Association between maternal inflammatory profile, number of placental exosomes, and neurodevelopmental outcomes at 12 months of age

• Grant number: 23/16150-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: October 01, 2024
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Psychiatry
• Principal Investigator: Helena Paula Brentani
• Grantee: Felipe Antonio Camoezi Silva
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Exposure to prenatal insults, such as maternal stress, has been associated with an increased risk of adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. Since the fetus is antigenically distinct from the mother, it is necessary to establish a tolerant immune response to prevent rejection of the developing organism. Although the mechanisms of maternal-fetal cross-talk responsible for homeostasis are not fully understood, the release of placental exosomes is one of the most studied. Recent findings indicate that these vesicles appear to have an intimate relationship with cytokine suppression, suggesting that both may serve as potential biomarkers for fetal outcomes. However, there are currently no studies that have assessed them in the same sample. Therefore, the objective of this proposal is to investigate whether maternal cytokine levels are associated with the number of placental exosomes in the first and third trimesters of gestation, as well as to assess if there is a relationship with neurodevelopmental outcomes at 12 months, in children of socially vulnerable adolescents exposed to prenatal stress. For this purpose, maternal plasma samples will be collected during both periods of gestation. Maternal cytokine levels will be assessed using the ELISA method, and the isolation and quantification of placental exosomes will be performed through flow cytometry using magnetic beads coupled with specific antibodies. Neurodevelopmental outcomes will be evaluated using the Bayley Scale. Our hypothesis is that exosomes may mediate the associations between dysregulated maternal inflammatory states and neurodevelopmental scores.