In�vitro fertilization and embryo transfer alter human placental function through trophoblasts in early pregnancy

Abstract

The mechanism underlying the potential risk associated with in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (iVF-eT) has been previously investigated but remains to be fully elucidated. as the placenta is a critical organ that sustains and protects the fetus, this is an important area of research. The aim of the present study was to determine the difference in trophoblast cell function in the first trimester between naturally conceived pregnancies and pregnancies achieved via iVF-eT therapy. a total of 20 placental villi in first trimester samples were obtained through fetal bud aspiration from patients undergoing iVF-eT due to oviductal factors between January 2016 and august 2018. in addition, a further 20 placental villi were obtained from those who naturally conceived and had normal pregnancies but were undergoing artificial abortion; these patients were recruited as the controls. reverse transcription-quantitative (rT-q)Pcr and semi-quantitative immunohistochemical methods were used to detect the mrna and protein expression of α-fetoprotein (aFP), vascular endothelial growth factor (VeGF), transferrin (TF), tubulin β1 class Vi (TuBB1), metallothionein 1G (MT1G), Bcl2, glial cells missing transcription factor 1 (GcM1), epidermal growth factor (eGF) receptor (eGFr), PTen and leukocyte associated immunoglobulin like receptor 2 (lair2) in villi from both groups. differentially expressed genes were analyzed using Search Tool for the retrieval of interacting Genes, and Kyoto encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KeGG) pathway analysis was conducted. The rT-qPcr data revealed that the mRNA expression levels of AFP, VEGF and TF were significantly higher in the iVF-eT group than in the control group (P<0.05), and those of TuBB1, MT1G, Bcl2, GcM1, eGFr, PTEN and LAIR2 were significantly lower (P<0.05). These gene products were expressed in the placental villus tissues, either in the cytoplasm, or in the membrane of syncytiotrophoblast and cytotrophoblast cells. The immunohistochemistry results were in line with those observed using rT-qPcr. KeGG pathway analysis indicated that the trophoblast cell function of the IVF-ET group in the first trimester was different from naturally conceived pregnancies with regard to proliferation, invasion, apoptosis and vascular development. The iVF-eT process may trigger adaptive placental responses, and these compensatory mechanisms could be a risk for certain diseases later in life.

Morphologic development of the first-trimester utero-placental vasculature is positively associated with embryonic and fetal growth: the Rotterdam Periconception Cohort

“…Interestingly, significant associations between uPVS imaging markers and prenatal growth are observed more frequently in natural conceptions than in IVF-ICSI pregnancies. Contrary to our observations, previous studies have shown IVF to be associated with aberrant placental development and consequently an increased risk of FGR ( Zhao et al , 2020 ; Kong et al , 2022 ). The aberrant placental development in IVF seems predominantly mediated by the hormonal environment and the subsequent epigenetic changes that are the result of ovarian stimulation ( Senapati et al , 2018 ).…”

Pregnancy outcomes and risk factors for preeclampsia in dichorionic twin pregnancies after in vitro fertilization: a five-year retrospective study

“…Several pathophysiological hypotheses have been proposed to explain the relationship between IVF and PE. One of the strongest possibilities is that the IVF process itself is associated with epigenetic changes and gene expression changes in fetal and maternal tissues, and that modifications of the maternal endometrium can cause trophoblast infiltration and placental dysfunction, triggering placental diseases in early pregnancy [ 22 , 23 ]. These findings also were confirmed in some studies that IVF increase ischemic placental diseases [ 10 ].…”

“…Another evidence was that patients with early-onset PE had higher of alpha fetoprotein (AFP) value at their second trimester biochemical screening [ 26 ], and the levels of AFP were significantly higher in IVF pregnancies versus natural conception pregnancies [ 23 , 27 ]. Early-onset PE arises primarily due to defective placentation during the first few weeks of pregnancy [ 28 ].…”

Nanopore-based full-length transcriptome sequencing of Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) ovary

“…THBS2 is the form expressed in luteinized granular cells, and has been shown to be involved in regulating angiogenesis ( Berisha et al, 2016 ). Tubulin beta 1 class VI ( TUBB1) is an important component of microtubules, it participates in mitosis and cell movement, and plays a key role in maintaining cell stability ( Zhao et al, 2020 ). These genes may be the key genes affecting continuous ovulation in Muscovy duck; we need to explain through further experiments.…”