Project description:T helper 17 (TH17) cells have been identified as a new lineage of helper T cells and have been shown to be important in host defense against extracellular infectious agents, autoimmune disease and chronic inflammatory diseases. Recently, TH17 cells have also been shown to participate in successful pregnancy, as well as in the pathogenesis of diseases of pregnancy, such as recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) and pre-eclampsia (PE). Here, we review our current knowledge of TH17 cells in human RSA and PE. We also discuss how the local uterine microenvironment affects the differentiation of TH17 cells and the mechanisms that regulate TH17 cells during pregnancy. Research into TH17 cells will not only advance our understanding of TH17-related pregnancy complications, but will also facilitate the design of novel therapies for reproductive diseases.
Project description:ObjectivesTo investigate the incidence of clinical, ultrasonographic and biochemical findings related to pre-eclampsia (PE) in pregnancies with COVID-19, and to assess their accuracy to differentiate between PE and the PE-like features associated with COVID-19.DesignA prospective, observational study.SettingTertiary referral hospital.ParticipantsSingleton pregnancies with COVID-19 at >20+0 weeks.MethodsForty-two consecutive pregnancies were recruited and classified into two groups: severe and non-severe COVID-19, according to the occurrence of severe pneumonia. Uterine artery pulsatility index (UtAPI) and angiogenic factors (soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1/placental growth factor [sFlt-1/PlGF]) were assessed in women with suspected PE.Main outcome measuresIncidence of signs and symptoms related to PE, such as hypertension, proteinuria, thrombocytopenia, elevated liver enzymes, abnormal UtAPI and increased sFlt-1/PlGF.ResultsThirty-four cases were classified as non-severe and 8 as severe COVID-19. Five (11.9%) women presented signs and symptoms of PE, all five being among the severe COVID-19 cases (62.5%). However, abnormal sFlt-1/PlGF and UtAPI could only be demonstrated in one case. One case remained pregnant after recovery from severe pneumonia and had a spontaneous resolution of the PE-like syndrome.ConclusionsPregnant women with severe COVID-19 can develop a PE-like syndrome that might be distinguished from actual PE by sFlt-1/PlGF, LDH and UtAPI assessment. Healthcare providers should be aware of its existence and monitor pregnancies with suspected pre-eclampsia with caution.Tweetable abstractThis study shows that a pre-eclampsia-like syndrome could be present in some pregnancies with severe COVID-19.
Project description:Background and objectivesDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, a possible overlap of obesity and COVID-19 infection has raised concerns among patients and healthcare professionals about protecting pregnant women from developing a severe infection and unwanted pregnancy outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations of body mass index with clinical, laboratory, and radiology diagnostic parameters as well as pregnancy complications and maternal outcomes in pregnant patients with COVID-19.Materials and methodsClinical status, laboratory, and radiology diagnostic parameters and pregnancy outcomes were analyzed for pregnant women hospitalized between March 2020 and November 2021 in one tertiary-level university clinic in Belgrade, Serbia, due to infection with SARS-CoV-2. Pregnant women were divided into the three sub-groups according to their pre-pregnancy body mass index. For testing the differences between groups, a two-sided p-value <0.05 (the Kruskal-Wallis and ANOVA tests) was considered statistically significant.ResultsOut of 192 hospitalized pregnant women, obese pregnant women had extended hospitalizations, including ICU duration, and they were more likely to develop multi-organ failure, pulmonary embolism, and drug-resistant nosocomial infection. Higher maternal mortality rates, as well as poor pregnancy outcomes, were also more likely to occur in the obese group of pregnant women. Overweight and obese pregnant women were more likely to develop gestational hypertension, and they had a higher grade of placental maturity.ConclusionsObese pregnant women hospitalized due to COVID-19 infection were more likely to develop severe complications.
Project description:Preeclampsia is one of the most important and complexed disorders for women's health. Searching for novel proteins as biomarkers to reveal pathogenesis, proteomic approaches using 2DE has become a valuable tool to understanding of preeclampsia. To analyze the proteomic profiling of preclamptic placenta compared to that of normal pregnancy for better understanding of pathogenesis in preeclampsia, placentas from each group were handled by use of proteomics approach using 2DE combined with MALDI-TOF-MS. The 20 spots of showing differences were analysed and identified. Among differentially expressed protein spots Hsp 27 and Hsp 70 were selected for validation using Western blot analysis. In preeclamptic placenta 9 differentially expressed proteins were down-regulated with Hsp 70, serum albumin crystal structure chain A, lamin B2, cytokeratin 18, actin cytoplasmic, alpha fibrinogen precursor, septin 2, dihydrolipoamide branched chain transacylase E2 and firbrinogen beta chain. The 11 up-regulated proteins were fibrinogen gamma, cardiac muscle alpha actin proprotein, cytokeratin 8, calumenin, fibrinogen fragment D, F-actin capping protein alpha-1 subunit, Hsp 27, Hsp 40, annexin A4, enoyl-CoA delta isomerase and programmed cell death protein 6. The western blot analysis for validation also showed significant up-regulation of Hsp 27 and down-regulation of Hsp 70 in the placental tissues with preeclmaptic pregnancies. This proteomic profiling of placenta using 2DE in preeclampsia successfully identifies various proteins involved in apoptosis, mitochondrial dysfunction, as well as three Hsps with altered expression, which might play a important role for the understanding of pathogenesis in preeclampsia.
Project description:BackgroundThe risk of myocardial infarction (MI) increases during pregnancy, particularly in women with pre-eclampsia. MI is diagnosed by measuring high blood levels of cardiac-specific troponin (cTn), although this may be elevated in women with pre-eclampsia without MI, which increases diagnostic uncertainty. It is unclear how much cTn is elevated in uncomplicated and complicated pregnancy, which may affect whether the existing reference intervals can be used in pregnant women. Previous reviews have not investigated high-sensitivity troponin in pregnancy, compared to older, less sensitive methods.MethodsElectronic searches using the terms "troponin I" or "troponin T", and "pregnancy", "pregnancy complications" or "obstetrics". cTn levels were extracted from studies of women with uncomplicated pregnancies or pre-eclampsia.ResultsThe search identified ten studies with 1581 women. Eight studies used contemporary methods that may be too insensitive to use reliably in this clinical setting. Two studies used high-sensitivity assays, with one reporting an elevation in troponin I (TnI) in pre-eclampsia compared to uncomplicated pregnancy, and the other only examining women with pre-eclampsia. Seven studies compared cTn between women with pre-eclampsia or uncomplicated pregnancy using any assay. Seven studies showed elevated TnI in pre-eclampsia compared to uncomplicated pregnancy or non-pregnant women. One study measured troponin T (TnT) in pregnancy but did not examine pre-eclampsia.ConclusionTnI appears to be elevated in pre-eclampsia, irrespective of methodology, which may reflect the role of cardiac stress in this condition. TnI may be similar in healthy pregnant and non-pregnant women, but we found no literature reporting pregnancy-specific reference intervals using high-sensitivity tests. This limits broader application of cTn in pregnancy. There is a need to define reference intervals for cTn in pregnant women, which should involve serial sampling throughout pregnancy, with careful consideration for gestational age and body mass index, which cause dynamic changes in normal maternal physiology.
Project description:Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common disorder of pregnancy with short- and long-term consequences for mother and baby. Pre-eclampsia is of major concern to obstetricians due to its sudden onset and increased morbidity and mortality for mother and baby. The incidence of these conditions continues to increase due to widespread maternal obesity. Maternal obesity is a risk factor for GDM and pre-eclampsia, yet our understanding of the role of adipose tissue and adipocyte biology in their aetiology is very limited. In this article, available data on adipose tissue and adipocyte function in healthy and obese pregnancy and how these are altered in GDM and pre-eclampsia are reviewed. Using our understanding of adipose tissue and adipocyte biology in non-pregnant populations, a role for underlying adipocyte dysfunction in the pathological pathways of these conditions is discussed.
Project description:Background and aimsPreeclampsia (PE) is associated with life-long increased risk of cardiovascular disease. One of the main protective functions of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) is its role in reverse cholesterol transport. HDL-mediated cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC) is decreased during pregnancy in women with PE. Whether this persists postpartum is unknown.MethodsBasal and transporter-specific CEC were determined 6 months postpartum in women who had a normotensive (n = 44) or a PE (n = 42) pregnancy. CEC was also measured in 23 normotensive and 20 PE women for whom samples were collected 24 months postpartum. Basal, ATP-binding cassette transporter-A1 (ABCA1)- and -G1 (ABCG1)-specific CEC were primarily determined using Chinese hamster ovary cells stably expressing human ABCA1 or ABCG1, and were also assessed using a J774 mouse macrophage cell line.ResultsABCA1-specific CEC was significantly lower in women who had PE 6 months postpartum (0.57 ± 0.1 vs 0.53 ± 0.08; p < 0.05), whilst basal and ABCG1-specific efflux were not significantly different. cAMP-specific CEC in J774 cells was also lower 6 months after PE (0.85 ± 0.21 vs 0.75 ± 0.25, p < 0.05). Although apoA-I, apoE, plasminogen and PON-1 levels were not significantly different in women who had PE compared with controls, ABCA1 efflux did correlate with apoA-l, HDL-C and apoE levels after a normal, and with apoA-l and HDL-C levels after a PE pregnancy. ABCA1-specific efflux decreased in all women between 6 and 24 months postpartum, by 11 ± 1.6% in women who had a normotensive pregnancy and 9 ± 1.3% in women who had PE. After adjustment for apoA-I levels, there was no significant difference in ABCA1-specific efflux between the groups at 6 months postpartum and in normotensive women over time, but remained significantly different between 6 and 24 months in women who had PE.ConclusionsABCA1-mediated CEC is impaired 6 months postpartum after a PE pregnancy and decreases thereafter in both normotensive and PE pregnancies. ABCA1-mediated efflux is dynamic after pregnancy but is unlikely to explain the long-term increased CVD risk in women with PE.