title: A gestational profile of placental exosomes in maternal plasma and their effects on endothelial cell migration.
abstract: Studies completed to date provide persuasive evidence that placental cell-derived exosomes play a significant role in intercellular communication pathways that potentially contribute to placentation and development of materno-fetal vascular circulation. The aim of this study was to establish the gestational-age release profile and bioactivity of placental cell-derived exosome in maternal plasma. Plasma samples (n = 20 per pregnant group) were obtained from non-pregnant and pregnant women in the first (FT, 6-12 weeks), second (ST, 22-24 weeks) and third (TT, 32-38 weeks) trimester. The number of exosomes and placental exosome contribution were determined by quantifying immunoreactive exosomal CD63 and placenta-specific marker (PLAP), respectively. The effect of exosomes isolated from FT, ST and TT on endothelial cell migration were established using a real-time, live-cell imaging system (Incucyte). Exosome plasma concentration was more than 50-fold greater in pregnant women than in non-pregnant women (p<0.001). During normal healthy pregnancy, the number of exosomes present in maternal plasma increased significantly with gestational age by more that two-fold (p<0.001). Exosomes isolated from FT, ST and TT increased endothelial cell migration by 1.9±0.1, 1.6±0.2 and 1.3±0.1-fold, respectively compared to the control. Pregnancy is associated with a dramatic increase in the number of exosomes present in plasma and maternal plasma exosomes are bioactive. While the role of placental cell-derived exosome in regulating maternal and/or fetal vascular responses remains to be elucidated, changes in exosome profile may be of clinical utility in the diagnosis of placental dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Centre for Clinical Diagnostics, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Salomon
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetric and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de los Andes, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Maria Jose
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.affiliation: University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Centre for Clinical Diagnostics, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Miharu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.affiliation: University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Centre for Clinical Diagnostics, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Katherin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Scholz-Romero
authors.affiliation: University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Centre for Clinical Diagnostics, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Queensland, Australia; Cellular and Molecular Physiology Laboratory (CMPL), Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sobrevia
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetric and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de los Andes, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Aneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dobierzewska
authors.affiliation: University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Centre for Clinical Diagnostics, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Queensland, Australia; Department of Obstetric and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de los Andes, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Sebastian E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Illanes
authors.affiliation: University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Centre for Clinical Diagnostics, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Murray D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.affiliation: University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Centre for Clinical Diagnostics, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Gregory E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Rice
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002465:Cell Movement; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D055354:Exosomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D010920:Placenta / Q000166:cytology*; D010949:Plasma / Q000166:cytology*; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers