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Updated: Nov 2, 2025

Author Spotlight: Modeling an Aspect of Preeclampsia in Female Mice Using Hypoxic Human Placenta-Derived Small Extracellular Vesicles
Published on: January 26, 2024
Comprehensive transcriptome mining identified the gene expression signature and differentially regulated pathways of
Hassan Saei1, Ali Govahi2, Ameneh Abiri3
1Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Insights
This study identified key gene expression patterns in placenta tissue linked to preeclampsia (PE), a pregnancy disorder. Findings reveal novel genetic markers and pathways crucial for understanding PE development and potential diagnostics.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Medicine
- Genomics
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Preeclampsia (PE) is a significant pregnancy-related hypertensive disorder with unknown exact pathogenic mechanisms.
- Contributing factors include genetics, oxidative stress, maternal immune response, and environmental influences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify gene expression signatures in placental tissue to elucidate PE etiology.
- To uncover novel candidate genetic markers and biological pathways involved in PE development.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive meta-analysis of fourteen publicly available microarray datasets for preeclampsia and normotensive controls.
- Utilized GEO, PubMed, and ArrayExpress databases for data acquisition.
- Employed in-house and INMEX meta-analysis pipelines and EnrichR for functional enrichment analysis.
Main Results:
- Identified 1234 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using the in-house pipeline and 272 DEGs using INMEX.
- Key enriched terms included "Asparagine N-linked glycosylation Homo sapiens", "Nef and signal transduction", "Hemostasis", and "immune system".
Conclusions:
- This study provides a novel database of candidate genetic markers and biological pathways critical for PE.
- These findings may aid in identifying diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic molecules for preeclampsia.
Abstract:
Preeclampsia (PE) is categorized as a pregnancy-related hypertensive disorder and is a serious concern in pregnancies. Several factors, including genetic factors (placenta gene expression, and imprinting), oxidative stress, the inaccurate immune response of the mother, and the environmental factors are responsible for PE development, but still, the exact mechanism of the pathogenesis has remained unknown. The main aim of the present study is to identify the gene expression signature in placenta tissue, to unveil disease etiology mechanisms. The GEO, PubMed, and ArrayExpress databases have selected to identify gene expression datasets on placenta samples of both preeclampsia and the normotensive controls. A comprehensive gene expression meta-analysis of fourteen publicly available microarray data of preeclampsia disease has performed to identify gene expression signature and responsible biological pathways and processes. Using two different meta-analysis pipeline (in-house and INMEX) we have identified a total of 1234 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with in-house method, including 713 overexpressed and 356 under-expressed genes whereas 272 DEGs (131 over and 141 under-expressed) have identified with INMEX, across PEs and healthy controls. Comprehensive functional enrichment and pathway analysis was performed by EnrichR library, whic revealed "Asparagine N-linked glycosylation Homo sapiens", "Nef and signal transduction", "Hemostasis", and "immune system" among the most enriched terms. The present study sets out to explain a novel database of candidate genetic markers and biological pathways that play a critical role in PE development, which might aid in the identification of diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic informative molecules.
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