Placental Transcriptome Modifications in Response to a SSRI in Rats
The use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants during pregnancy has been linked to adverse effects on fetal development, but the placental mechanisms involved remain unclear. Previous research indicated altered placental gene expression in women using the SSRI fluoxetine during pregnancy. However, distinguishing between SSRI effects and underlying maternal depression in human studies is challenging since healthy mothers don't take antide-pressants. In this study, we aimed to identify genes in rat placentas transcriptionally affected by SSRI treatment without any underlying maternal illness. Wistar rats received fluoxetine throughout pregnancy, and placentas were collected on gesta-tional day 21. Whole transcriptome changes in the fetal part of these full-term placentas were analyzed, uncovering 81 differentially expressed genes (DEG) due to fluoxetine treatment. No-tably, the number of DEGs were less pronounced than those found in human placentas exposed to fluoxetine, suggesting that a significant portion of reported SSRI effects on human placental gene expression may result from the underlying maternal illness. In the rat placenta, thirteen gene sets were identified, including the extracellular matrix and cell adhesion molecules. Whether these gene sets play a significant role in fluoxetine's impact on offspring development and placental function warrants further investigation.