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BMC Medicine
Published in: BMC Medicine 1/2017

Open Access 01-12-2017 | Research article

Inhibition of placental mTOR signaling provides a link between placental malaria and reduced birthweight

Authors: Kris Genelyn Dimasuay, Elizabeth H. Aitken, Fredrick Rosario, Madi Njie, Jocelyn Glazier, Stephen J. Rogerson, Freya J. I. Fowkes, James G. Beeson, Theresa Powell, Thomas Jansson, Philippe Boeuf

Published in: BMC Medicine | Issue 1/2017

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Abstract

Background

Placental Plasmodium falciparum malaria can trigger intervillositis, a local inflammatory response more strongly associated with low birthweight than placental malaria infection alone. Fetal growth (and therefore birthweight) is dependent on placental amino acid transport, which is impaired in placental malaria-associated intervillositis. Here, we tested the hypothesis that mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling, a pathway known to regulate amino acid transport, is inhibited in placental malaria-associated intervillositis, contributing to lower birthweight.

Methods

We determined the link between intervillositis, mTOR signaling activity, and amino acid uptake in tissue biopsies from both uninfected placentas and malaria-infected placentas with and without intervillositis, and in an in vitro model using primary human trophoblast (PHT) cells.

Results

We demonstrated that (1) placental mTOR activity is lower in cases of placental malaria with intervillositis, (2) placental mTOR activity is negatively correlated with the degree of inflammation, and (3) inhibition of placental mTOR activity is associated with reduced placental amino acid uptake and lower birthweight. In PHT cells, we showed that (1) inhibition of mTOR signaling is a mechanistic link between placental malaria-associated intervillositis and decreased amino acid uptake and (2) constitutive mTOR activation partially restores amino acid uptake.

Conclusions

Our data support the concept that inhibition of placental mTOR signaling constitutes a mechanistic link between placental malaria-associated intervillositis and decreased amino acid uptake, which may contribute to lower birthweight. Restoring placental mTOR signaling in placental malaria may increase birthweight and improve neonatal survival, representing a new potential therapeutic approach.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Inhibition of placental mTOR signaling provides a link between placental malaria and reduced birthweight
Authors
Kris Genelyn Dimasuay
Elizabeth H. Aitken
Fredrick Rosario
Madi Njie
Jocelyn Glazier
Stephen J. Rogerson
Freya J. I. Fowkes
James G. Beeson
Theresa Powell
Thomas Jansson
Philippe Boeuf
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Medicine / Issue 1/2017
Electronic ISSN: 1741-7015
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-016-0759-3

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