Back to Search
Start Over
Characterization of the placental transcriptome through mid to late gestation in the mare
- Source :
- PloS one, vol 14, iss 11, PLoS ONE, Vol 14, Iss 11, p e0224497 (2019), PLoS ONE
- Publication Year :
- 2019
- Publisher :
- Public Library of Science (PLoS), 2019.
-
Abstract
- The placenta is a dynamic organ which undergoes extensive remodeling throughout pregnancy to support, protect and nourish the developing fetus. Despite the importance of the placenta, very little is known about its gene expression beyond very early pregnancy and post-partum. Therefore, we utilized RNA-sequencing to characterize the transcriptome from the fetal (chorioallantois) and maternal (endometrium) components of the placenta from mares throughout gestation (4, 6, 10, 11 m). Within the endometrium, 47% of genes changed throughout pregnancy, while in the chorioallantois, 29% of genes underwent significant changes in expression. Further bioinformatic analyses of both differentially expressed genes and highly expressed genes help reveal similarities and differences between tissues. Overall, the tissues were more similar than different, with ~ 95% of genes expressed in both tissues, and high similarities between the most highly expressed genes (9/20 conserved), as well as marked similarities between the PANTHER pathways identified. The most highly expressed genes fell under a few broad categories, including endocrine and immune-related transcripts, iron-binding proteins, extracellular matrix proteins, transport proteins and antioxidants. Serine protease inhibitors were particularly abundant, including SERPINA3, 6 and 14, as well as SPINK7 and 9. This paper also demonstrates the ability to effectively separate maternal and fetal components of the placenta, with only a minimal amount of chorioallantoic contamination in the endometrium (~8%). This aspect of equine placentation is a boon for better understanding gestational physiology and allows the horse to be used in areas where a separation of fetal and maternal tissues is essential. Overall, these data represent the first large-scale characterization of placental gene expression in any species and include time points from multiple mid- to late-gestational stages, helping further our understanding of gestational physiology.
- Subjects :
- 0301 basic medicine
Embryology
Maternal Health
Placenta
Gene Expression
Reproductive health and childbirth
Pregnancy Proteins
Endometrium
Biochemistry
Transcriptome
0302 clinical medicine
Pregnancy
Medicine and Health Sciences
Developmental
Immune Response
Mammals
Pediatric
Extracellular Matrix Proteins
Immune System Proteins
030219 obstetrics & reproductive medicine
Multidisciplinary
Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Eukaryota
Chorioallantoic membrane
medicine.anatomical_structure
Vertebrates
Medicine
Female
Anatomy
Research Article
General Science & Technology
Science
Equines
Immunology
Gestational Age
Biology
Andrology
03 medical and health sciences
Genetics
medicine
Animals
Horses
Fetus
Gene Expression Profiling
Uterus
Reproductive System
Organisms
Biology and Life Sciences
Proteins
Placentation
medicine.disease
Gene expression profiling
030104 developmental biology
Gene Expression Regulation
Amniotes
Women's Health
Developmental Biology
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 19326203
- Volume :
- 14
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- PLOS ONE
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....a8525dc092ce9ca39b7043f96b75abc6