BDNF and KISS‑1 Levels in Maternal Serum, Umbilical Cord, and Placenta: The Potential Role of Maternal Levels as Effect Biomarker
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Springer Nature
Materia
Pro-BDNF Mature BDNF Kisspeptin Biomarker Neurodevelopment
Fecha
2023-05-29Referencia bibliográfica
Granitzer, S., Widhalm, R., Atteneder, S. et al. BDNF and KISS-1 Levels in Maternal Serum, Umbilical Cord, and Placenta: The Potential Role of Maternal Levels as Effect Biomarker. Expo Health (2023). [https://doi.org/10.1007/s12403-023-00565-w]
Patrocinador
HBM4EU Project from the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program under Grant Agreement No. 733032Resumen
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and kisspeptin-1 (KISS-1) regulate placental development and fetal growth. The
predictive value of maternal serum BDNF and KISS-1 concentrations for placental and umbilical cord levels has not yet been
explored. The influence of prenatal lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) exposure and maternal iron status on BDNF and KISS-1
levels is also unclarified and of concern. In a pilot cross-sectional study with 65 mother–newborn pairs, we analyzed maternal
and cord serum levels of pro-BDNF, mature BDNF, and KISS-1, BDNF, and KISS-1 gene expression in placenta, Pb and
Cd in maternal and umbilical cord blood (erythrocytes), and placenta. We conducted a series of in vitro experiments using
human primary trophoblast cells (hTCs) and BeWo cells to verify main findings of the epidemiological analysis. Strong
and consistent correlations were observed between maternal serum levels of pro-BDNF, mature BDNF, and KISS-1 and
corresponding levels in umbilical serum and placental tissue. Maternal red blood cell Pb levels were inversely correlated
with serum and placental KISS-1 levels. Lower expression and release of KISS-1 was also observed in Pb-exposed BeWo
cells. In vitro Pb exposure also reduced cellular BDNF levels. Cd-treated BeWo cells showed increased pro-BDNF levels.
Low maternal iron status was positively associated with low BDNF levels. Iron-deficient hTCs and BeWo cells showed a
consistent decrease in the release of mature BDNF. The correlations between maternal BDNF and KISS-1 levels, placental
gene expression, and umbilical cord serum levels, respectively, indicate the strong potential of maternal serum as predictive
matrix for BDNF and KISS-1 levels in placentas and fetal sera. Pb exposure and iron status modulate BDNF and KISS-1
levels, but a clear direction of modulations was not evident. The associations need to be confirmed in a larger sample and
validated in terms of placental and neurodevelopmental function.