Fatty acids (FA) are critical for fetal brain development and are transferred across the placenta by membrane-bound FA transport proteins (FATP), translocases (FAT/CD36), and cytosolic binding proteins (FABP). The cytosolic protein perilipin-2 aids in neutral lipid storage within lipid droplets. Decreased placental nutrient transport is believed to contribute to intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR); however, IUGR placental lipid transport and metabolism are poorly understood. We hypothesized that protein expression of FATPs, FABPs, and perilipin-2 in human placenta is decreased and placental lipid content and incorporation into lipid classes are reduced in IUGR. Placental tissue of idiopathic IUGR (n=25) and gestational age-matched, appropriately grown for gestational age (AGA) fetuses (n=19) was collected. We determined protein expression of FABP4 and perilipin-2 in placental homogenate and FATPs (2, 4, 6, CD36) in syncytiotrophoblast microvillous plasma membrane (MVM) by Western blot. Lipid droplet area (Oil Red O stain) and cellular FA content (GC/MS) were measured in chorionic villous tissue. MVM expression of FATP6 and CD36 was significantly increased in IUGR. The concentrations of seven n−6 and n−3 species long chain polyunsaturated FAs (LCPUFA) were significantly increased in the triglyceride fraction in IUGR vs AGA placenta. In summary, MVM FATP6 and CD36 protein expression is increased and LCPUFA are preferentially routed toward cellular storage in TG in the IUGR placenta, possibly to protect against oxidative stress associated with cellular FA accumulation. We speculate that these changes may be caused by impaired efflux of FA across the fetal-facing syncytiotrophoblast basal plasma membrane in IUGR placenta.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
March 2018
-
Cover Image
Cover Image
CD31 immunofluorescence staining of a mesenteric window taken from a rat with liver cirrhosis. In Clinical Science volume 132, Issue 6, Huang et al. use CD31 immunofluorescence staining to show an increased density of the vascular network in the mesenteric window of rats with bile duct ligation-induced liver cirrhosis. Vascular network density is usually low in non-cirrhotic condition, indicating that mesenteric angiogenesis takes place in liver cirrhosis; for details see pages 669–683.
Research Article|
March 15 2018
Alterations in placental long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism in human intrauterine growth restriction
Stephanie Skuby Chassen;
1Department of Pediatrics, Section of Neonatology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, U.S.A.
Correspondence: Stephanie Skuby Chassen ([email protected])
Search for other works by this author on:
Veronique Ferchaud-Roucher;
Veronique Ferchaud-Roucher
2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, U.S.A.
Search for other works by this author on:
Madhulika B. Gupta;
Madhulika B. Gupta
3Children’s Health Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
4Department of Pediatrics and Biochemistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
Search for other works by this author on:
Thomas Jansson;
Thomas Jansson
2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, U.S.A.
Search for other works by this author on:
Theresa L. Powell
Theresa L. Powell
1Department of Pediatrics, Section of Neonatology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, U.S.A.
2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, U.S.A.
Search for other works by this author on:
Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
September 28 2017
Revision Received:
February 19 2018
Accepted:
February 20 2018
Accepted Manuscript online:
February 20 2018
Online ISSN: 1470-8736
Print ISSN: 0143-5221
© 2018 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society
2018
Clin Sci (Lond) (2018) 132 (5): 595–607.
Article history
Received:
September 28 2017
Revision Received:
February 19 2018
Accepted:
February 20 2018
Accepted Manuscript online:
February 20 2018
Citation
Stephanie Skuby Chassen, Veronique Ferchaud-Roucher, Madhulika B. Gupta, Thomas Jansson, Theresa L. Powell; Alterations in placental long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism in human intrauterine growth restriction. Clin Sci (Lond) 15 March 2018; 132 (5): 595–607. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/CS20171340
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Sign in to your personal account
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Could not validate captcha. Please try again.