Comparison of the Transport Characteristics of Bioactive Substances in IUGR and Normal Placentas

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2009

Authors

Elisa Keating (Author) FMUP; Goncalves, P (Author) Other; Costa, F (Author) Other; Campos, I (Author) Other; Pinho, MJ (Author) Other; Azevedo, I (Author) Other; Martel, F (Author) FMUP

Journal

Title: Pediatric Research

Vol. 66

Pages: 495-500

ISSN: 0031-3998

Publisher: Springer Nature

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 13 Citations

Scopus - 16 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-003-EVS

DOI: 10.1203/pdr.0b013e3181b9b4a3

Abstract (EN): Knowing that IUGR is associated with altered placental transport, we aimed to characterize the placental transport of folic acid (FA), thiamine (THIAM), serotonin (5-HT), and 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP(+)) in IUGR. For this, we compared the transport characteristics of (3)H-FA, (3)H-THIAM, (3)H-5-HT, and (3)H-MPP(+) in primary cultured human cytotrophoblasts isolated from IUGR and normal placentas (GRTB and NTB cells, respectively) and quantified mRNA expression of several placental transporters, by real-time RT-PCR. Our results show that GRTB cells take up (3)H-FA more efficiently (higher k(in), and A(max) values) and have higher transport capacity (higher V(max) values) for (3)H-FA, (3)H-5-HT, and (3)H-MPP(+), when compared with NTB cells. In addition, GRTB cells take up (3)H-THIAM with higher affinity and (3)H-MPP(+) with lower affinity than NTB cells. Finally, IUGR placentas have a generalized increase in mRNA expression of FA, THIAM, 5-HT, and MPP(+) transporters, when compared with normal placentas, suggesting that the increase in transport capacity may be due to increased expression of placental transporters. These results point to an effect of "compensation for the weakness" of the IUGR placenta and pose the placenta as an active mediator of the communication between maternal and fetal environments. (Pediatr Res 66: 495-500, 2009)

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 6