Gene Expression Dynamics in Preeclampsia

Gene expression dynamics in preeclampsia encompass coordinated alterations in placental transcriptional programmes, non-coding RNA regulation and trophoblast function that precede and drive the maternal syndrome. Early dysregulation of angiogenic and anti-angiogenic factors, mitochondrial pathways and immune-modulatory genes in first-trimester placental tissue impairs trophoblast invasion and vascular remodelling. Subsequent shifts in messenger RNA abundance, alternative splicing and non-coding RNA species amplify oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction and systemic inflammation. Integrative multi-omic analyses have delineated molecular subclasses of preeclampsia, identified secreted biomarkers predictive of disease onset and revealed potential therapeutic targets within mitochondrial, metabolic and inflammatory signalling networks.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have mapped the human placental transcriptome across healthy and preeclamptic pregnancies, revealing cell-type-specific transcriptional signatures and alternative splicing events that distinguish early-onset and late-onset forms of the disease. Large-scale RNA-sequencing across hundreds of placental samples has uncovered dysregulation of messenger RNA, long intergenic non-coding RNA and circular RNA species, and pinpointed secreted factors such as FSTL3 that predict subsequent disease onset. Foundational transcriptome profiling by RNA-seq in preeclamptic and control placentas identified core differentially expressed genes involved in vascular function and immune balance, characterised disturbed pathways of angiogenesis, hypoxia response and trophoblast invasion, and proposed candidate biomarkers and regulatory networks underpinning placental dysfunction.

Gene Expression Dynamics in Preeclampsia publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in gene expression dynamics in preeclampsia across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Transcriptomics: The study of the complete set of RNA transcripts produced by the genome under specific conditions.

Non-coding RNA (ncRNA): RNA molecules that do not encode proteins but regulate gene expression and chromatin structure.

Trophoblast: Placental cells responsible for embryo implantation, invasion and maternal–fetal nutrient exchange.

Differential gene expression: Changes in gene transcript levels between diseased and normal conditions.

Circular RNA (circRNA): A class of ncRNA forming covalently closed loop structures involved in gene regulation.

References

1. Integrated unbiased multiomics defines disease-independent placental clusters in common obstetrical syndromes. BMC Medicine (2023).
2. Upregulation of Siglec-6 induces mitochondrial dysfunction by promoting GPR20 expression in early-onset preeclampsia. Journal of Translational Medicine (2024).
3. Systematic Proteome Profiling of Maternal Plasma for Development of Preeclampsia Biomarkers. Molecular & Cellular Proteomics (2024).
4. The RNA landscape of the human placenta in health and disease. Nature Communications (2021).
5. Gene expression profiling of pre-eclamptic placentae by RNA sequencing. Scientific Reports (2015).