Sex-specific changes of placental transcriptome in response to a n-3 LCPUFA supplementation of pregnant women
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ABSTRACT: Previously, we have examined the effect of maternal dietary n-3 LCPUFA supplementation during pregnancy to reduce offspring obesity risk. Considering the involvement of the placenta in fetal programming, we here analyzed the sexually dimorphic potential of placental gene expression, its response to the n-3 LCPUFA intervention and their correlation to offspring obesity risk. The placenta is implicated to play a key role in mediating fetal /metabolic programming of the offspring in utero. For human and mouse models, it has been reported that male and female fetuses differentially respond to in utero environmental stimuli. Moreover, sexual dimorphism is also known for placental gene expression, LCPUFA metabolism and adipose tissue distribution. Therefore, we explored whether the maternal n-3 LCPUFA intervention during pregnancy has a sex-specific impact on the term placental transcriptome in a defined subpopulation of the INFAT (impact of nutritional fatty acids during pregnancy and lactation on early human adipose tissue development) study. In addition, we assessed the relationships between sex-specific placental gene expression and sex steroids levels, and expression changes of specific genes and offspring obesity risk. Overall, human term placentas show sexually dimorphic gene expression and respond sex-specifically to dietary maternal n-3 LCPUFA intervention during pregnancy with more pronounced effects on gene expression and estradiol-17β/testosterone ratio in female than male placentas.
ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens
PROVIDER: GSE53291 | GEO | 2014/10/30
SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA231568
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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