title: Placental Microparticles and MicroRNAs in Pregnant Women with Plasmodium falciparum or HIV Infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  During pregnancy, syncytiotrophoblast vesicles contribute to maternal tolerance towards the fetus, but also to pathologies such as pre-eclampsia. The aim of the study was to address whether Plasmodium falciparum and HIV infections in pregnancy affect the secretion, microRNA content and function of trophoblast microparticles.
  
  
  METHODS
  Microparticles were isolated and characterized from 122 peripheral plasmas of Mozambican pregnant women, malaria- and/or HIV-infected and non-infected. Expression of placenta-related microRNAs in microparticles was analysed by qPCR and the effect of circulating microparticles on dendritic cells assessed by phenotype analysis and cytokine/chemokine measurement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Concentrations of total and trophoblast microparticles detected by flow cytometry were higher in HIV-positive (P = 0.005 and P = 0.030, respectively) compared to non-infected mothers, as well as in women delivering low birthweight newborns (P = 0.032 and P = 0.021, respectively). miR-517c was overexpressed in mothers with placental malaria (P = 0.034), compared to non-infected. Microparticles from HIV-positive induced a higher expression of MHCII (P = 0.021) and lower production of MCP1 (P = 0.008) than microparticles from non-infected women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In summary, alterations in total and trophoblast microparticles associated with malaria and HIV in pregnant women may have an immunopathogenic role. The potential for placental-derived vesicles and microRNAs as biomarkers of adverse outcomes during pregnancy and malaria infection should be confirmed in future studies.
authors.affiliation: ISGlobal, Barcelona Centre for International Health Research (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.|Placenta-Labor, Department of Obstetrics, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moro
authors.affiliation: ISGlobal, Barcelona Centre for International Health Research (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.|Centro de Investigação em Saúde da Manhiça, Manhiça, Mozambique.
authors.forename: Azucena
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bardají
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigação em Saúde da Manhiça, Manhiça, Mozambique.
authors.forename: Eusebio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Macete
authors.affiliation: ISGlobal, Barcelona Centre for International Health Research (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Barrios
authors.affiliation: Placenta-Labor, Department of Obstetrics, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Diana M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Morales-Prieto
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: España
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigação em Saúde da Manhiça, Manhiça, Mozambique.
authors.forename: Inacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mandomando
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigação em Saúde da Manhiça, Manhiça, Mozambique.
authors.forename: Betuel
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sigaúque
authors.affiliation: ISGlobal, Barcelona Centre for International Health Research (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.|Centro de Investigação em Saúde da Manhiça, Manhiça, Mozambique.
authors.forename: Carlota
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dobaño
authors.affiliation: Placenta-Labor, Department of Obstetrics, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Udo R
authors.initials: UR
authors.lastname: Markert
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Benitez-Ribas
authors.affiliation: ISGlobal, Barcelona Centre for International Health Research (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.|Centro de Investigação em Saúde da Manhiça, Manhiça, Mozambique.
authors.forename: Pedro L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.affiliation: ISGlobal, Barcelona Centre for International Health Research (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.|Centro de Investigação em Saúde da Manhiça, Manhiça, Mozambique.
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Menéndez
authors.affiliation: ISGlobal, Barcelona Centre for International Health Research (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.|Centro de Investigação em Saúde da Manhiça, Manhiça, Mozambique.
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mayor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055252:Cell-Derived Microparticles / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018925:Chemokines / Q000378:metabolism; D003710:Demography; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism*; D010641:Phenotype; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018925:Chemokines; D035683:MicroRNAs