Characterization and predicted role of the microRNA expression profile in amnion from obese pregnant women

• Published in: International Journal of Obesity Vol. 38; no. 3; pp. 466 - 469
• Main Authors: Nardelli, C, Iaffaldano, L, Ferrigno, M, Labruna, G, Maruotti, G M, Quaglia, F, Capobianco, V, Di Noto, R, Del Vecchio, L, Martinelli, P, Pastore, L, Sacchetti, L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01-03-2014; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 631/1647/2217/2018; 631/337/384/331; 692/699/2743/393; Actin; Adiponectin - metabolism; Adult; Amnion; Amnion - metabolism; Amniotic sac; Bioinformatics; Biological and medical sciences; Body mass index; Body size; Computational Biology; Cytoskeleton; Epidemiology; Epigenetic inheritance; Epigenetics; ErbB protein; Female; Fetal Blood - metabolism; Fetuses; Gene Expression Profiling; Genetic aspects; Health Promotion and Disease Prevention; Humans; Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Infant, Newborn; Insulin; Internal Medicine; Kinases; Male; Mammals; MAP kinase; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolic Diseases; Metabolic disorders; Metabolic Syndrome - prevention & control; MicroRNA; MicroRNAs; MicroRNAs - metabolism; miRNA; Mothers; Neonates; Nutrients; Obesity; Obesity - blood; Obesity - complications; Pregnancy; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; Protein kinase; Public Health; Rapamycin; Ribonucleic acid; Risk factors; RNA; short-communication; Signal Transduction; TOR protein; Womens health; United States > US; Italy; miRNA; pathway; pregnancy; Human; Obesity; Nutrition; Fetal membrane; Nutrition disorder; Prediction; Metabolic diseases; Gene expression; Characterization; Pregnancy; Amnion; Female; Woman; Nutritional status
• ISSN: 0307-0565; 1476-5497
• DOI: 10.1038/ijo.2013.121

Maternal obesity and nutrient excess
in utero
increase the risk of future metabolic diseases. The mechanisms underlying this process are poorly understood, but probably include genetic, epigenetic alterations and changes in fetal nutrient supply. We have studied the microRNA (miRNA) expression profile in amnion from obese and control women at delivery to investigate if a specific miRNA signature is associated with obesity. The expression profile of 365 human miRNAs was evaluated with the TaqMan Array in amnion from 10 obese and 5 control (prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) >30 and <25 kg m
−2
, respectively) women at delivery. Target genes and miRNA-regulated pathways were predicted by bioinformatics. Anthropometric and biochemical parameters were also measured in mothers and newborns. Seven miRNAs were expressed only in obese women (miR-422b, miR-219, miR-575, miR-523, miR-579, miR-618 and miR-659), whereas 13 miRNAs were expressed at a higher level and 12 miRNAs at a lower level in obese women than in controls. MicroRNAs significantly downregulated the neurotrophin, cancer/ErbB, mammalian target of rapamycin, insulin, adipocytokine, actin cytoskeleton and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways. In conclusion, we show that the miRNA profile is altered in amnion during obesity and hypothesize that this could affect pathways important for placental growth and function, thereby contributing to an increase in the newborn’s risk of future metabolic diseases.