AJP Rep 2016; 06(04): e430-e435
DOI: 10.1055/s-0036-1597652
Case Report
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Placental microRNA Expression Is Not Altered by Maternal Obesity and Fetal Overgrowth

Neda Ghaffari
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Research on Reproduction and Women's Health, Maternal and Child Health Research Program, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
,
Samuel Parry
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Research on Reproduction and Women's Health, Maternal and Child Health Research Program, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
,
Michal A. Elovitz
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Research on Reproduction and Women's Health, Maternal and Child Health Research Program, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
,
Celeste P. Durnwald
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Research on Reproduction and Women's Health, Maternal and Child Health Research Program, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

15 September 2016

15 November 2016

Publication Date:
30 December 2016 (online)

Abstract

Objective The epigenetic mechanisms underlying fetal metabolic programming are poorly understood. We studied whether obesity is associated with alterations in placental miRNA expression.

Study Design A cross-sectional study was performed, including (1) normal-weight women (BMI 20–24.9 kg/m2) and normal-birth-weight (BW) infants (2,700–3,500 g) (n = 20), (2) normal-weight and macrosomic infants (BW ≥ 4,000 g) (n = 10), (3) obese (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2) and normal BW infants (n = 16), and (4) obese and macrosomic infants (n = 10). All had term deliveries (37–41 weeks) and normal glucose tolerance (1 hour GCT < 7.2 mmol/L [130 mg/dL]). The expression of 5,639 placental miRNAs was assessed using miRNA microarray. Differential miRNA expression was determined using two-way ANOVA and pairwise contrasts, with the Benjamini-Hochberg (BH) correction. MiRNAs with Z-scores ≥ 2 and false discovery rate (FDR) < 20% were considered significant.

Results Principal components analysis demonstrated similar global miRNA expression profiles among groups. Of 5,639 miRNAs, only 5 were significantly different between obese and controls, which were not validated by quantitative polymerase reaction.

Conclusion There was no difference in placental miRNA expression associated with obesity or overgrowth. Aberrant placental miRNA expression is an unlikely mechanism underlying fetal metabolic programming related to maternal obesity.

Note

The Maternal and Child Health Research Program within the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Pennsylvania Health System provided financial support for this research.


 
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