Laboratory for Bio-feed and Molecular Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, China.
Food Res Int. 2024 Oct;193:114856. doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2024.114856. Epub 2024 Jul 30.
Epidemiological and experimental studies have demonstrated a strong association between maternal diet and fetal birth weight, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. We investigated the pathways and modes of action of circular RNAs (circRNAs) that mediate the regulation of maternal reproductive performance and fetal development by sugar-sweetened beverages (20 % sucrose water, SSBs) using C57BL/6J mice as a model. Results showed that SSBs significantly increased the reproductive performance (P<0.05), body weight (P<0.01), fetal birth weight (P<0.05), placental weight (P<0.01), and the expression of nutrient transporter genes in the placenta and fetal liver (P<0.05), mainly by accelerating the maternal energy metabolism during pregnancy. However, maternal serum biochemical indices, antioxidant indices, and pathological damage to the liver and placenta predicted that the mother would be at greater health risks during this period. Moreover, transcriptomics results indicated that the differentially expressed (DE) circRNAs in the placenta regulate the maternal multiple metabolic pathways and the placental nutrient transport efficiency by sponging miRNAs and forming growth factors and proteins, ultimately improving the maternal reproductive performance. In addition, we verified the reliability of the sequencing results using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and identified the possibility of DE circRNAs binding to nutrient transporter genes using targeting relationship prediction. Finally, we constructed a correlation network that regulates maternal placental nutrient transport based on DE circRNAs, targeted miRNAs and nutrient transport-related genes. This study will provide scientific dietary guidance for pregnant women and new research ideas for preventing and treating pregnancy complications.
流行病学和实验研究表明，母体饮食与胎儿出生体重、肥胖和代谢综合征之间存在很强的关联。我们使用 C57BL/6J 小鼠作为模型，研究了环状 RNA（circRNA）在调节母体生殖性能和胎儿发育中的作用途径和机制，这些 circRNA 介导了糖饮料（20%蔗糖水，SSB）的调节作用。结果表明，SSB 显著提高了生殖性能（P<0.05）、体重（P<0.01）、胎儿出生体重（P<0.05）、胎盘重量（P<0.01）以及胎盘和胎肝中营养转运基因的表达（P<0.05），主要是通过加速妊娠期间母体的能量代谢。然而，母体血清生化指标、抗氧化指标以及对肝脏和胎盘的病理损伤表明，在此期间母亲的健康风险更大。此外，转录组学结果表明，胎盘差异表达的（DE）circRNA 通过海绵吸附 miRNA 并形成生长因子和蛋白质，调节母体的多种代谢途径和胎盘营养转运效率，最终提高了母体的生殖性能。此外，我们使用逆转录聚合酶链反应验证了测序结果的可靠性，并通过靶基因预测确定了 DE circRNA 与营养转运基因结合的可能性。最后，我们构建了一个基于 DE circRNA、靶向 miRNA 和营养转运相关基因的调节母体胎盘营养转运的相关网络。本研究将为孕妇提供科学的饮食指导，并为预防和治疗妊娠并发症提供新的研究思路。
