Maternal obesity modulates intracellular lipid turnover in the human term placenta.

BACKGROUND: Obesity before pregnancy is associated with impaired metabolic status of the mother and the offspring later in life. These adverse effects have been attributed to epigenetic changes in utero, but little is known about the role of placental metabolism and its contribution to fetal development. OBJECTIVES: We examined the impact of maternal pre-pregnancy obesity on the expression of genes involved in placental lipid metabolism in lean and obese women. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Seventy-three lean and obese women with healthy pregnancy were recruited at term elective cesarean delivery. Metabolic parameters were measured on maternal venous blood samples. Expression of 88 genes involved in lipid metabolism was measured in whole placenta tissue. Proteins of genes differently expressed in response to maternal obesity were quantified, correlated with maternal parameters and immunolocalized in placenta sections. Isolated primary trophoblasts were used for in vitro assays. RESULTS: Triglyceride (TG) content was increased in placental tissue of obese (1.10, CI 1.04-1.24 mg g-1, P<0.05) vs lean (0.84, CI 0.72-1.02 mg g-1) women. Among target genes examined, six showed positive correlation (P<0.05) with maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, namely ATGL (PNPLA2), FATP1 (SLC27A1), FATP3 (SLC27A3), PLIN2, PPARG and CGI-58 (ABHD5). CGI-58 protein abundance was twofold higher (P<0.001) in placentas of obese vs lean women. CGI-58 protein levels correlated positively with maternal insulin levels and pre-pregnancy body mass index (R=0.63, P<0.001 and R=0.64, P<0.001, respectively). CGI-58 and PLIN2 were primarily located in the syncytiotrophoblast and, were upregulated (1.38- and 500-fold, respectively) upon oleic acid and insulin treatment of cultured trophoblast cells. CONCLUSION: Pre-gravid obesity significantly modifies the expression of placental genes related to transport and storage of neutral lipids. We propose that the upregulation of CGI-58, a master regulator of TG hydrolysis, contributes to the turnover of intracellular lipids in placenta of obese women, and is tightly regulated by metabolic factors of the mother.

Hofbauer cells of M2a, M2b and M2c polarization may regulate feto-placental angiogenesis.

The human placenta comprises a special type of tissue macrophages, the Hofbauer cells (HBC), which exhibit M2 macrophage phenotype. Several subtypes of M2-polarized macrophages (M2a, M2b and M2c) exist in almost all tissues. Macrophage polarization depends on the way of macrophage activation and leads to the expression of specific cell surface markers and the acquisition of specific functions, including tissue remodeling and the promotion of angiogenesis. The placenta is a highly vascularized and rapidly growing organ, suggesting a role of HBC in feto-placental angiogenesis. We here aimed to characterize the specific polarization and phenotype of HBC and investigated the role of HBC in feto-placental angiogenesis. Therefore, HBC were isolated from third trimester placentas and their phenotype was determined by the presence of cell surface markers (FACS analysis) and secretion of cytokines (ELISA). HBC conditioned medium (CM) was analyzed for pro-angiogenic factors, and the effect of HBC CM on angiogenesis, proliferation and chemoattraction of isolated primary feto-placental endothelial cells (fpEC) was determined in vitro Our results revealed that isolated HBC possess an M2 polarization, with M2a, M2b and M2c characteristics. HBC secreted the pro-angiogenic molecules VEGF and FGF2. Furthermore, HBC CM stimulated the in vitro angiogenesis of fpEC. However, compared with control medium, chemoattraction of fpEC toward HBC CM was reduced. Proliferation of fpEC was not affected by HBC CM. These findings demonstrate a paracrine regulation of feto-placental angiogenesis by HBC in vitro Based on our collective results, we propose that the changes in HBC number or phenotype may affect feto-placental angiogenesis.