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Trophoblast Invasion and Blood Vessel Remodeling Are Altered in a Rat Model of Lifelong Maternal Obesity

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Abstract

Maternal obesity is associated with an increased risk of a number of pregnancy complications, including fetal demise, which may be linked to impaired placental development as a result of altered trophoblast invasion and vessel remodeling. Therefore, we examined these parameters in pregnant rats fed a control (normal weight) or high fat (HF) diet (obese) at 2 critical times of rat placental development. Early trophoblast invasion was increased by approximately 2-fold in HF-fed dams with a concomitant increase in the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 protein, a mediator of tissue remodeling and invasion. Furthermore, we observed significantly higher levels of smooth muscle actin surrounding the placental spiral arteries of HF-fed dams, suggesting impaired spiral artery remodeling. Taken together, the results of this study suggest that altered placental development is an important contributor to the poor pregnancy outcomes and increased fetal demise in our model of lifelong maternal obesity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics and the Graduate Program in Medical Sciences, McMaster University, 1200 Main St. W. Rm. 3N11, L8N 3Z5, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

    Emily K. Hayes MSc, Michael E. Percival BSc & Sandeep Raha PhD

  2. Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

    Daniel R. Tessier BSc

  3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

    Alison C. Holloway PhD

  4. Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada

    Jim J. Petrik PhD

  5. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

    Andree Gruslin MD, FRCSC

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  1. Emily K. Hayes MSc
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  2. Daniel R. Tessier BSc
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  3. Michael E. Percival BSc
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  4. Alison C. Holloway PhD
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  5. Jim J. Petrik PhD
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  6. Andree Gruslin MD, FRCSC
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  7. Sandeep Raha PhD
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Correspondence to Sandeep Raha PhD.

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Hayes, E.K., Tessier, D.R., Percival, M.E. et al. Trophoblast Invasion and Blood Vessel Remodeling Are Altered in a Rat Model of Lifelong Maternal Obesity. Reprod. Sci. 21, 648–657 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719113508815

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719113508815

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