Evidence for functional interactions between the placenta and brain in pregnant mice

Abstract

The placenta plays a pivotal role in the development of the fetal brain and also influences maternal brain function, but our understanding of communication between the placenta and brain remains limited. Using a gene expression and network analysis approach, we provide evidence that the placenta transcriptome is tightly interconnected with the maternal brain and fetal brain in d 15 pregnant C57BL/6J mice. Activation of serotonergic synapse signaling and inhibition of neurotrophin signaling were identified as potential mediators of crosstalk between the placenta and maternal brain and fetal brain, respectively. Genes encoding specific receptors and ligands were predicted to affect functional interactions between the placenta and brain. Paralogous genes, such as sex comb on midleg homolog 1/scm‐like with 4 mbt domains 2 and polycomb group ring finger (Pcgf) 2/Pcgf5, displayed antagonistic regulation between the placenta and brain. Additionally, conditional ablation of forkhead box a2 (Foxa2) in the glands of the uterus altered the transcriptome of the d 15 placenta, which provides novel evidence of crosstalk between the uterine glands and placenta. Furthermore, expression of cathepsin 6 and monocyte to macrophage differentiation associated 2 was significantly different in the fetal brain of Foxa2 conditional knockout mice compared with control mice. These findings provide a better understanding of the intricacies of uterus‐placenta‐brain interactions during pregnancy and provide a foundation and model system for their exploration.—Behura, S. K., Kelleher, A. M., Spencer, T. E. Evidence for functional interactions between the placenta and brain in pregnant mice. FASEB J. 33, 4261–4272 (2019). www.fasebj.org