title: Feto-Maternal Trafficking of Exosomes in Murine Pregnancy Models.
abstract: Timing and initiation of labor are well-orchestrated by signals communicated between the fetal and maternal compartments; however, how these signals are communicated is not completely understood. Fetal exosomes, intercellular signaling vesicles, may play a key role in the process. The objective of this study was to evaluate exosome traffickingin vivofrom fetal to maternal compartments. Pregnant CD-1 mice were intra-amniotically injected on gestational day 16 and 17 with exosomes isolated from primary human amnion epithelial cells fluorescently labeled with the lipophilic dye 1,1-dioctadecyl-3,3,3,3-tetramethylindotricarbocyanine iodide (DiR). All our analyses were performed on samples collected on Day 18. After 24 h, mice were imaged using Bruker MS FX PROIn vivoImager and tissues were collected.In vivoimaging of mouse showed fluorescence in the uterus, on the exosome-injected side whereas the uterine tissues from the uninjected side and saline and dye alone injected animals remained negative. Histological analysis of placenta showed exosome migration from the fetal to the maternal side of the placenta. Fluorescence released from exosomes was seen in maternal blood samples as well as in maternal uterus and kidneys. This study demonstrates that exosomal cargo can be carried through systemic route from the fetal to the maternal side of the uterine tissues during pregnancy, supporting the idea that fetal signals can be delivered via exosomes.
authors.affiliation: Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Perinatal Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, GalvestonTX, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, GalvestonTX, USA.
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sheller-Miller
authors.affiliation: Integrated Research Center for Fetal Medicine, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore MD, USA.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.affiliation: Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Perinatal Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Saade
authors.affiliation: Exosome Biology Laboratory, Centre for Clinical Diagnostics, University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, The University of Queensland, BrisbaneQLD, Australia; Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New OrleansLA, USA.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Salomon
authors.affiliation: Integrated Research Center for Fetal Medicine, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore MD, USA.
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Burd
authors.affiliation: Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Perinatal Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA.
authors.forename: Ramkumar
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Menon
keywords: CD-1 mice; microvesicles; oxidative stress; parturition; signaling