Unknown,Transcriptomics,Genomics,Proteomics

Dataset Information

Fetal transcripts in maternal blood

ABSTRACT: The discovery of fetal mRNA transcripts in maternal circulation holds great promise for noninvasive prenatal diagnosis. To identify potential fetal biomarkers, we studied whole blood and plasma transcripts common to term pregnant women and their newborns but reduced or absent in the postpartum mothers. In whole blood, 157 potentially-fetal transcripts were identified. RT-PCR confirmed the presence of specific transcripts, SNP analysis confirmed the presence of fetal transcripts in maternal circulation. Comparison of whole blood and plasma samples from the same women suggested that placental genes are more easily detected in plasma. We conclude that fetal and placental mRNA circulates in the blood of pregnant women. [I] We profiled whole antepartum (A), postpartum (P), and umbilical cord (U) blood samples from each of 9 mothers and their 10 newborns (1 set of twins, denoted as a and b after the sample names). [II] We also profiled plasma samples (A, P, and U) from three of those mothers to allow for a direct comparison between blood and plasma.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

SUBMITTER: Donna Slonim

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-53669 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress

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Publications

Gene expression analysis in pregnant women and their infants identifies unique fetal biomarkers that circulate in maternal blood.

Maron Jill L JL Johnson Kirby L KL Slonim Donna D Lai Chao-Qiang CQ Ramoni Marco M Alterovitz Gil G Jarrah Zina Z Yang Zinger Z Bianchi Diana W DW

The Journal of clinical investigation 20071001 10

The discovery of fetal mRNA transcripts in the maternal circulation holds great promise for noninvasive prenatal diagnosis. To identify potential fetal biomarkers, we studied whole blood and plasma gene transcripts that were common to 9 term pregnant women and their newborns but absent or reduced in the mothers postpartum. RNA was isolated from peripheral or umbilical blood and hybridized to gene expression arrays. Gene expression, paired Student's t test, and pathway analyses were performed. In ...[more]

PMID: 17885688

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Project description:Passive smoke intake by pregnant women may have detrimental effects such as spontaneous abortion, lower birth weight, stillbirth, and reduced infant lung function. To extend our knowledge on molecular effects of tobacco smoke exposure in pregnancy, we analyzed transcriptome alterations in passive smokers (PS) and compared them to those in active smokers (AS). Using Illumina Expression Beadchip with 24,526 transcript probes, gene expression patterns were assayed in placentas from PS (N=25) exposed to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) throughout pregnancy and non-exposed (NS) counterparts (N=35), and in cord blood cells from their newborns. The ETS exposure was evaluated by questionnaire disclosure and cotinine measurement in maternal and cord bloods. A total of 196 genes were significantly deregulated in placentas of PS compared to NS. These genes were primary associated with extracellular matrix, apoptosis, blood clotting, response to stress, embryonic morphogenesis, and lipid metabolism. Cord blood of newborns of PS displayed differential expression of 116 genes encoding mainly neuronal factors, regulators of immunologic response, and protooncogenes. Gene ontology analyses highlighted some important biological processes that might be associated with placental insufficiency and fetal growth restriction in PS, such as fatty acid catabolism, coagulation, regulation of growth, and response to steroid hormone stimulus. The study demonstrates that even low dose exposure to ETS during pregnancy leads to the significant deregulation of transcriptional regulation in placental and fetal cells. The data suggest the effect of ETS on the fetus is primary indirect, mediated via deregulation of placental functions. Comparison of PS and AS indicated that ETS exposure and active smoking in pregnancy partly employ the same molecular mechanisms. A total of 60 women who gave birth to a baby in the Faculty Hospital Motol (Czech Republic) were enrolled into the study approved by the local Institutional Review Board. The participants signed written informed consent and self-reported information on tobacco smoke exposure (type of exposure, number of cigarettes per day, exposure period) and life style during pregnancy (alcohol drinking, diet, area of residency etc.). Further, the women completed the questionnaire on pregnancy/delivery course (complications, diseases, medication, and delivery mode) and newborn characteristics (physical parameters, Apgar score) with the assistance of gynecologist. Only women without any health complications during pregnancy and their newborns without manifestation of pathological abnormalities were included in the study. Based on self-reported tobacco smoke exposure, the women were divided into two groups, non-smokers (NS, N=35) and passive smokers (PS, N=25). Former and active smokers were excluded from the study. Exposure to tobacco smoke was further evaluated by measurement of plasma cotinine levels in maternal peripheral blood and newborn cord blood using radioimmunoassay.

Project description:Introduction: Early life is characterized by heightened susceptibility to infections and is recognized as a major determinant of the immune system development and the overall health for the entire human lifespan. However, our knowledge of the development of the neonatal immune system is incomplete, limiting the development of novel preventative and therapeutic strategies, especially in newborns. To gain insight into the early immune system development and plasma proteome ontogeny, the Expanded Program on Immunization Consortium (EPIC) led by Professor Ofer Levy MD at Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Tobias R. Kollmann Telethon Kids Institute, Australia as part of the Human Immunological Project Consortium (HIPC), established two independent cohorts of plasma from healthy newborns born by vaginal delivery during the first week of life. Methods: Blood samples were collected from 30 newborns in The Gambia (Medical Research Council Unit, The Gambia) at the day of birth (day of life, DOL 0) and at one of the follow-up visits on DOL1, DOL3, or DOL7. A similar validation cohort was collected in Papua New Guinea (PNG) (Institute for Medical Research, Papua New Guinea, Australasian) from 19 newborns. The plasma proteome was characterized by LC-MS on a Q Exactive using the proven and published plasma proteomics platform developed in the Steen Laboratory, led by Dr Hanno Steen, Director of Proteomics at Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, employing only microliter of plasma prepared in a 96-well plate format. The data was analyzed with MaxQuant. Results: We characterized 385 blood-plasma proteins. Utilizing the paired study design, we identified consistent changes related to ontogeny and cellular growth pathways in the blood-plasma proteome. Conclusion: This dataset allows for studying the early ontogeny of the plasma proteome, and in extension the early immune system development, in two independent healthy cohorts. Characterization of the plasma proteome may provide novel insight into new approaches to prevent, detect, and treat infectious diseases. Acknowledgements: We would like to thank all the participating families and all past and current members of the EPIC-HIPC, and the Steen Laboratory, without whom this study would not be possible. A special recognition goes to the teams who established the unique cohorts in The Gambia, by Professor Beate Kampmann and Dr Olubukola T. Idoko at The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, The Gambia, and in PNG, by Anita H.J. van der Biggelaar and William S. Pomat at Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia Perth, Australia.

Dataset Information

Fetal transcripts in maternal blood

Publications

Gene expression analysis in pregnant women and their infants identifies unique fetal biomarkers that circulate in maternal blood.

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