Project description:Normal pregnancy requires adaptations of the maternal vasculature. During preeclampsia these adjustments are not well established, resulting in maternal hypertension and proteinuria. The effects of preeclampsia on the maternal vasculature are not yet fully understood. We aimed to identify gene expression differences in the aorta between non pregnant, healthy pregnant, and experimental preeclamptic rats using a genome wide approach. Whole aortic tissue was isolated from rats with low-dose LPS-induced preeclampsia, healthy pregnant and non-pregnant rats. Gene expression was measured by a whole genome microarray.
Project description:The study determined whether there were gender differences in the <br>expression of hippocampal genes in adult rats in association with dissimilarity <br>in their behavior, and how these were affected by prenatal stress. Pregnant <br>Wistar rats were subjected to varied stress once daily on days 14-20 of <br>gestation.<br>
Project description:Background: Platelets may be pivotal mediators of the thrombo-haemorrhagic complications of preeclampsia (PE), linking inflammation and thrombosis with endothelial and vascular dysfunction. While gestational hypertension (GH) falls within the spectrum of hypertensive complications of pregnancy and is a risk factor for preeclampsia, it is unclear what biomarkers distinguish PE from GH. Aim: To identify specific plasma and platelet thrombo-inflammatory biomarkers indicative of preeclampsia and distinguish PE from GH. Methods: We performed multiplex immunoassays, assessed platelet and plasma proteomics and metabolomics data of PE patients, and compared with non-pregnant (NP), healthy pregnant (PC) and GH participants. Results: We report plasma proteins upregulated, enriched plasma metabolites and proteins distinctly overexpressed in platelets of PE and GH compared to NP and PC. Whilst procoagulation in PC may be fibrinogen driven, Inter-Alpha-Trypsin Inhibitors ITIH2 and ITIH3 were enriched in hypertensive complications of pregnancy (PE and GH), and fibronectin and S100A8/9 may be major procoagulant agonists in PE but not GH. In addition, platelet leucine-rich repeat-containing protein 27 and 42 (LRRC27/42) subunits of volume-regulated VRAC anion channels were markedly overexpressed in preeclampsia and may contribute to the heightened glucose sensitivity and the pro-thrombotic tendency of this disorder. Additionally, our multiplex immunoassays confirmed previous reports of increases in preeclampsia plasma cytokines, including SDF-1α, which can directly activate platelets; but also, i-309 and CTACK cytokines, whose effects on platelets we explored using STRING analysis. Conclusion: We identified biomarkers that may be monitored for preeclampsia onset and progression, and distinguish PE from GH. Also, through protein-protein interactions analysis, we generated a new hypothesis for platelets’ contribution to the thrombo-inflammatory states of preeclampsia.
Project description:Maternal serum levels of calcyclin and heat shock protein 90 were compared throughout pregnancy from the first trimester till term among women with preeclampsia (PE) and age-matched normotensive pregnant controls (C). Serum samples from two different studies, a nested case-control study embedded in the Rotterdam periconception cohort and the Lepra Study both conducted at the Erasmus MC in Rotterdam. They were collected in the first, second and third trimester of pregnancy in 43 patients with preeclampsia, consisting of 20 early-onset and 23 late-onset preeclampsia, and 46 normotensive pregnant controls. A serum based 2D LC-MS assay on Parallel Reaction Monitoring mode using a high resolution tribrid mass spectrometer was used to quantify both calcyclin and heat shock protein 90.
Project description:Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used to establish exhausted-exercise model by motorized rodent treadmill. Yu-Ping-Feng-San at doses of 2.18 g/kg was administrated by gavage before exercise training for 10 consecutive days. Quantitative proteomics was performed for assessing the related mechanism of Yu-Ping-Feng-San.
Project description:Preeclampsia is a common complication of pregnancy that affects 4-5% of pregnant women around the world. At present, there is a lack of early identification of high-risk patients of preeclampsia in clinical practice, which restricts the development of disease prevention and treatment. Previous studies have indicated that plasma exosomal miRNAs in pregnant women could serve as biomarkers of preeclampsia, but few is focused on exosomal miRNAs from preeclampsia pregnancy with severe features(sPE). Therefore, we detected and compared the plasma exosomal miRNA profiles between normal pregancy and sPE to explore potential biomarkers and pathogenic mechanisms of sPE.
Project description:Patients who are diagnosed with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) during pregnancy are at increased risk of maternal and fetal complications including fetal demise. We present a case of a 32-year-old G3P0 (gravida 3, para 0) who presented at 20 weeks’ gestation with a new diagnosis of congenital TTP (cTTP) and fetal demise. Methods: We describe the pathophysiology of pregnancy complications in a patient with cTTP using platelet procoagulant membrane dynamics analysis and quantitative proteomic studies, compared to 4 pregnant patients with gestational hypertension, 4 pregnant patients with preeclampsia and 4 healthy pregnant controls. Results: The cTTP patient had increased P-selectin, tissue factor expression, annexin-V binding on platelets and neutrophils, and localized thrombin generation, suggestive of hypercoagulability. Among 15 proteins that were upregulated, S100A8 and S100A9 were distinctly overexpressed.Conclusions: There is platelet-neutrophil activation and interaction, platelet hypercoagulability and proinflammation in our case of cTTP with fetal demise.
Project description:Transcriptional profiling of miRNAs from rat brain tissues comparing controls (Sham) with ischemic rats (tMCAO) and neuroprotected rats (RLIP) Internal normalization: ischemic core vs. periischemic and ANOVA comparison across three experimental conditions: Sham, tMCAO and RLIP
Project description:Healthy pregnancy is characterized by an increase in platelet activation and a decrease in the number of circulating platelets with gestation. Despite this recognised importance, proteomic studies investigating platelets in healthy pregnancy have not been performed. As platelet cargo can be altered in different conditions, we hypothesised that platelets may store a relevant and bespoke collection of molecules during pregnancy. To examine this, we performed comparative label-free quantitative proteomic profiling of platelet releasates from healthy pregnant and non-pregnant women using a tandem mass spectrometry approach. Of the 723 proteins identified, 69 PR proteins were found to be differentially released from platelets in pregnancy, including proteins only expressed during pregnancy such as pregnancy-specific glycoproteins and human placental lactogen.
Project description:To identify potential regulators of late pregnancy-dependent thyroid weight increase, thyroid gene expression profiles of non-pregnant (NP) and late pregnant (LP, day 18) rats was analyzed using the RNA-seq approach.