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In vitro fertilization alters phospholipid profiles in mouse placenta

  • Embryo Biology
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Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Studies on humans and rodents have clearly shown that in vitro fertilization (IVF) is associated with abnormal placenta formation and function. Currently, dysregulated placental lipid metabolism is one of the emerging pathogenetic pathways implicated in adverse pregnancy outcomes. The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of IVF on lipid metabolism in the mouse placenta.

Methods

Two groups of mouse placentas, composed of control and IVF, were collected at embryonic day 18.5. Placental lipid profiles were measured using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The relative levels of individual lipid were examined and compared. The proteins and enzymes that regulate the phospholipid biosynthesis were also compared by western blot.

Results

A significant increase in levels of phosphatidylcholines, phosphatidylethanolamines, phosphatidylinositols, phosphatidylglycerols, lysophosphatidylcholines, and mitochondrial cardiolipin were found in the IVF placenta. In addition, proteins and enzymes that regulate the phospholipid biosynthesis were also altered in IVF placentas.

Conclusions

After lipidomic analysis, we present the first detailed overview of the effect of IVF on lipid metabolism, especially phospholipid profiles in the placenta in a mouse model. The widespread lipidomic shifts identified in this study might explicate some of the placental dysfunction observed after IVF, thereby illustrating that phospholipids serve as early warning biomarkers of health risks in IVF offspring.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Guangzhou Shui and Sin Man Lam of the Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, for technical help. We also appreciate the valuable comments from other members of our laboratory.

Funding

This study was supported by the grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31640056 and 31801250), Shaanxi Natural Science Foundation of China (2016JM8052), Key Research and Development Program of Shaanxi, China (2018SF-258), and Scientific and Technical Innovatory Project of Tangdu Hospital (2017LCYJ001).

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Author notes

  1. Shuqiang Chen and Jun Wang contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, 710038, China

    Shuqiang Chen, Jun Wang, Ming Wang, Jie Lu, Yang Cai & Bo Li

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  1. Shuqiang Chen
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  2. Jun Wang
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  3. Ming Wang
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Correspondence to Bo Li.

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The present study was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of Animal and Medicine of the Tangdu Hospital of The Fourth Military Medical University (approval identification: TDLL-2013051) and was conducted in accordance with the guidelines from the Committee on the Use of Live Animals in Teaching and Research of the Tangdu Hospital of The Fourth Military Medical University.

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Chen, S., Wang, J., Wang, M. et al. In vitro fertilization alters phospholipid profiles in mouse placenta. J Assist Reprod Genet 36, 557–567 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-018-1387-y

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