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Placental origins of adverse pregnancy outcomes: potential molecular targets: an Executive Workshop Summary of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

ABSTRACT: Although much progress is being made in understanding the molecular pathways in the placenta that are involved in the pathophysiology of pregnancy-related disorders, a significant gap exists in the utilization of this information for the development of new drug therapies to improve pregnancy outcome. On March 5-6, 2015, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health sponsored a 2-day workshop titled Placental Origins of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: Potential Molecular Targets to begin to address this gap. Particular emphasis was given to the identification of important molecular pathways that could serve as drug targets and the advantages and disadvantages of targeting these particular pathways. This article is a summary of the proceedings of that workshop. A broad number of topics were covered that ranged from basic placental biology to clinical trials. This included research in the basic biology of placentation, such as trophoblast migration and spiral artery remodeling, and trophoblast sensing and response to infectious and noninfectious agents. Research findings in these areas will be critical for the formulation of the development of future treatments and the development of therapies for the prevention of a number of pregnancy disorders of placental origin that include preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction, and uterine inflammation. Research was also presented that summarized ongoing clinical efforts in the United States and in Europe that has tested novel interventions for preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction, including agents such as oral arginine supplementation, sildenafil, pravastatin, gene therapy with virally delivered vascular endothelial growth factor, and oxygen supplementation therapy. Strategies were also proposed to improve fetal growth by the enhancement of nutrient transport to the fetus by modulation of their placental transporters and the targeting of placental mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress to improve placental health. The roles of microRNAs and placental-derived exosomes, as well as messenger RNAs, were also discussed in the context of their use for diagnostics and as drug targets. The workshop discussed the aspect of safety and pharmacokinetic profiles of potential existing and new therapeutics that will need to be determined, especially in the context of the unique pharmacokinetic properties of pregnancy and the hurdles and pitfalls of the translation of research findings into practice. The workshop also discussed novel methods of drug delivery and targeting during pregnancy with the use of macromolecular carriers, such as nanoparticles and biopolymers, to minimize placental drug transfer and hence fetal drug exposure. In closing, a major theme that developed from the workshop was that the scientific community must change their thinking of the pregnant woman and her fetus as a vulnerable patient population for which drug development should be avoided, but rather be thought of as a deprived population in need of more effective therapeutic interventions.

SUBMITTER: Ilekis JV

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4925329 | biostudies-other | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Placental origins of adverse pregnancy outcomes: potential molecular targets: an Executive Workshop Summary of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Ilekis John V JV Tsilou Ekaterini E Fisher Susan S Abrahams Vikki M VM Soares Michael J MJ Cross James C JC Zamudio Stacy S Illsley Nicholas P NP Myatt Leslie L Colvis Christine C Costantine Maged M MM Haas David M DM Sadovsky Yoel Y Weiner Carl C Rytting Erik E Bidwell Gene G

American journal of obstetrics and gynecology 20160310 1 Suppl

Although much progress is being made in understanding the molecular pathways in the placenta that are involved in the pathophysiology of pregnancy-related disorders, a significant gap exists in the utilization of this information for the development of new drug therapies to improve pregnancy outcome. On March 5-6, 2015, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health sponsored a 2-day workshop titled Placental Origins of Ad ...[more]

PMID: 26972897

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Project description:ObjectiveCurrently, no investigations reliably identify placental dysfunction in late pregnancy. To facilitate the development of such investigations we aimed to identify placental features that differ between normal and adverse outcome in late pregnancy in a group of pregnancies with reduced fetal movement.MethodsFollowing third trimester presentation with reduced fetal movement (N = 100), placental structure ex vivo was measured. Placental function was then assessed in terms of (i) chorionic plate artery agonist responses and length-tension characteristics using wire myography and (ii) production and release of placentally derived hormones (by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and enzyme linked immunosorbant assay of villous tissue and explant conditioned culture medium).ResultsPlacentas from pregnancies ending in adverse outcome (N = 23) were ~25% smaller in weight, volume, length, width and disc area (all p<0.0001) compared with those from normal outcome pregnancies. Villous and trophoblast areas were unchanged, but villous vascularity was reduced (median (interquartile range): adverse outcome 10 (10-12) vessels/mm2 vs. normal outcome 13 (12-15), p = 0.002). Adverse outcome pregnancy placental arteries were relatively insensitive to nitric oxide donated by sodium nitroprusside compared to normal outcome pregnancy placental arteries (50% Effective Concentration 30 (19-50) nM vs. 12 (6-24), p = 0.02). Adverse outcome pregnancy placental tissue contained less human chorionic gonadotrophin (20 (11-50) vs. 55 (24-102) mIU/mg, p = 0.007) and human placental lactogen (11 (6-14) vs. 27 (9-50) mg/mg, p = 0.006) and released more soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (21 (13-29) vs. 5 (2-15) ng/mg, p = 0.01) compared with normal outcome pregnancy placental tissue.ConclusionThese data provide a description of the placental phenotype of adverse outcome in late pregnancy. Antenatal tests that accurately reflect elements of this phenotype may improve its prediction.

Project description:Pregnant individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 have higher rates of intensive care unit admission, oxygen requirement, need for mechanical ventilation, and death than nonpregnant individuals. Increased COVID-19 disease severity may be associated with an increased risk of viremia and placental infection. Maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection is also associated with pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and preterm birth, which can be either placentally mediated or reflected in the placenta. Maternal viremia followed by placental infection may lead to maternal-fetal transmission (vertical), which affects 1% to 3% of exposed newborns. However, there is no agreed-upon or standard definition of placental infection. The National Institutes of Health/Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development convened a group of experts to propose a working definition of placental infection to inform ongoing studies of SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy. Experts recommended that placental infection be defined using techniques that allow virus detection and localization in placental tissue by one or more of the following methods: in situ hybridization with antisense probe (detects replication) or a sense probe (detects viral messenger RNA) or immunohistochemistry to detect viral nucleocapsid or spike proteins. If the abovementioned methods are not possible, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction detection or quantification of viral RNA in placental homogenates, or electron microscopy are alternative approaches. A graded classification for the likelihood of placental infection as definitive, probable, possible, and unlikely was proposed. Manuscripts reporting placental infection should describe the sampling method (location and number of samples collected), method of preservation of tissue, and detection technique. Recommendations were made for the handling of the placenta, examination, and sampling and the use of validated reagents and sample protocols (included as appendices).

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Placental origins of adverse pregnancy outcomes: potential molecular targets: an Executive Workshop Summary of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Publications

Placental origins of adverse pregnancy outcomes: potential molecular targets: an Executive Workshop Summary of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

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