PIBF1 regulates trophoblast syncytialization and promotes cardiovascular development.

Proper placental development in early pregnancy ensures a positive outcome later on. The developmental relationship between the placenta and embryonic organs, such as the heart, is crucial for a normal pregnancy. However, the mechanism through which the placenta influences the development of embryonic organs remains unclear.

Alteration in Uterine Protease-Activated Receptor 2 Expression in Preterm Birth Induced Experimentally in Null Mutant Mice.

Breast regression protein 39 (Brp-39) is a mouse homolog of human Chitinase 3-like 1, which belongs to the 18-glycosyl-hydrolase family and plays a role in inflammatory reaction and tissue remodeling. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of Brp-39 in a mouse model of preterm birth. Pregnant wild-type (WT) or (-/-) mice were injected intraperitoneally with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at embryonic day 15.

Placenta-on-a-chip: a novel platform to study the biology of the human placenta.

Objective: Studying the biology of the human placenta represents a major experimental challenge. Although conventional cell culture techniques have been used to study different types of placenta-derived cells, current in vitro models have limitations in recapitulating organ-specific structure and key physiological functions of the placenta. Here we demonstrate that it is possible to leverage microfluidic and microfabrication technologies to develop a microengineered biomimetic model that replicates the architecture and function of the placenta.

Leptin Elongates Hypothalamic Neuronal Cilia via Transcriptional Regulation and Actin Destabilization.

Terminally differentiated neurons have a single, primary cilium. The primary cilia of hypothalamic neurons play a critical role in sensing metabolic signals. We recently showed that mice with leptin deficiency or resistance have shorter cilia in the hypothalamic neurons, and leptin treatment elongates cilia in hypothalamic neurons.

Umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells affected by gestational diabetes mellitus display premature aging and mitochondrial dysfunction.

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells (hUC-MSCs) of Wharton's jelly origin undergo adipogenic, osteogenic, and chondrogenic differentiation in vitro. Recent studies have consistently shown their therapeutic potential in various human disease models. However, the biological effects of major pregnancy complications on the cellular properties of hUC-MSCs remain to be studied.

Leptin-promoted cilia assembly is critical for normal energy balance.

The majority of mammalian cells have nonmotile primary cilia on their surface that act as antenna-like sensory organelles. Genetic defects that result in ciliary dysfunction are associated with obesity in humans and rodents, which suggests that functional cilia are important for controlling energy balance. Here we demonstrated that neuronal cilia lengths were selectively reduced in hypothalami of obese mice with leptin deficiency and leptin resistance.

A link between a hemostatic disorder and preterm PROM: a role for tissue factor and tissue factor pathway inhibitor.

Objective: Vaginal bleeding is a risk factor for preterm PROM (PPROM). A disorder of decidual hemostasis has been implicated in the genesis of PROM. Indeed, excessive thrombin generation has been demonstrated in PPROM both before and at the time of diagnosis.

Chorioamnionitis and increased galectin-1 expression in PPROM --an anti-inflammatory response in the fetal membranes?

Problem: Galectin-1 can regulate immune responses upon infection and inflammation. We determined galectin-1 expression in the chorioamniotic membranes and its changes during histological chorioamnionitis.

Method Of Study: Chorioamniotic membranes were obtained from women with normal pregnancy (n = 5) and from patients with pre-term pre-labor rupture of the membranes (PPROM) with (n = 8) and without histological chorioamnionitis (n = 8).

Region-specific gene expression profiling: novel evidence for biological heterogeneity of the human amnion.

The amnion plays an important role during pregnancy and parturition. Though referred to as a single structure, this fetal tissue is regionally divided into placental amnion, reflected amnion, and umbilical amnion. Histological differences between placental amnion and reflected amnion led us to hypothesize that the amnion is biologically heterogeneous.

Gene expression profiling demonstrates a novel role for foetal fibrocytes and the umbilical vessels in human fetoplacental development.

There is a difference in the susceptibility to inflammation between the umbilical vein (UV) and the umbilical arteries (UAs). This led us to hypothesize that there is an intrinsic difference in the pro-inflammatory response between UA and UV. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR and microarray analysis revealed higher expression of interleukin (IL)-1beta and IL-8 mRNA in the UV and differential expression of 567 genes between the UA and UV associated with distinct biological processes, including the immune response.

Distinct subsets of microRNAs are expressed differentially in the human placentas of patients with preeclampsia.

Objective: Preeclampsia and small-for-gestational age (SGA) neonates have partially overlapping clinicopathologic features. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are critical posttranscriptional regulators of gene expression. This study was performed to determine whether preeclampsia and SGA are associated with alterations in placental miRNA expression.

Tissue microarray: an effective high-throughput method to study the placenta for clinical and research purposes.

Objective: Tissue microarray (TMA) technology allows simultaneous examination of the expression of many molecular markers (protein, mRNA, DNA, etc.) with high-throughput. The application of this technology, to date, has been largely confined to the study of cancer.

PTP1B inhibitory effect of abietane diterpenes isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza.

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) acts as a negative regulator of insulin signaling, and selective inhibition of PTP1B has served as a potential drug target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. In the course of screening for PTP1B inhibitory natural products, the MeOH extract of the dried root of Salvia miltiorrhiza BUNGE (Labiatae) was found to exhibit significant inhibitory effect. Bioassay-guided fractionation and purification afforded three related abietane-type diterpene metabolites 1-3.

Radiolabeled RGD uptake and alphav integrin expression is enhanced in ischemic murine hindlimbs.

Unlabelled: Radiolabeled RGD peptides that target alpha(v)beta3 integrin are promising tracers for imaging tumor angiogenesis. Integrins and angiogenesis also play important roles in healing of ischemic lesions. Thus, we investigated the biodistribution of radiolabeled RGD and expression of alpha(v) integrin in a mouse model of hindlimb ischemia.

In vitro protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B inhibitory phenols from the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia.

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B plays a major role in the negative regulation of insulin signaling, and this establishes protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B as an attractive therapeutic target for diabetes. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the EtOAc-soluble extract of the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia afforded two protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B inhibitory compounds, psoralidin (1) and bakuchiol (2), along with inactive corylin. Compounds 1 and 2 inhibited PTP1B activity in a dose-dependent manner, displaying IC50 values of 9.

Cytoprotective effects of polyenoylphosphatidylcholine (PPC) on beta-cells during diabetic induction by streptozotocin.

Polyenoylphosphatidylcholine (PPC), a phosphatidylcholine-rich phospholipid extracted from soybean, has been reported to protect liver cells from alloxan-induced cytotoxicity. The present study aimed to investigate whether PPC protects pancreatic beta-cells from the cytotoxic injury induced by streptozotocin, thus preserving insulin synthesis and secretion. beta-Cells of the PPC-treated rats showed a significant reduction of cell death with lesser destruction of plasma membrane on streptozotocin insult.