Exploring the Importance of Differential Expression of Autophagy Markers in Term Placentas from Late-Onset Preeclamptic Pregnancies

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences 2024-02, Vol.25 (4), p.2029
• Main Authors: Garcia-Puente, Luis M, García-Montero, Cielo, Fraile-Martinez, Oscar, Bujan, Julia, De León-Luis, Juan A, Bravo, Coral, Rodríguez-Benitez, Patrocinio, López-González, Laura, Díaz-Pedrero, Raul, Álvarez-Mon, Melchor, García-Honduvilla, Natalio, Saez, Miguel A, Ortega, Miguel A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Autophagy; Autophagy - genetics; Blood pressure; Case-Control Studies; Female; Gene expression; Genes; Genetic research; Health aspects; Humans; Hypertension; Hypoxia; Immunohistochemistry; Inflammation; Oxidative stress; Placenta - metabolism; Pre-Eclampsia - metabolism; Preeclampsia; Pregnancy; Pregnant women; Proteins; Transcription Factors - metabolism
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms25042029

Preeclampsia (PE) is a serious hypertensive disorder affecting 4-5% of pregnancies globally, leading to maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality and reducing life expectancy in surviving women post-gestation. Late-onset PE (LO-PE) is a clinical type of PE diagnosed after 34 weeks of gestation, being less severe than the early-onset PE (EO-PE) variant, although both entities have a notable impact on the placenta. Despite the fact that most studies have focused on EO-PE, LO-PE does not deserve less attention since its prevalence is much higher and little is known about the role of the placenta in this pathology. Via RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry methods, we measured the gene and protein expressions of several macroautophagy markers in the chorionic villi of placentas from women who underwent LO-PE ( = 68) and compared them to normal pregnancies ( = 43). We observed a markedly distinct expression pattern, noticing a significant drop in NUP62 expression and a considerable rise in the gene and protein expressions of ULK1, ATG9A, LC3, ATG5, STX-17, and LAMP-1 in the placentas of women with LO-PE. A major induction of autophagic processes was found in the placental tissue of patients with LO-PE. Abnormal signaling expression of these molecular patterns in this condition aids in the understanding of the complexity of pathophysiology and proposes biomarkers for the clinical management of these patients.