Mitochondrial-Targeted Antioxidant Attenuates Preeclampsia-Like Phenotypes Induced by Syncytiotrophoblast-Specific Gαq Signaling
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ABSTRACT: This experiment explored the placental transcriptomic effects of syncytiotrophoblast-specific Gαq signaling at gestational day 14.5 in mice and assessed whether these responses were altered upon administration of a mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant.
Project description:Syncytiotrophoblast stress is theorized to drive development of preeclampsia, but its molecular causes and consequences remain largely undefined. Multiple hormones implicated in preeclampsia signal via the Gαq cascade, leading to the hypothesis that excess Gαq signaling within the syncytiotrophoblast may contribute. First, we present data supporting increased Gαq signaling and antioxidant responses within villous and syncytiotrophoblast samples of human preeclamptic placenta. Second, Gαq was activated in mouse placenta using Cre-lox and DREADD methodologies. Syncytiotrophoblast-restricted Gαq activation caused hypertension, kidney damage, proteinuria, elevated circulating proinflammatory factors, decreased placental vascularization, diminished spiral artery diameter, and augmented responses to mitochondrial-derived superoxide. Administration of the mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant Mitoquinone attenuated maternal proteinuria, lowered circulating inflammatory and anti-angiogenic mediators, and maintained placental vascularization. These data demonstrate a causal relationship between syncytiotrophoblast stress and the development of preeclampsia and identify elevated Gαq signaling and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species as a cause of this stress.
Project description:BackgroundPlacental syncytiotrophoblast microvesicles (STBM) are shed into the maternal circulation during normal pregnancy. STBM circulate in significantly increased amounts in preeclampsia (PE) and are considered to be among contributors to the exaggerated proinflammatory, procoagulant state of PE. However, protein composition of STBM in normal pregnancy and PE remains unknown. We therefore sought to determine the protein components of STBM and whether STBM protein expressions differ in preeclamptic and normal pregnancies. Patients with PE (n?=?3) and normal pregnant controls (n?=?6) were recruited. STBM were prepared from placental explant culture supernatant. STBM proteins were analyzed by a combination of 1D Gel-LC-MS/MS. Protein expressions levels were quantified using spectral counts and validated by immunohistochemistry.ResultsOver 400 proteins were identified in the STBM samples. Among these, 25 proteins were found to be differentially expressed in preeclampsia compared to healthy pregnant controls, including integrins, annexins and histones.ConclusionSTBM proteins include those that are implicated in immune response, coagulation, oxidative stress, apoptosis as well as lipid metabolism pathways. Differential protein expressions of STBM suggest their pathophysiological relevance in PE.
Project description:Our experiments show that exogenous MT treatment can effectively delay the decay and water loss rate of post-harvest wax apples, which may be related to reducing the degree of membrane lipid peroxidation and inhibiting enzymatic browning. MT treatment also maintains the quality of post-harvest wax apple by enhancing the activity of antioxidant enzymes. At the same time, it can reduce the incidence of post-harvest diseases of wax apple by increasing the JA and SA contents. MT can down-regulate the expression of genes related to oxidation, and up-regulate the expression of related genes in antioxidant enzymes and non-enzymatic antioxidant pathways, suggesting that exogenous melatonin can reduce the production of excess ROS and maintain the redox homeostasis of post-harvest wax apple. Therefore, melatonin, as a strong and effective free radical scavenger and antioxidant, plays an important role in delaying the decay of post-harvest wax apples and prolonging the shelf life.
Project description:Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling is known to support differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) into mesoderm and extraembryonic lineages, whereas other signaling pathways can largely influence this lineage specification. Here, we set out to reinvestigate the influence of ACTIVIN/NODAL and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) pathways on the lineage choices made by hESCs during BMP4-driven differentiation. We show that BMP activation, coupled with inhibition of both ACTIVIN/NODAL and FGF signaling, induces differentiation of hESCs, specifically to M-NM-2hCG hormone-secreting multinucleated syncytiotrophoblast and does not support induction of embryonic and extraembryonic lineages, extravillous trophoblast, and primitive endoderm. It has been previously reported that FGF2 can switch BMP4-induced hESC differentiation outcome to mesendoderm. Here, we show that FGF inhibition alone, or in combination with either ACTIVIN/NODAL inhibition or BMP activation, supports hESC differentiation to hCG-secreting syncytiotrophoblast. We show that the inhibition of the FGF pathway acts as a key in directing BMP4-mediated hESC differentiation to syncytiotrophoblast. Human embryonic Stem Cells (hESCs) were treated under defined conditions (N2B27) with BMP4 (B), SB431542 (SB) (ACTIVIN/NODAL inhibitor), SU5402 (SU) (FGFR1 inhibitor), FGF2 (F) either alone or in various combinations as mentioned, followed by isolation of total RNA.
Project description:TFEB, a bHLH-leucine zipper transcription factor belonging to the MiT/TFE family, is a renowned global modulator of cell metabolism by regulating autophagy and lysosomal functions. Remarkably, loss of TFEB in mice causes embryonic lethality due to severe defects in placentation associated with aberrant vascularization and resulting hypoxia. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the described phenotype has yet to be elucidated. By integrating multi-omics approaches with functional assays, we uncover an unprecedented function for TFEB in promoting the formation of a functional syncytiotrophoblast in the placenta. Here, we showed that syncytiotrophoblast formation is marked by TFEB nuclear translocation and its association with the promoters of crucial placental genes, including fusogenic proteins (Syncytin-1 and Syncythin-2) and enzymes involved in the steroidogenic pathway, such as CYP19A1, the rate-limiting enzyme for the synthesis of 17β-Estradiol (E2). Conversely, the depletion of TFEB negatively impacts both the syncytial fusion and the endocrine properties of the syncytiotrophoblast, as demonstrated by a significant decrease in the secretion of placenta hormones and E2 production. Notably, the restoration of TFEB expression resets the syncytiotrophoblast identity. Finally, we identified reduced expression levels of TFEB and its target CYP19A1 in the placenta of pre-eclampsia women, suggesting that dysregulation of the TFEB-CYP19A1 axis might underlie the impairment of placental steroidogenesis described in pre-eclampsia. Our findings elect TFEB as a central controller of the metabolic properties of the placenta by orchestrating both the transcriptional program underlying trophoblast fusion and the acquisition of endocrine function, which are crucial for the bioenergetic requirements of embryonic development.
Project description:Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling is known to support differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) into mesoderm and extraembryonic lineages, whereas other signaling pathways can largely influence this lineage specification. Here, we set out to reinvestigate the influence of ACTIVIN/NODAL and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) pathways on the lineage choices made by hESCs during BMP4-driven differentiation. We show that BMP activation, coupled with inhibition of both ACTIVIN/NODAL and FGF signaling, induces differentiation of hESCs, specifically to βhCG hormone-secreting multinucleated syncytiotrophoblast and does not support induction of embryonic and extraembryonic lineages, extravillous trophoblast, and primitive endoderm. It has been previously reported that FGF2 can switch BMP4-induced hESC differentiation outcome to mesendoderm. Here, we show that FGF inhibition alone, or in combination with either ACTIVIN/NODAL inhibition or BMP activation, supports hESC differentiation to hCG-secreting syncytiotrophoblast. We show that the inhibition of the FGF pathway acts as a key in directing BMP4-mediated hESC differentiation to syncytiotrophoblast.
Project description:A catalytic antioxidant (AEOL 10150) attenuates expression of inflammatory genes in stroke. White and grey matter in the distribution on the middle cerebral artery 6 hours after administration of the saline/catalytic antioxidant AEOL 10150 and ischemia/reperfusion of the MCAO; pooled mRNA from 6 brains. Keywords = stroke, antioxidant Keywords: repeat sample
Project description:Preeclampsia is the most common placental pathology in pregnant females, with increased morbidity and mortality incurred on the mother and the fetus. There is a need for improved biomarkers for diagnosis and monitoring of this condition. Placental syncytiotrophoblasts at the maternal-fetal interface release nanoparticles, including extracellular microvesicles, into the maternal blood during pregnancy. Syncytiotrophoblast extracellular microvesicles (STEVs) are being studied for their diagnostic potential and for their potential physiologic role in preeclampsia. We hypothesized that STEV profiles in maternal circulation would be altered under conditions of preeclampsia compared to normal pregnancy. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) released by BeWo cells in vitro showed high expression of syncytin-1, but no plac1 expression, demonstrating that trophoblast cell EVs express syncytin-1 on their surface. Placental alkaline phosphatase also showed high expression on BeWo EVs, but due to concern for cross reactivity to highly prevalent isoforms of intestinal and bone alkaline phosphatase, we utilized syncytin-1 as a marker for STEVs. In vivo, syncytin-1 protein expression was confirmed in maternal plasma EVs from Control and Preeclampsia subjects by Western blot, and overall, lower expression was noted in samples from patients with preeclampsia (n?=?8). By nanoparticle analysis, EV profiles from Control and Preeclampsia groups showed similar total plasma EV quantities (p?=?0.313) and size distribution (p?=?0.415), but STEV quantitative signal, marked by syncytin-1 specific EVs, was significantly decreased in the Preeclampsia group (p?=?2.8 × 10-11). Receiver operating characteristic curve demonstrated that STEV signal threshold cut-off of <0.316 was 95.2% sensitive and 95.6% specific for diagnosis of preeclampsia in this cohort (area under curve = 0.975 ± 0.020). In conclusion, we report that the syncytin-1 expressing EV profiles in maternal plasma might serve as a placental tissue specific biomarker for preeclampsia.