrhages was not determined. It is unclear whether trophoblast embolism normally occurs in this species and represents an incidental finding, or whether it possibly contributed to rupture of pulmonary or thoracic blood vessels leading to hemorrhage.

Study on the Correlation between the Levels of HtrA3 and TGF-β2 in Late Pregnancy and Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia (PE) is a common and proprietary complication during pregnancy. The correlation was found between the levels of HtrA3 and TGF-β 2 and preeclampsia (PE). This study aimed to detect the HtrA3 and TGF-β2 in different parts of the third trimester (maternal serum, placenta). The 102 pregnant women who were eligible for enrollment in the obstetric examination at Tengzhou Maternity and Child Health Hospital from June 2020 to December 2020 were selected as the research objects. 28 cases diagnosed with PE were set up as the observation group 1, and 24 cases diagnosed with severe PE were set up as the observation group 2. Select 50 normal pregnant women as the control group and research the expressions of HtrA3 and TGF-β2 in maternal blood and placental tissues of patients with PE. ELISA was used to measure the concentration of HtrA3 and TGF-β2 in maternal blood. The distribution of HtrA3 and TGF-β2 in the placenta was observed by immunohistochemical techniques (IHC) and mean optical density value (MOD). S/D was measured by using color Doppler ultrasonic. The concentration of HtrA3 and TGF-β2 in the maternal blood and placenta tissue was higher in severe PE compared with PE and normotensive pregnancy, respectively ( P < 0.05 ). There is a negative correlation between the level of HtrA3 and TGF-β2 and the birthweight of newborns both in maternal plasma and placenta tissue in preeclampsia and positive correlation between HtrA3 and TGF-β2 levels and S/D. HtrA3 and TGF-β2 may correlate with severity of PE and their neonatal adverse outcomes.

Transient Early Fine Motor Abnormalities in Infants Born to COVID-19 Mothers Are Associated With Placental Hypoxia and Ischemia

Background: Long-term effects of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on infants born to infected mothers are not clear. Fine motor skills are crucial for the development of infant emotional regulation, learning ability and social skills.Methods: Clinical information of 100 infants born to 98 mothers (COVID-19 n = 31, non-COVID-19 n = 67) were collected. Infants were follow-up up to 9 months post-partum. The placental tissues were examined for SARS-CoV-2 infection, pathological changes, cytokines, and mtDNA content.Results: Decreased placental oxygen and nutrient transport capacity were found in infected pregnant women. Increased IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α, and IFN-γ were detected in trophoblast cells and maternal blood of COVID-19 placentas. Elevated early fine motor abnormal-ities and increased serum TNI (troponin I) levels at delivery were observed in infants born to mothers with COVID-19. Increased abnormal mitochondria and elevated mtDNA content were found in the placentas from infected mothers. The placental mtDNA content of three infants with abnormal DDST were increased by 4, 7, and 10%, respectively, compared to the mean of the COVID-19 group. The Maternal Vascular Malperfusion (MVM), elevated cytokines and increased placental mtDNA content in mothers with COVID-19 might be associated with transient early fine motor abnormalities in infants. These abnormalities are only temporary, and they could be corrected by daily training.Conclusions: Babies born to COVID-19 mothers with mild symptoms appeared to have little or no excess long-term risks of abnormal physical and neurobehavioral development as compared with the infants delivered by non-COVID-19 mothers.

Paradoxical Malignant Embolism, Brief Review

During gestation period the oxygenated maternal blood is transferred to the embryo via the placenta and umbilical cord into the right atrium. It is further transferred through an interatrial shunt to the left atrium, the Foramen Ovale, and distributed to the embryonic body. The foramen is closed after the birth, but remains occasionally patent, permitting embolization through a right to left shunt. This is transferring thrombi, fat, cement and bony spikes, air, and occasionally malignant tissue. This brief review is on the malignant embolization.

Comprehensive fatty acid fractionation profilling in preeclampsia: a case control study with multivariable analysis

Background Preeclampsia is a complication during pregnancy characterised by new-onset hypertension and proteinuria that develops after 20 weeks of gestation. Dyslipidemia in pregnancy is correlated with an increased risk of preeclampsia. However, the dynamic changes in lipid metabolic product, particularly fatty acid fraction, in preeclampsia maternal circulation, are not well understood. This study aimed to investigate fatty acid fraction in preeclampsia maternal blood compared with normotensive normal pregnancy. Methods A total of 34 women who developed preeclampsia and 32 women with normotensive normal pregnancy were included in our case-control study. Maternal blood samples were collected for serum fatty acid fractions analysis and other biochemical parameters. Serum fatty acid fractions included long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA), monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), saturated fatty acid, and total fatty acid, measured with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The mean difference of fatty acid level was analysed using parametric and non-parametric bivariate analysis based on normality distributed data, while the risk of preeclampsia based on fatty acid fraction was analysed using a logistic regression model. Results Women with preeclampsia have lower high-density lipoprotein (53.97 ± 12.82 mg/dL vs. 63.71 ± 15.20 mg/dL, p = 0.006), higher triglyceride (284.91 ± 97.68 mg/dL vs. 232.84 ± 73.69 mg/dL, p = 0.018) than that in the normotensive group. Higher palmitoleic acid was found in women with preeclampsia compared to normotensive normal pregnancy (422.94 ± 195.99 vs. 325.71 ± 111.03 μmol/L, p = 0.037). The binary logistic regression model showed that pregnant women who had total omega-3 levels within the reference values had a higher risk of suffering preeclampsia than those with the higher reference value (odds ratio OR (95% CI): 8,5 (1.51–48.07), p = 0.015). Pregnant women who have saturated fatty acid within reference values had a lower risk for suffering preeclampsia than those in upper reference value (OR (95% CI): 0.21 (0.52–0.88), p = 0.032). Conclusion Overall, palmitoleic acid was higher in women with preeclampsia. Further analysis indicated that reference omega-3 in and high saturated fatty acid serum levels are characteristics of women with preeclampsia.

Early determination of fetal sex in goat a comparison between real time PCR and ultrasonography

The point of the current study is to assess the productivity of the real time PCR and ultrasound techniques in early determination of fetal sex in Iraqi singleton pregnant goats. Our investigation has been led in Iraq, Al-Diwanya city from 10/8/2020 – 15/1/2021. The examination incorporates 45 singleton pregnant Iraqi goats, which initially inspected by ultrasound to affirm pregnancy and to decide the fetal sex depending on the restriction of the genital tubercle of the goat fetuses, after that, blood specimens had been gathered from the jugular vein of all examined does to detect fetal sex by discovery of AMLX and SRY genes in the circling cells free fetal DNA (ccffDNA) in these maternal blood specimens by utilizing real time PCR. Our outcomes showed an exceptionally high level of accuracy in real time PCR in contrast with the ultrasound strategy. The outcomes were affirmed by the true fetal sex after parturition in the inspected does. The complete symptomatic rate were 51.11% (23/45) and 97.78% (44/45) for ultrasound and PCR strategies separately. The exactness level of genuine analyzed female and male caprine kidding were 58.33% (7/12), 48.48% (16/33), and 100% (12/12), 96.97% (32/33) for ultrasound and real time PCR techniques separately. While the exactness rates of the two techniques utilized in this investigation for early caprine fetal sexing in respect to early pregnancies periods analyzed uncovered 100% (13/13), 96.3% (26/27), 100% (5/5), and 61.54% (8/13), 40.74% (11/27), 80% (4/5) in early pregnancy periods (58-62, 63-67, 68-73) days for real time PCR and ultrasound strategies individually. In conclusion our outcomes revealed a huge predominant exactness and productivity in fetal sexing in Iraqi singleton pregnant does in early development periods, with very high accuracy in real time PCR in compare to ultrasound techniques.