title: Differential placental expression profile of human Growth Hormone/Chorionic Somatomammotropin genes in pregnancies with pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes mellitus.
abstract: The human GH/CSH cluster consisting of one pituitary-expressed (GH1) and four placenta-expressed loci has been implicated in maternal metabolic adaptation to pregnancy, regulation of intrauterine and postnatal growth. We investigated how the mRNA expression profile of placental GH2, CSH1 and CSH2 genes and their alternative transcripts correlates with maternal pre-eclampsia (PE) and/or gestational diabetes mellitus (GD). The expression of studied genes in PE placentas (n=17) compared to controls (n=17) exhibited a trend for reduced transcript levels. The alternative transcripts retaining intron 4, GH2-2 and CSH1-2 showed significantly reduced expression in PE cases without growth restriction (P=0.007, P=0.008, respectively). In maternal GD (n=23), a tendency of differential expression was detected only for the GH2 gene and in pregnancies with large-for-gestational-age newborns. Our results, together with those reported by others, are consistent with a pleiotropic effect of placental hGH/CSH genes at the maternal-fetal interface relating to the regulation of fetal growth and the risk of affected maternal metabolism.
authors.affiliation: Human Molecular Genetics Group, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Riia 23, 51010 Tartu, Estonia.
authors.forename: Jaana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Männik
authors.forename: Pille
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vaas
authors.forename: Kristiina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rull
authors.forename: Pille
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Teesalu
authors.forename: Maris
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017398:Alternative Splicing; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007438:Introns; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D010926:Placental Hormones / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010928:Placental Lactogen / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: C064980:GH2 protein, human; D010926:Placental Hormones; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013006:Growth Hormone; D010928:Placental Lactogen