I propose to investigate the relationship between leptin and trophobiast invasion. Invasion of the uterine epithelium by embryonic trophoblast ceils during early pregnancy is crucial for the establishment and development of the placenta, which is in turn necessary for healthy fetal development. Leptin is a hormone produced by adipose tissue, and in some species, the placenta, that acts as a signal of nutritional state to the reproductive system. The proposed project will attempt to characterize one of the mechanisms by which nutrition affects placental development, and increase our understanding of the role of leptin in pre-eclampsia, a common complication of pregnancy characterized by insufficient trophoblast invasion. The difference in invasivness between trophoblast ceils from early and late pregnancy will be used to study the effects of leptin. I will use primary mouse trophoblast ceils to test the hypotheses (1) that leptin promotes trophoblast invasion in placental ceils from early, but not late pregnancy and (2) that this invasion is mediated by an increase in MMP activity, which is (3) stimulated via the MAPK signaling pathway.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F32)
Project #
1F32HD045116-01A1
Application #
6792798
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-F06 (20))
Program Officer
Yoshinaga, Koji
Project Start
2004-03-01
Project End
2007-02-28
Budget Start
2004-03-01
Budget End
2005-02-28
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2004
Total Cost
$42,976
Indirect Cost
Name
Boston University
Department
Biology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
049435266
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02215
Pennington, Kathleen A; Schlitt, Jessica M; Schulz, Laura C (2012) Isolation of primary mouse trophoblast cells and trophoblast invasion assay. J Vis Exp :e3202
Schulz, L C; Widmaier, E P; Qiu, J et al. (2009) Effect of leptin on mouse trophoblast giant cells. Biol Reprod 80:415-24