Metastatic Tumor in Pregnancy: Placental Germ Cell Tumor With Metastasis to the Foal

A placental mass was observed in an otherwise-healthy Quarter Horse mare; subsequently, the mare's 52-day-old foal was examined because of hind limb ataxia, urinary incontinence, and raised lesions of the distal limbs. Clinical and biochemical findings were supportive of liver disease and lumbosacral injury. Ultrasonographic evaluation of the abdomen suggested a liver mass, which was confirmed with computed tomography (CT) and determined to be neoplastic via histopathologic evaluation of a liver biopsy sample. Initial histopathology suggested a germ cell tumor. Regions of lysis affecting both femurs and third metacarpal bones and a complete oblique sagittal fracture through the body of the first sacral vertebra were present on CT. Supportive care was provided until CT confirmation of diffuse hepatic neoplasia and vertebral fracture. Necropsy revealed a large multinodular mass within the liver and a pathologic fracture of the first sacral vertebral body. Histopathologic comparison between neoplastic cells examined from the placenta and foal confirmed metastases of a germ cell tumor. Placental tumors are rare in all species; however, when noted in horses, clinicians should be aware of the possibility of metastatic spread to the foal.     

Alteration in the Expression of Proteins in Unexplained Recurrent Pregnancy Loss Compared with in the Normal Placenta

The placenta is a unique pregnancy-related tissue and plays a key role in occurrence of unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss (URPL). Abnormal placentation might play a key role in occurrence of URPL. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the human placental proteome between URPL placentas and normal placental matched for gestational week. Total placental proteins were extracted, and the two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) technique was used for separation of the placental proteomes. Protein spots differentially expressed between URPL and normal placentas were selected and identified by the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF/TOF) technique after being digested in the gel. Moreover, quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot techniques were used to confirm the differential expression mass results for some differentially expressed proteins. The results indicated that at least 19 protein spots were differentially expressed between URPL and normal placentas (P < 0.05), and twelve of them were successfully identified. While only two proteins were downregulated (calumenin and enolase 1), the remaining ten spots (actin gamma 1 propeptide, cathepsin D prepropeptide, heat shock protein gp96, tubulin beta, tubulin alpha 1, glutathione S-transferase, vitamin D binding protein, prohibitin, actin beta, apolipoprotein A-I) showed increased expression in URPL cases in comparison with normal placentas. Real-time PCR also confirmed the downregulation of calumenin and upregulation of prohibitin and apolipoprotein A-I at the mRNA levels. In conclusion, the results of the present study showed that alteration in the expression of proteins involved in proliferation and migration of endothelial cells as well as control of coagulation by these cells might play an important role in the pathogenesis of URPL.     

动物胎盘细胞凋亡的研究进展

细胞凋亡是由基因编码决定的细胞主动死亡,参与机体生理过程及疾病的发生过程。胎儿的生长发育是一个极其复杂的生理过程,在此妊娠过程中胎盘的细胞增殖和凋亡之间处于不同的平衡状态,这种状态一旦被破坏就会出现不同的病理妊娠症状。本文对影响动物胎盘细胞凋亡的因素、正常的胎盘细胞凋亡、胎盘细胞凋亡对妊娠和胎儿发育的影响进行了综述。     

不同保存温度对辣椒素二氢辣椒素含量的影响

以辣椒绿熟果(果实绿熟时期采摘)和红熟果(果实红熟时期采摘)为试材,研究其保存在不同温度条件下辣椒素和二氢辣椒素含量的变化规律。结果表明:不同的温度保存下,胎座或果肉的辣椒素含量变化趋势均与二氢辣椒素一致。短时期低温(0℃)保存有利于保持采后辣椒果实辣椒素(二氢辣椒素)高含量,长时间保存时,常温(4℃~25℃)保存有利于保持辣椒素(二氢辣椒素)高含量。同一保存温度下,果肉辣椒素(二氢辣椒素)含量变化趋势与胎座相反。同一温度处理下,不同熟期果实辣椒素(二氢辣椒素)含量变化规律基本一致。     

Equine placenta expresses glutamine synthetase

In most mammalian species the developing fetus utilizes large amounts of glutamine derived both from the maternal circulation and synthesized de novo in the placenta. The present study was designed to determine the role of the placenta in glutamine synthesis in the horse. The placentae from eight Standardbred mares were sampled immediately after parturition together with additional tissues obtained at necropsy from three Standbred mares during diestrous. Glutamine synthetase protein was detectable in the non-pregnant horn of the placenta in amounts similar to those seen in gluteus muscle, but the amount in the pregnant horn was two times greater than in the non-pregnant horn. Glutamine was the second most abundant amino acid in amniotic fluid at a concentration of 310 ± 26 μmole/L with that of glycine being 535 ± 48 μmole/L. The most abundant amino acids in placental tissue were glycine (3,732 ± 194 μmole/Kg), glutamate (3,500 ± 343 μmole/Kg) and glutamine (2,836 ± 208 μmole/Kg). The results illustrate the importance of glutamine to the equine fetus and establish that the placenta, particularly the pregnant horn, has considerable capacity for glutamine synthesis.     

N-氨甲酰谷氨酸在调控仔猪初生重中的应用及其作用机理

N-氨甲酰谷氨酸(NCG)是一种新型的饲料添加剂,可显著提升母猪的繁殖性能。近期研究表明,NCG对仔猪初生重也存在积极的调控作用。本文综述了近年来营养因子对仔猪初生重及窝内体重变异调控的研究进展,重点对NCG调控仔猪初生重及变异的应用效果和分子机理进行了挖掘和分析,以期为生猪生产中仔猪初生重及其变异的调控提供理论和实践依据。     

正常孕妇与妊高症患者胎盘中Ghrelin、GHS-R mRNA的表达研究

[目的]通过比较正常孕妇与妊高症患者胎盘中Ghrelin及其受体GHS-RmRNA水平的变化,探讨Ghrelin及其受体与妊高症的发病是否相关。[方法]采用实时荧光定量RT-PCR技术检测了正常孕妇胎盘和妊高症患者胎盘中Ghrelin及其受体GHS-RmRNA水平相对表达量的变化。[结果]正常孕妇胎盘组织中mRNA水平与妊高症患者胎盘组织中mRNA水平无显著性差异,但Ghrelin受体GHS-R在两者之间的mRNA水平有显著性差异（P〈0．05）。[结论]Ghrelin及其受体在妊高症患者和正常孕妇胎盘中表达的相对变化表明,Ghrelin受体缺乏可能成为妊高症发病的因素之一。     

Structure and functions of the placenta in common minke (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), Bryde’s (B. brydei) and sei (B. borealis) whales

The structure and functions of placentas were examined in 3 species of rorqual whales, common minke (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), Bryde’s (B. brydei) and sei (B. borealis) whales, with the aim of confirming the structural characteristics of the chorion, including the presence of the areolar part, and clarifying steroidogenic activities and fetomaternal interactions in the placentas of these whales. Placentas were collected from the second phase of the Japanese Whale Research Program under Special Permit in the North Pacific (JARPN II). Histological and ultrastructural examinations revealed that these whale placentas were epitheliochorial placentas with the interdigitation of chorionic villi lined by monolayer uninucleate cells (trophoblast cells) and endometrial crypts as well as folded placentation by fold-like chorionic villi. Moreover, well-developed pouch-like areolae were observed in the placentas, and active absorption was suggested in the chorionic epithelial cells of the areolar part (areolar trophoblast cells). Berlin blue staining showed the presence of ferric ions (Fe³⁺) in the uterine glandular epithelial cells and within the stroma of chorionic villi in the areolar part. An immunohistochemical examination revealed tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP; known as uteroferrin in uteri) in the cytoplasm of glandular cells and areolar trophoblast cells. This result suggested that, in cetaceans, uteroferrin is used to supply iron to the fetus. Furthermore, immunoreactivity for P450scc and P450arom was detected in trophoblast cells, but not in areolar trophoblast cells, suggesting that trophoblast cells synthesize estrogen in whale placentas. Therefore, we herein immunohistochemically revealed the localization of aromatase and uteroferrin in cetacean placentas during pregnancy for the first time.     

Transplacental induction of fatty acid oxidation in term fetal pigs by the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha agonist clofibrate

Background

To induce peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) expression and increase milk fat utilization in pigs at birth, the effect of maternal feeding of the PPARα agonist, clofibrate (2-(4-chlorophenoxy)-2-methyl-propanoic acid, ethyl ester), on fatty acid oxidation was examined at full-term delivery (0 h) and 24 h after delivery in this study. Each group of pigs (n = 10) was delivered from pregnant sows fed a commercial diet with or without 0.8% clofibrate for the last 7 d of gestation. Blood samples were collected from the utero-ovarian artery of the sows and the umbilical cords of the pigs as they were removed from the sows by C-section on day 113 of gestation.

Results

HPLC analysis identified that clofibric acid was present in the plasma of the clofibrate-fed sow (~4.2 μg/mL) and its offspring (~1.5 μg/mL). Furthermore, the maternal-fed clofibrate had no impact on the liver weight of the pigs at 0 h and 24 h, but hepatic fatty acid oxidation examined in fresh homogenates showed that clofibrate increased (P < 0.01) ¹⁴C-accumulation in CO₂ and acid soluble products 2.9-fold from [1-¹⁴C]-oleic acid and 1.6-fold from [1-¹⁴C]-lignoceric acid respectively. Correspondingly, clofibrate increased fetal hepatic carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT) and acyl-CoA oxidase (ACO) activities by 36% and 42% over controls (P < 0.036). The mRNA abundance of CPT I was 20-fold higher in pigs exposed to clofibrate (P < 0.0001) but no differences were detected for ACO and PPARα mRNA between the two groups.

Conclusion

These data demonstrate that dietary clofibrate is absorbed by the sow, crosses the placental membrane, and enters fetal circulation to induce hepatic fatty acid oxidation by increasing the CPT and ACO activities of the newborn.