-
Frontiers in Veterinary Science 2024Hydrogen sulfide (HS) is a gaseous signaling molecule produced in the body by three enzymes: cystathionine-β-synthase (CBS), cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE) and... (Review)
Review
Hydrogen sulfide (HS) is a gaseous signaling molecule produced in the body by three enzymes: cystathionine-β-synthase (CBS), cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE) and 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (3-MST). HS is crucial in various physiological processes associated with female mammalian reproduction. These include estrus cycle, oocyte maturation, oocyte aging, ovulation, embryo transport and early embryo development, the development of the placenta and fetal membranes, pregnancy, and the initiation of labor. Despite the confirmed presence of HS-producing enzymes in all female reproductive tissues, as described in this review, the exact mechanisms of HS action in these tissues remain in most cases unclear. Therefore, this review aims to summarize the knowledge about the presence and effects of HS in these tissues and outline possible signaling pathways that mediate these effects. Understanding these pathways may lead to the development of new therapeutic strategies in the field of women's health and perinatal medicine.
PubMed: 38933705
DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1378435 -
The Pan African Medical Journal 2024Placenta accreta is a rare but serious placental attachment abnormality. The aim of this study is to analyze the epidemiological, clinical, para-clinical and...
[Placenta accreta: a retrospective descriptive study of 46 patients treated in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department of the Farhat Hached University Hospital in Sousse, Tunisia].
Placenta accreta is a rare but serious placental attachment abnormality. The aim of this study is to analyze the epidemiological, clinical, para-clinical and evolutionary features of placenta accreta, to investigate the therapeutic management and to assess maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. We conducted a retrospective, descriptive study of patients with histologically confirmed placenta accreta in the obstetrics and gynaecology department of the Farhat Hached University Hospital in Sousse, over a 4-year period from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2019. The epidemiological, clinical, paraclinical, therapeutic and evolutionary data were collected from patients´ medical records and operative reports. In our series, we identified 46 cases of placenta accreta. The average age of our patients was 35±4.61 years. Each of our patients had a scarred uterus. The average term of delivery was 34 weeks of amenorrhoea and the mode of delivery was caesarean section for all our patients. First-line hysterectomy was performed in 40 patients and conservative treatment in 6. Sixteen patients developed maternal complications. No maternal death was observed. Placenta accreta is a rare condition associated with significant maternal and foetal morbidity.
Topics: Humans; Female; Retrospective Studies; Tunisia; Placenta Accreta; Adult; Pregnancy; Hospitals, University; Hysterectomy; Cesarean Section; Young Adult; Infant, Newborn; Conservative Treatment
PubMed: 38933434
DOI: 10.11604/pamj.2024.47.147.38111 -
Viruses Jun 2024Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the leading non-genetic cause of congenital malformation in developed countries, causing significant fetal injury, and in some...
Human Cytomegalovirus Dysregulates Cellular Dual-Specificity Tyrosine Phosphorylation-Regulated Kinases and Sonic Hedgehog Pathway Proteins in Neural Astrocyte and Placental Models.
Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the leading non-genetic cause of congenital malformation in developed countries, causing significant fetal injury, and in some cases fetal death. The pathogenetic mechanisms through which this host-specific virus infects then damages both the placenta and the fetal brain are currently ill-defined. We investigated the CMV modulation of key signaling pathway proteins for these organs including dual-specificity tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated kinases (DYRK) and Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) pathway proteins using human first trimester placental trophoblast (TEV-1) cells, primary human astrocyte (NHA) brain cells, and CMV-infected human placental tissue. Immunofluorescence demonstrated the accumulation and re-localization of SHH proteins in CMV-infected TEV-1 cells with Gli2, Ulk3, and Shh re-localizing to the CMV cytoplasmic virion assembly complex (VAC). In CMV-infected NHA cells, DYRK1A re-localized to the VAC and DYRK1B re-localized to the CMV nuclear replication compartments, and the SHH proteins re-localized with a similar pattern as was observed in TEV-1 cells. Western blot analysis in CMV-infected TEV-1 cells showed the upregulated expression of Rb, Ulk3, and Shh, but not Gli2. In CMV-infected NHA cells, there was an upregulation of DYRK1A, DYRK1B, Gli2, Rb, Ulk3, and Shh. These in vitro monoculture findings are consistent with patterns of protein upregulation and re-localization observed in naturally infected placental tissue and CMV-infected ex vivo placental explant histocultures. This study reveals CMV-induced changes in proteins critical for fetal development, and identifies new potential targets for CMV therapeutic development.
Topics: Humans; Hedgehog Proteins; Cytomegalovirus; Pregnancy; Placenta; Astrocytes; Female; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; Cytomegalovirus Infections; Signal Transduction; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; Phosphorylation; Trophoblasts; Dyrk Kinases; Cell Line; Cells, Cultured
PubMed: 38932210
DOI: 10.3390/v16060918 -
Nutrients Jun 2024Evidence is emerging on the role of maternal diet, gut microbiota, and other lifestyle factors in establishing lifelong health and disease, which are determined by... (Review)
Review
Evidence is emerging on the role of maternal diet, gut microbiota, and other lifestyle factors in establishing lifelong health and disease, which are determined by transgenerationally inherited epigenetic modifications. Understanding epigenetic mechanisms may help identify novel biomarkers for gestation-related exposure, burden, or disease risk. Such biomarkers are essential for developing tools for the early detection of risk factors and exposure levels. It is necessary to establish an exposure threshold due to nutrient deficiencies or other environmental factors that can result in clinically relevant epigenetic alterations that modulate disease risks in the fetus. This narrative review summarizes the latest updates on the roles of maternal nutrients (n-3 fatty acids, polyphenols, vitamins) and gut microbiota on the placental epigenome and its impacts on fetal brain development. This review unravels the potential roles of the functional epigenome for targeted intervention to ensure optimal fetal brain development and its performance in later life.
Topics: Humans; Pregnancy; Fetal Development; Female; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Placenta; Epigenome; Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Epigenesis, Genetic; Nutrients; Polyphenols; Brain; Diet; Fatty Acids, Omega-3
PubMed: 38931215
DOI: 10.3390/nu16121860 -
Plants (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024The goal of this study was to clarify the role of capsule size and morphology in the alkaloid yield of poppy. In 2023, two industrial varieties from large-scale...
The goal of this study was to clarify the role of capsule size and morphology in the alkaloid yield of poppy. In 2023, two industrial varieties from large-scale cultivation were investigated. Three classes of capsule size (large, medium, and small) and four organelles (wall, placenta, disc, and thalamus) of the seedless capsule were studied for their mass proportions and alkaloid contents. In 'Meara', large capsules had 41% lower total alkaloid levels than smaller ones. In 'Morgana', there was no difference in total alkaloids between size groups, but large capsules had higher contents of codeine and thebaine. Among the four organelles, the wall represented the largest mass in both varieties (60-67%), while the disc and the thalamus gave the lowest proportions (below 9%). In the variety 'Meara', the highest alkaloid contents appeared in the wall (2.69% d.w.), followed by the placenta, and the other two parts. 'Morgana' accumulated the highest alkaloid content (3.72% d.w.) in the placenta. Morphine follows the trend of the total content, while codeine and thebaine may differ. Accurate information on the accumulation of alkaloids in the generative organs may contribute to increasing effectiveness in target-oriented breeding and optimization of cultivation with an appropriate choice of variety.
PubMed: 38931072
DOI: 10.3390/plants13121640 -
Microorganisms Jun 2024Maternal parasitemia and placental parasite load were examined in mother-newborn pairs to determine their effect on the congenital transmission of . Parasitemia was...
Maternal parasitemia and placental parasite load were examined in mother-newborn pairs to determine their effect on the congenital transmission of . Parasitemia was qualitatively assessed in mothers and newborns by the microhematocrit test; parasite load was determined in the placental tissues of transmitting and non-transmitting mothers by the detection of DNA and by histology. Compared to transmitter mothers, the frequency and prevalence of parasitemia were found to be increased in non-transmitter mothers; however, the frequency and prevalence of parasite load were higher among the transmitter mothers than among their non-transmitter counterparts. Additionally, serum levels of interferon (IFN)-γ were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in peripheral, placental, and cord blood samples. Median values of IFN-γ were significantly increased in the cord blood of uninfected newborns. The median IFN-γ values of transmitter and non-transmitter mothers were not significantly different; however, non-transmitter mothers had the highest total IFN-γ production among the group of mothers. Collectively, the results of this study suggest that the anti- immune response occurring in the placenta and cord is under the influence of the cytokines from the mother's blood and results in the control of parasitemia in uninfected newborns.
PubMed: 38930625
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12061243 -
Microorganisms May 2024Leptospirosis is an infectious disease that affects domestic animals, wild animals, and humans. It represents a public health problem and has an important economic...
Leptospirosis is an infectious disease that affects domestic animals, wild animals, and humans. It represents a public health problem and has an important economic impact on livestock. This study aims to investigate the importance of genital and transplacental infection in the epidemiology of leptospirosis in cows maintained in Caatinga biome conditions, Northeastern Brazil, as well as reporting organs colonized by spp. in embryos and fetuses. Blood, urinary tract (urine, bladder, and kidney), and reproductive tract (vaginal fluid, uterus, uterine tube, ovary, and placenta) samples were collected from 15 slaughtered pregnant cows. Two embryos and 13 fetuses were sampled. Central nervous system and choroid ovoid samples were collected from embryos. Blood, central nervous system, lung, peritoneal liquid, abomasal content, liver, spleen, urine, bladder, kidney, and reproductive system samples were collected from fetuses. Diagnostic methods included the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) using a collection of 24 serovars belonging to 17 different pathogenic serogroups of five species as antigens, as well as polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Anti- spp. antibodies were found in 9 cows (60%), while 13 cows (86.67%) had at least one organ or urine with leptospiral DNA. No fetus was seroreactive. Among the embryos and fetuses, 13 (86.67%) presented leptospiral DNA, proving a high frequency of transplacental infection (100%). For cows, the most frequent biological materials regarding spp. DNA detection were placenta (13 out of 15 samples; 86.7%), uterus (10 out of 15 samples; 66.7%), and vaginal fluid (5 out of 15 samples; 33.3%), while, for fetuses/embryos, the most frequent PCR-positive samples were choroid ovoid (1/2; 50%), spleen (6/13; 46.2%), kidney (5/13; 38.5%), and central nervous system (5/15; 33.3%). Sequenced samples based on the LipL32 gene presented 99% similarity with . The results indicate that transplacental infection is an efficient way of spreading spp. in cows maintained in Caatinga biome conditions. Therefore, prevention and control strategies must include actions that interrupt transmission through this alternative route.
PubMed: 38930426
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12061044 -
Journal of Clinical Medicine Jun 2024: Gestational diabetes (GDM) is a metabolic disorder with altered glucose levels diagnosed in pregnant women. The pathogenesis of GDM is not fully known, but it is...
: Gestational diabetes (GDM) is a metabolic disorder with altered glucose levels diagnosed in pregnant women. The pathogenesis of GDM is not fully known, but it is thought to be caused by impaired insulin production and insulin resistance induced by diabetogenic factors. The placenta may play an important role in the development of GDM. Glucose transporters () are responsible for the delivery of glucose into the foetal circulation. Placental zinc transporters regulate insulin and glucagon secretion, as well as gluconeogenesis and glycolysis. The aim of this study was to investigate the placental expression of , , and in women with GDM. Furthermore, we evaluated whether the expression profiles of these transporters were correlated with clinical parameters. : This study included 26 patients with GDM and 28 patients with normal glucose tolerance (NGT). : The placental expression of was significantly reduced in the GDM group, while the placental expression of , and was significantly upregulated in the GDM group. expression correlated significantly with body mass index (BMI) increase during pregnancy and body mass increase during pregnancy, while expression correlated negatively with BMI at birth. : These results suggest the involvement of GLUT3 and GLUT4, GLUT7 and SLC30A8 in the pathogenesis of GDM.
PubMed: 38930029
DOI: 10.3390/jcm13123500 -
Journal of Clinical Medicine Jun 2024The placenta undergoes morphological and functional adaptations to adverse exposures during pregnancy. The effects ofsuboptimal maternal body mass index (BMI), preterm...
Gestational Age, Infection, and Suboptimal Maternal Prepregnancy BMI Independently Associate with Placental Histopathology in a Cohort of Pregnancies without Major Maternal Comorbidities.
The placenta undergoes morphological and functional adaptations to adverse exposures during pregnancy. The effects ofsuboptimal maternal body mass index (BMI), preterm birth, and infection on placental histopathological phenotypes are not yet well understood, despite the association between these conditions and poor offspring outcomes. We hypothesized that suboptimal maternal prepregnancy BMI and preterm birth (with and without infection) would associate with altered placental maturity and morphometry, and that altered placental maturity would associate with poor birth outcomes. Clinical data and human placentae were collected from 96 pregnancies where mothers were underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese, without other major complications. Placental histopathological characteristics were scored by an anatomical pathologist. Associations between maternal BMI, placental pathology (immaturity and hypermaturity), placental morphometry, and infant outcomes were investigated for term and preterm births with and without infection. : Fetal capillary volumetric proportion was decreased, whereas the villous stromal volumetric proportion was increased in placentae from preterm pregnancies with chorioamnionitis compared to preterm placentae without chorioamnionitis. At term and preterm, pregnancies with maternal overweight and obesity had a high percentage increase in proportion of immature placentae compared to normal weight. Placental maturity did not associate with infant birth outcomes. We observed placental hypermaturity and altered placental morphometry among preterm pregnancies with chorioamnionitis, suggestive of altered placental development, which may inform about pregnancies susceptible to preterm birth and infection. : Our data increase our understanding of how common metabolic exposures and preterm birth, in the absence of other comorbidities or complications, potentially contribute to poor pregnancy outcomes and developmental programming.
PubMed: 38929907
DOI: 10.3390/jcm13123378 -
Journal of Personalized Medicine Jun 2024This study compared the therapeutic effects of engineered exosomes derived from RAW264.7 cells overexpressing hsa-let-7i-5p (engineered exosomes) to exosomes from human...
Therapeutic Effects of Engineered Exosomes from RAW264.7 Cells Overexpressing hsa-let-7i-5p against Sepsis in Mice-A Comparative Study with Human Placenta-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell Exosomes.
This study compared the therapeutic effects of engineered exosomes derived from RAW264.7 cells overexpressing hsa-let-7i-5p (engineered exosomes) to exosomes from human placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hpMSC exosomes) against sepsis-induced acute lung injury. Adult male C57BL/6 mice were divided into lipopolysaccharide (LPS), LPS plus engineered exosome (LEExo), or LPS plus hpMSC exosome (LMExo) groups, alongside control groups. The results showed that lung injury scores (based on pathohistological characteristics) and the levels of lung function alterations, tissue edema, and leukocyte infiltration in LEExo and LMExo groups were comparable and significantly lower than in the LPS group (all < 0.05). Furthermore, the levels of inflammation (nuclear factor-κB activation, cytokine upregulation), macrophage activation (hypoxia-inducible factor-1α activation, M1 phase polarization), oxidation, and apoptosis were diminished in LEExo and LMExo groups compared to the LPS group (all < 0.05). Inhibition of hsa-let-7i-5p attenuated the therapeutic effects of both engineered and hpMSC exosomes. These findings underscore the potent therapeutic capacity of engineered exosomes enriched with hsa-let-7i-5p and their potential as an alternative to hpMSC exosomes for sepsis treatment. Continued research into the mechanisms of action and optimization of engineered exosomes could pave the way for their future clinical application.
PubMed: 38929840
DOI: 10.3390/jpm14060619