Maternal obesity influences expression and DNA methylation of the adiponectin and leptin systems in human
Perrine Nogues1, Esther Dos Santos1,2, Hélène Jammes3
1GIG-EA 7404, Université de Versailles-St Quentin, Université Paris-Saclay, Unité de Formation et de Recherche des Sciences de la Santé Simone Veil, 2 avenue de la Source de la Bièvre, F-78180, Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France.
Background:
It is well established that obesity is associated with dysregulation of the ratio between the two major adipokines leptin and adiponectin. Furthermore, it was recently reported that maternal obesity has a significant impact on placental development. Leptin and adiponectin are present at the fetal-maternal interface and are involved in the development of a functional placenta. However, less is known about leptin and adiponectin's involvement in the placental alterations described in obese women. Hence, the objective of the present study was to characterize the placental expression and DNA methylation of these two adipokine systems (ligands and receptors) in obese women.
Results:
Biopsies were collected from the fetal and maternal sides of third-trimester placenta in obese and non-obese (control) women. In both groups, leptin levels were higher on the fetal side than the maternal side, suggesting that this cytokine has a pivotal role in fetal growth. Secondly, maternal obesity (in the absence of gestational diabetes) was associated with (i) elevated DNA methylation of the leptin promoter on fetal side only, (ii) hypomethylation of the adiponectin promoter on the maternal side only, (iii) significantly low levels of leptin receptor protein (albeit in the absence of differences in mRNA levels and promoter DNA methylation), (iv) significantly low levels of adiponectin receptor 1 mRNA expression on the maternal side only, and (v) elevated DNA methylation of the adiponectin receptor 2 promoter on the maternal side only.
Conclusion:
Our present results showed that maternal obesity is associated with the downregulation of both leptin/adiponectin systems in term placenta, and thus a loss of the beneficial effects of these two adipokines on placental development. Maternal obesity was also associated with epigenetic changes in leptin and adiponectin systems; this highlighted the molecular mechanisms involved in the placenta's adaptation to a harmful maternal environment.
More Related Videos
14:56Sample Preparation to Bioinformatics Analysis of DNA Methylation: Association Strategy for Obesity and Related Trait Studies
Published on: May 6, 2022
13:11Optimized Analysis of DNA Methylation and Gene Expression from Small, Anatomically-defined Areas of the Brain
Published on: July 12, 2012
Related Concept Videos
01:24Obesity
02:30Genomic Imprinting and Inheritance
The expression of some genes depends on which parent passed the gene to the offspring, through a phenomenon known as...
02:57DNA-only Transposons
The donor site from where the transposon is excised is either degraded or...
01:42What is Gene Expression?
Gene expression is the process in which DNA directs the synthesis of functional products, that is, proteins. Cells can regulate gene expression at various stages. It allows organisms to generate different cell types and enables cells to adapt to internal and external factors.
Genetic Information Flows from DNA to RNA to Protein
A gene is a stretch of DNA that serves as the blueprint for functional RNAs and proteins. Since DNA is made up of nucleotides and proteins consist of amino...
01:21Drug Dosing: Obese Patients
01:18Second Order systems II