Placental structure, function, and mitochondrial phenotype relate to fetal size in each fetal sex in mice
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Authors
Salazar-Petres, Esteban
Carvalho, Daniela Pereira
Lopez-Tello, Jorge
Sferruzzi-Perri, Amanda Nancy
Publication Date
2022-06Journal Title
Biology of Reproduction
ISSN
0006-3363
Publisher
Society for the Study of Reproduction
Type
Article
This Version
AM
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Salazar-Petres, E., Carvalho, D. P., Lopez-Tello, J., & Sferruzzi-Perri, A. N. (2022). Placental structure, function, and mitochondrial phenotype relate to fetal size in each fetal sex in mice. Biology of Reproduction https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioac056
Abstract
Fetal growth depends on placental function, which requires energy from mitochondria. Here we investigated whether mitochondrial function in the placenta relates to the growth of the lightest and heaviest fetuses of each sex within the litter of mice. Placentas from the lightest and heaviest fetuses were taken to evaluate placenta morphology (stereology), mitochondrial energetics (high-resolution respirometry), mitochondrial regulators, nutrient transporters, hormone handling, and signaling pathways (qPCR and Western blotting). We found that mitochondrial complex I and II oxygen consumption rate was greater for placentas supporting the lightest female fetuses, although placental complex I abundance of the lightest females and complexes III and V of the lightest males were decreased compared to their heaviest counterparts. Expression of mitochondrial biogenesis (Nrf1) and fission (Drp1 and Fis1) genes was lower in the placenta from the lightest females, whilst biogenesis-related gene Tfam was greater in the placenta of the lightest male fetuses. In addition, placental morphology and steroidogenic gene (Cyp17a1 and Cyp11a1) expression were aberrant for the lightest females, but glucose transporter (Slc2a1) expression was lower in only the lightest males versus their heaviest counterparts. Differences in intra-litter placental phenotype were related to changes in the expression of hormone-responsive (androgen receptor) and metabolic signaling (AMPK, AKT, and PPARγ) pathways. Thus, in normal mouse pregnancy, placental structure, function, and mitochondrial phenotype are differentially responsive to the growth of the female and male fetus. This study may inform the design of sex-specific therapies for placental insufficiency and fetal growth abnormalities with life-long benefits for the offspring.
Sponsorship
Wellcome Trust (220456/Z/20/Z)
Identifiers
External DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioac056
This record's URL: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/335630
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