Syncytin proteins incorporated in placenta exosomes are important for cell uptake and show variation in abundance in serum exosomes from patients with preeclampsia.

Exosomes are extracellular vesicles that mediate intercellular communication and are involved in several biological processes. The objective of our study was to determine whether endogenous retrovirus group WE, member l (ERVWE1)/syncytin-1 and endogenous retrovirus group FRD, member 1 (ERVFRDE1)/syncytin-2, encoded by human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) envelope (env) genes, are present at the surface of exosomes produced by placenta-derived villous cytotrophoblasts and whether they play a role in cellular uptake of exosomes. In addition, we sought to determine whether these proteins are present in various abundances in serum-derived exosomes from normal pregnant women vs.

Modulation of cholesterol transport by insulin-treated gestational diabetes mellitus in human full-term placenta.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common complication of pregnancy that is characterized by glucose intolerance, leads to dyslipidemia, and is aggravated by obesity. Cholesterol is taken up by the placenta as part of lipoproteins through the scavenger receptor class B type I receptor (SRBI), low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR), and very low density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR), and its efflux is then mediated by ABCA1 and ABCG1. PCSK9 is involved in the degradation of LDLR and VLDLR.

Modulation of fatty acid transport and metabolism by maternal obesity in the human full-term placenta.

Knowledge of the consequences of maternal obesity in human placental fatty acids (FA) transport and metabolism is limited. Animal studies suggest that placental uptake of maternal FA is altered by maternal overnutrition. We hypothesized that high maternal body mass index (BMI) affects human placental FA transport by modifying expression of key transporters.

Quantitative PCR pitfalls: the case of the human placenta.

Reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) is a rapid and high throughput gene expression quantification technology. In order to obtain accurate results, several key experimental design and standardization steps must be rigorously followed as previously described in the Minimum Information for Publication of Quantitative Real-Time PCR Experiments (MIQE) guidelines. This study investigates the effect of reference gene normalization and the impact of RNA degradation on gene expression of 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase in human placenta from pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia and gestational diabetes mellitus and their gestation-matched controls.

Impact of maternal circulating cholesterol and gestational diabetes mellitus on lipid metabolism in human term placenta.

Maternal hypercholesterolemia (HC) during pregnancy and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are associated with disturbance of fetal development which may also modify key features of placental functions. In this study, we evaluated the impact of maternal hypercholesterolemia on placental cholesterol and lipid metabolism in 59 women classified in two groups according to the median concentration of plasma total cholesterol (6.42 mM).

Differential expression of glucose transporters in rabbit placenta: effect of hypercholesterolemia in dams.

Low birth weight is observed in rabbit offspring when maternal hypercholesterolemia is induced during gestation, but the related etiology is still unknown. Glucose is one of the most important substances during fetal development, and defect in glucose supply to fetus was related to pathophysiological mechanisms in intrauterine growth restriction. Thus, the aim of this work was to evaluate the impact of maternal hypercholesterolemia during rabbit gestation on the glucose metabolism and the routing of glucose transporters (SLC2 and SLC5 [previously known as GLUT and SGLT]) in placenta.