Sex differences in regional specialisation across the placental surface

Alwasel, Saleh; Harrath, Abdel Halim; Aldahmash, Waleed; Abotalib, Zeinab; Nyengaard, Jens Randel; Osmond, Clive; Dilworth, Mark; Alomar, Suliman Yousef; Jerah, Ahmed; Barker, D. J. P.

doi:10.1016/j.placenta.2014.03.003

Cited by 22 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Given the evidence of cell content and structural differences between human and rodent placentae and even doi: 10.1210/en.2015-1227 press.endocrine.org/journal/endo between the sexes within the same species (43,51), the effects of maternal and paternal insults on these individual cell types and placental regions need to be examined. Development of improved noninvasive in utero placental imaging techniques will permit dynamic real-time diagnosis of placental disruptions and the possibility then for rapid therapeutic intervention strategies to curb the risk of later diseases.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is not clear though how these changes might result in acute and long term effects, although nutrient/oxygen supply, metabolism (including increased risk for metabolic disorders), and cell-signaling could be conceivably be more vulnerable to disruptions in male placentae. An epidemiological study with 321 pregnant Saudi women showed the placenta of boys invades more deeply into the spiral arteries than those of girls, who exhibited more effective placental surface differentiation (51). In short, it is important for feto-placental health to understand the normal structural and functional placental differences that exist between the sexes.…”

Section: Normal Sex-dependent Structural and Functional Differences Imentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sex-Specific Placental Responses in Fetal Development

2015

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The placenta is an ephemeral but critical organ for the survival of all eutherian mammals and marsupials. It is the primary messenger system between the mother and fetus, where communicational signals, nutrients, waste, gases, and extrinsic factors are exchanged. Although the placenta may buffer the fetus from various environmental insults, placental dysfunction might also contribute to detrimental developmental origins of adult health and disease effects. The placenta of one sex over the other might possess greater ability to respond and buffer against environmental insults. Given the potential role of the placenta in effecting the lifetime health of the offspring, it is not surprising that there has been a resurging interest in this organ, including the Human Placental Project launched by the National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development. In this review, we will compare embryological development of the laboratory mouse and human chorioallantoic placentae. Next, evidence that various species, including humans, exhibit normal sex-dependent structural and functional placental differences will be examined followed by how in utero environmental changes (nutritional state, stress, and exposure to environmental chemicals) might interact with fetal sex to affect this organ. Recent data also suggest that paternal state impacts placental function in a sex-dependent manner. The research to date linking placental maladaptive responses and later developmental origins of adult health and disease effects will be explored. Finally, we will focus on how sex chromosomes and epimutations may contribute to sex-dependent differences in placental function, the unanswered questions, and future directions that warrant further consideration.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Normal Sex-dependent Structural and Functional Differences Imentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex-Specific Placental Responses in Fetal Development

2015

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“…Female offspring had less induction of stress pathways compared with male offspring, with the greatest variability seen in response to maternal diet alone (e.g., Ln/WSD). Barker and Thornburg (65) have proposed that differences in placental adaptation to an adverse maternal-fetal environment may underlie the different susceptibility to metabolic diseases, which may also explain differences in metabolic programming in male and female offspring (66).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maternal obesity reduces oxidative capacity in fetal skeletal muscle of Japanese macaques

McCurdy¹,

Schenk²,

Hetrick³

et al. 2016

JCI Insight

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“…Placental gene expression is known to be fetal sex-specific [ 50 ] with placentas from female births being more sensitive to environmental changes such as glucocorticoid levels [ 51 ]. Under-nutrition during pregnancy also alters placental size and the placental programming of hypertension differently in males and females [ 11 , 52 ]. The placentas of female births respond to changes in the maternal environment whereas those for males appear to cope with these changes, making compensations that may put them at increased risk of disease in later life.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maternal Factors Are Associated with the Expression of Placental Genes Involved in Amino Acid Metabolism and Transport

et al. 2015

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IntroductionMaternal environment and lifestyle factors may modify placental function to match the mother’s capacity to support the demands of fetal growth. Much remains to be understood about maternal influences on placental metabolic and amino acid transporter gene expression. We investigated the influences of maternal lifestyle and body composition (e.g. fat and muscle content) on a selection of metabolic and amino acid transporter genes and their associations with fetal growth.MethodsRNA was extracted from 102 term Southampton Women’s Survey placental samples. Expression of nine metabolic, seven exchange, eight accumulative and three facilitated transporter genes was analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR.ResultsIncreased placental LAT2 (p = 0.01), y + LAT2 (p = 0.03), aspartate aminotransferase 2 (p = 0.02) and decreased aspartate aminotransferase 1 (p = 0.04) mRNA expression associated with pre-pregnancy maternal smoking. Placental mRNA expression of TAT1 (p = 0.01), ASCT1 (p = 0.03), mitochondrial branched chain aminotransferase (p = 0.02) and glutamine synthetase (p = 0.05) was positively associated with maternal strenuous exercise. Increased glutamine synthetase mRNA expression (r = 0.20, p = 0.05) associated with higher maternal diet quality (prudent dietary pattern) pre-pregnancy. Lower LAT4 (r = -0.25, p = 0.05) and aspartate aminotransferase 2 mRNA expression (r = -0.28, p = 0.01) associated with higher early pregnancy diet quality. Lower placental ASCT1 mRNA expression associated with measures of increased maternal fat mass, including pre-pregnancy BMI (r = -0.26, p = 0.01). Lower placental mRNA expression of alanine aminotransferase 2 associated with greater neonatal adiposity, for example neonatal subscapular skinfold thickness (r = -0.33, p = 0.001).ConclusionA number of maternal influences have been linked with outcomes in childhood, independently of neonatal size; our finding of associations between placental expression of transporter and metabolic genes and maternal smoking, physical activity and diet raises the possibility that their effects are mediated in part through alterations in placental function. The observed changes in placental gene expression in relation to modifiable maternal factors are important as they could form part of interventions aimed at maintaining a healthy lifestyle for the mother and for optimal fetal development.

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Sex differences in regional specialisation across the placental surface

Cited by 22 publications

References 11 publications

Sex-Specific Placental Responses in Fetal Development

Sex-Specific Placental Responses in Fetal Development

Maternal obesity reduces oxidative capacity in fetal skeletal muscle of Japanese macaques

Maternal Factors Are Associated with the Expression of Placental Genes Involved in Amino Acid Metabolism and Transport

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