Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1017/S2040174422000344
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) Preeclampsia-induced alterations in brain and liver gene expression and DNA methylation patterns in fetal mice
Author Hofsink, N.; Dijkstra, D.J.; Stojanovska, V.; Scherjon, S.A.; Plösch, T.
Source Titel Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease
Year 2023
Department IMMU
Volume 14
Issue 1
Page From 146
Page To 151
Language englisch
Topic T9 Healthy Planet
Supplements https://doi.org/10.1017/S2040174422000344
Keywords Brain sparing; fetal growth restriction; fetal programming; neurodevelopment; metabolism
Abstract Exposure to pregnancy complications, including preeclampsia (PE), has lifelong influences on offspring’s health. We have previously reported that experimental PE, induced in mice by administration of adenoviral sFlt1 at gestational day 8.5 combined with LPS at day 10.5, results in symmetrical growth restriction in female and asymmetrical growth restriction in male offspring. Here, we characterize the molecular phenotype of the fetal brain and liver with respect to gene transcription and DNA methylation at the end of gestation.

In fetal brain and liver, expression and DNA methylation of several key regulatory genes is altered by PE exposure, mostly independent of fetal sex. These alterations point toward a decreased gluconeogenesis in the liver and stimulated neurogenesis in the brain, potentially affecting long-term brain and liver function. The observed sex-specific growth restriction pattern is not reflected in the molecular data, showing that PE, rather than tissue growth, drives the molecular phenotype of PE-exposed offspring.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=26667
Hofsink, N., Dijkstra, D.J., Stojanovska, V., Scherjon, S.A., Plösch, T. (2023):
Preeclampsia-induced alterations in brain and liver gene expression and DNA methylation patterns in fetal mice
J. Dev. Orig. Health Dis. 14 (1), 146 - 151 10.1017/S2040174422000344