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Pregnant alpha-1-microglobulin (A1M) knockout mice exhibit features of kidney and placental damage, hemodynamic changes and intrauterine growth restriction

Aleksenko, Larysa LU ; Åkerström, Bo LU ; Hansson, Eva LU ; Erlandsson, Lena LU and Hansson, Stefan R. LU orcid (2020) In Scientific Reports 10(1).
Abstract

Alpha-1-microglobulin (A1M) is an antioxidant previously shown to be elevated in maternal blood during pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia and suggested to be important in the endogenous defense against oxidative stress. A knockout mouse model of A1M (A1Mko) was used in the present study to assess the importance of A1M during pregnancy in relation to the kidney, heart and placenta function. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and heart rate (HR) were determined before and throughout gestation. The morphology of the organs was assessed by both light and electron microscopy. Gene expression profiles relating to vascular tone and oxidative stress were analyzed using RT-qPCR with validation of selected gene expression relating to vascular... (More)

Alpha-1-microglobulin (A1M) is an antioxidant previously shown to be elevated in maternal blood during pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia and suggested to be important in the endogenous defense against oxidative stress. A knockout mouse model of A1M (A1Mko) was used in the present study to assess the importance of A1M during pregnancy in relation to the kidney, heart and placenta function. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and heart rate (HR) were determined before and throughout gestation. The morphology of the organs was assessed by both light and electron microscopy. Gene expression profiles relating to vascular tone and oxidative stress were analyzed using RT-qPCR with validation of selected gene expression relating to vascular tone and oxidative stress response. Pregnant age-matched wild type mice were used as controls. In the A1Mko mice there was a significantly higher SBP before pregnancy that during pregnancy was significantly reduced compared to the control. In addition, the HR was higher both before and during pregnancy compared to the controls. Renal morphological abnormalities were more frequent in the A1Mko mice, and the gene expression profiles in the kidney and the heart showed downregulation of transcripts associated with vasodilation. Simultaneously, an upregulation of vasoconstrictors, blood pressure regulators, and genes for osmotic stress response, ion transport and reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism occurred. Fetal weight was lower in the A1Mko mice at E17.5. The vessels in the labyrinth zone of the placentas and the endoplasmic reticulum in the spongiotrophoblasts were collapsed. The gene profiles in the placenta showed downregulation of antioxidants, ROS metabolism and oxidative stress response genes. In conclusion, intact A1M expression is necessary for the maintenance of normal kidney, heart as well as placental structure and function for a normal pregnancy adaptation.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Scientific Reports
volume
10
issue
1
article number
20625
publisher
Nature Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • pmid:33244052
  • scopus:85096537695
ISSN
2045-2322
DOI
10.1038/s41598-020-77561-6
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d9c1710e-af59-4d48-acf6-07aaf1b5b900
date added to LUP
2020-12-03 11:31:36
date last changed
2024-04-03 19:02:25
@article{d9c1710e-af59-4d48-acf6-07aaf1b5b900,
  abstract     = {{<p>Alpha-1-microglobulin (A1M) is an antioxidant previously shown to be elevated in maternal blood during pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia and suggested to be important in the endogenous defense against oxidative stress. A knockout mouse model of A1M (A1Mko) was used in the present study to assess the importance of A1M during pregnancy in relation to the kidney, heart and placenta function. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and heart rate (HR) were determined before and throughout gestation. The morphology of the organs was assessed by both light and electron microscopy. Gene expression profiles relating to vascular tone and oxidative stress were analyzed using RT-qPCR with validation of selected gene expression relating to vascular tone and oxidative stress response. Pregnant age-matched wild type mice were used as controls. In the A1Mko mice there was a significantly higher SBP before pregnancy that during pregnancy was significantly reduced compared to the control. In addition, the HR was higher both before and during pregnancy compared to the controls. Renal morphological abnormalities were more frequent in the A1Mko mice, and the gene expression profiles in the kidney and the heart showed downregulation of transcripts associated with vasodilation. Simultaneously, an upregulation of vasoconstrictors, blood pressure regulators, and genes for osmotic stress response, ion transport and reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism occurred. Fetal weight was lower in the A1Mko mice at E17.5. The vessels in the labyrinth zone of the placentas and the endoplasmic reticulum in the spongiotrophoblasts were collapsed. The gene profiles in the placenta showed downregulation of antioxidants, ROS metabolism and oxidative stress response genes. In conclusion, intact A1M expression is necessary for the maintenance of normal kidney, heart as well as placental structure and function for a normal pregnancy adaptation.</p>}},
  author       = {{Aleksenko, Larysa and Åkerström, Bo and Hansson, Eva and Erlandsson, Lena and Hansson, Stefan R.}},
  issn         = {{2045-2322}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{Nature Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{Scientific Reports}},
  title        = {{Pregnant alpha-1-microglobulin (A1M) knockout mice exhibit features of kidney and placental damage, hemodynamic changes and intrauterine growth restriction}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-77561-6}},
  doi          = {{10.1038/s41598-020-77561-6}},
  volume       = {{10}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}