IFPA Meeting 2012 Workshop Report II: Epigenetics and imprinting in the placenta, growth factors and villous trophoblast differentiation, role of the placenta in regulating fetal exposure to xenobiotics during pregnancy, infection and the placenta

Abstract

Workshops are an important part of the IFPA annual meeting as they allow for discussion of specialized topics. At IFPA meeting 2012 there were twelve themed workshops, four of which are summarized in this report. These workshops related to various aspects of placental biology: 1) epigenetics and imprinting in the placenta; 2) growth factors and villous trophoblast differentiation; 3) role of the placenta in regulating fetal exposure to xenobiotics during pregnancy; 4) infection and the placenta.

Evolutionary origins of the placental expression of chromosome 19 cluster galectins and their complex dysregulation in preeclampsia

“…Galectin-13 and placental Chr19 cluster galectins are predominantly expressed by the syncytiotrophoblast [30,31,33–35,44–46], a multinucleated syncytium that is in direct contact with maternal immune cells in maternal blood [30,31,34,35,43–45,47]. This cell layer is generated by the categorical reprogramming of the trophoblastic transcriptional program mainly governed by cAMP, and the consequent biochemical and morphological differentiation and fusion of the underlining villous cytotrophoblasts into this syncytium [45,47–54].…”

“…This cell layer is generated by the categorical reprogramming of the trophoblastic transcriptional program mainly governed by cAMP, and the consequent biochemical and morphological differentiation and fusion of the underlining villous cytotrophoblasts into this syncytium [45,47–54]. The unique transcriptomic activity of the syncytiotrophoblast [55] is responsible for the production of a large set of steroid and peptide hormones, immune proteins and other placental proteins chiefly expressed by the placenta and characteristically detectable in the maternal circulation during pregnancy [47,56].…”

“…The unique transcriptomic activity of the syncytiotrophoblast [55] is responsible for the production of a large set of steroid and peptide hormones, immune proteins and other placental proteins chiefly expressed by the placenta and characteristically detectable in the maternal circulation during pregnancy [47,56]. These and non-secreted molecules enable key functions of the syncytiotrophoblast in the maintenance of pregnancy including feto-maternal gas, nutrient and waste exchange, hormonal regulation of fetal development, and the generation of an immunological barrier between the mother and the semi-allogeneic fetus [45,56]. Defects in syncytiotrophoblast formation have been implicated in the development of preeclampsia.…”

“…Since indirect evidence suggested that placental Chr19 cluster galectin expression is related to villous trophoblast differentiation [34,44,45], here we aimed to study how the trophoblastic expression of these galectins is related to villous trophoblast differentiation, and whether the trophoblastic expression of this galectin cluster is dysregulated in preeclampsia in relation to an altered villous trophoblast fusion or differentiation program.…”

Placenta-Specific Genes, Their Regulation During Villous Trophoblast Differentiation and Dysregulation in Preterm Preeclampsia

“…The human placenta maintains pregnancy and supports the developing fetus by providing nutrition, gas-waste exchange, hormonal regulation, and an immunological barrier from the maternal immune system [1]. Most of these functions are provided by one particular cell type, the syncytiotrophoblast, which lies at the maternal-fetal interface [1][2][3][4]. This multinucleated cell is derived by the biochemical and morphological differentiation and fusion of the villous cytotrophoblasts [2,3,[5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13].…”