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The imprinted Igf2-Igf2r axis is critical for matching placental microvasculature expansion to fetal growth.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

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Authors

Georgopoulou, Aikaterini 
Pérez-García, Vicente 
Hufnagel, Antonia 
López-Tello, Jorge 

Abstract

In all eutherian mammals, growth of the fetus is dependent upon a functional placenta, but whether and how the latter adapts to putative fetal signals is currently unknown. Here, we demonstrate, through fetal, endothelial, hematopoietic, and trophoblast-specific genetic manipulations in the mouse, that endothelial and fetus-derived IGF2 is required for the continuous expansion of the feto-placental microvasculature in late pregnancy. The angiocrine effects of IGF2 on placental microvasculature expansion are mediated, in part, through IGF2R and angiopoietin-Tie2/TEK signaling. Additionally, IGF2 exerts IGF2R-ERK1/2-dependent pro-proliferative and angiogenic effects on primary feto-placental endothelial cells ex vivo. Endothelial and fetus-derived IGF2 also plays an important role in trophoblast morphogenesis, acting through Gcm1 and Synb. Thus, our study reveals a direct role for the imprinted Igf2-Igf2r axis on matching placental development to fetal growth and establishes the principle that hormone-like signals from the fetus play important roles in controlling placental microvasculature and trophoblast morphogenesis.

Description

Keywords

IGF2, IGF2R, angiogenesis, angiopoietins, development, endothelial cells, fetal growth, genomic imprinting, placenta, trophoblast morphogenesis, Animals, Cell Line, DNA-Binding Proteins, Endothelial Cells, Female, Fetal Development, Fetus, Insulin-Like Growth Factor II, Mice, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Microvessels, Neovascularization, Physiologic, Placenta, Placentation, Pregnancy, Receptor, IGF Type 2, Transcription Factors, Trophoblasts

Journal Title

Dev Cell

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1534-5807
1878-1551

Volume Title

Publisher

Elsevier BV
Sponsorship
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BB/H003312/1)
Medical Research Council (MC_UU_12012/4)
Medical Research Council (MC_UU_12012/5)
Medical Research Council (MR/R022690/1)
Medical Research Council (MC_UU_12012/1)
MRC (MR/S026193/1)
MRC (MC_UU_00014/1)
MRC (MC_UU_00014/4)
MRC (MC_UU_00014/5)
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BB/S017593/1)
Wellcome Trust (220456/Z/20/Z)
Medical Research Council (MC_PC_12012)
This work was supported by Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (grant BB/H003312/1 to M.C.), Medical Research Council (MRC_MC_UU_12012/4 to M.C.; MRC_MC_UU_12012/5 to the MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit; MR/R022690/1 to A.N.S-P.), Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (RYC-2019-026956 and PID2020-114459RA-I00 to V.P-G.), Wellcome Trust (Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowship 220456/Z/20/Z to J.L-T.), Royal Society (Dorothy Hodgkin Research Fellowship grant DH130036 to A.N.S-P.), Centre for Trophoblast Research and the NIHR Cambridge BRC Cell Phenotyping Hub.
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