The role of elevated Activin in the amniotic fluid of chorioamnionitis - Analysis of the effects on the fetus and placenta.

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K09592
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 56040:Obstetrics and gynecology-related
• Research Institution: Gunma University of Health and Welfare (2022); Gunma University (2020-2021)
• Principal Investigator: Abe Yumiko 群馬医療福祉大学, 医療技術学部, 教授 (70261857)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 小川 典子 島根大学, 学術研究院医学・看護学系, 助教 (90598111)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: アクチビン / インヒビン / フォリスタチン / 絨毛膜羊膜炎 / 胎児胎盤系 / 羊水 / 羊膜細胞 / 胎仔肺

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Chorioamnionitis is the primary cause of premature delivery. Activin is a pluripotent growth factor and elevated activin concentrations in amniotic fluid are reported in chorioamnionitis. However, the effects of activin in amniotic fluid on the fetus and placenta have not been elucidated. Therefore, we investigated the effects of activin by injecting activin into mouse amniotic fluid. We also studied the effects of activin by using amniotic cells which had direct contact with amniotic fluid. In fetal mice exposed to activin on embryonic day 17.5, we found a gene in the fetal lung was suppressed by activin. Conversely, a similar phenomenon was not found in amniotic cells. Activin in amniotic fluid seemed to affect the fetus more than the placenta. We also studied the kinetics of the liposomal nanoparticles, which are often used as drug delivery systems, in amniotic fluid. The liposomal nanoparticles were stable in amniotic fluid as long as they were in serum.

Free Research Field

産科婦人科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

絨毛膜羊膜炎は早産の主因であるとともに、新生児慢性肺疾患などのリスクを増加させる疾患である。一方、炎症により多機能性の増殖因子アクチビンが羊水中で増加することが報告されているが、アクチビンの胎児胎盤系への作用は不明であった。今回、アクチビンにより胎仔肺で発現が抑制される遺伝子を見出したこと、及び、薬物送達システムで汎用されている脂質ナノ粒子が、羊水中において血清中と同様の安定性を示すことを明らかにしたことにより、アクチビンの負の制御因子で生体内物質であるインヒビンやフォリスタチンを用いた、羊水中注入による胎児治療の可能性が示唆された。