Expression and regulation of adiponectin and receptor in human and rat placenta

Adiponectin is an adipocyte hormone involved in glucose and lipid metabolism. Recently, two receptors of this protein, called adiponectin receptor 1 (Adipo-R1) and Adipo-R2, have been cloned.

The aim of this study was to examine whether adiponectin and its receptors are expressed in human and rat placentas and to evaluate the regulation of these factors by gestational age and nutritional status.

Our results demonstrate that adiponectin and Adipo-R2 are localized in both human and rat placentas. Human adiponectin and Adipo-R2 are presented in cytotrophoblast and syncytiotrophoblast cells. However, rat adiponectin and Adipo-R2 change their specific cell type immunostaining during gestation. Furthermore, placental adiponectin mRNA expression is increased during pregnancy in the rat, whereas Adipo-R2 has the contrary pattern. We also assessed the effect of food restriction (30%) during gestation, and we observed that adiponectin mRNA levels decrease after 16 d of undernutrition. In contrast, placental Adipo-R2 mRNA is unchanged by undernutrition. Finally, treatment with adiponectin during gestation decreases Adipo-R2, glucose transporter 3, lipoprotein lipase, and TGF-beta mRNA expression.

Taken together, our results suggest that, at least in rodents, adiponectin may be involved in the regulation of several placental functions.