A5077520021- Preterm Birth and Chorioamnionitis
- Pregnancy and preeclampsia studies
- Reproductive System and Pregnancy
- Extracellular vesicles in disease
- Neonatal Respiratory Health Research
- Pregnancy and Medication Impact
- Prenatal Screening and Diagnostics
- Mesenchymal stem cell research
- Reproductive tract infections research
- Pregnancy-related medical research
- COVID-19 Impact on Reproduction
- Infant Nutrition and Health
- Birth, Development, and Health
- Toxoplasma gondii Research Studies
- Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
- Gestational Trophoblastic Disease Studies
- Pancreatic function and diabetes
- Galectins and Cancer Biology
- Autophagy in Disease and Therapy
- Skin Protection and Aging
- Nanopore and Nanochannel Transport Studies
- Reproductive Biology and Fertility
- Ectopic Pregnancy Diagnosis and Management
- Renal and related cancers
- Proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans research
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
2019-2025
ORCID
2021
Galveston College
2019-2021
Kanazawa University
2014
National University of Mongolia
2006
Preterm birth (PTB; <37 weeks of gestation) impacts ∼11% all pregnancies and contributes to 1 million neonatal deaths worldwide annually.
Exosomes engineered to cargo anti-inflammatory drug delay infection-induced preterm birth by reducing fetal inflammatory response.
We developed multiple microfluidic organ-on-chip (OOC) devices that represent the structure, functions, and responses of two feto-maternal interfaces (FMis) in humans (fetal membrane [FMi-OOC] placenta [PLA-OOC]). Generated by BioRender.
Human fetal membranes (amniochorion) that line the intrauterine cavity consist of two distinct cell layers; single-layer amnion epithelial cells (AEC) and multilayer chorion trophoblast (CTC). These layers are connected through a collagen-rich extracellular matrix. Cellular remodeling helps support membrane growth integrity during gestation to maintain pregnancy. Preterm prelabor rupture human amniochorionic (fetal) (pPROM) is antecedent 40% all spontaneous preterm birth. Oxidative stress...
Cell-free RNAs and extracellular vesicles (EVs) are valuable biomarkers in liquid biopsies, but they prone to preanalytical variabilities such as nonstandardized centrifugation or ex vivo blood degradation. Herein, we report a high-throughput label-free inertial microfluidic device (ExoArc) for isolation of platelet-free plasma from RNA EV analysis. Unlike conventional devices widely used cell sorting, submicrometer size cutoff (500 nm) was achieved which completely removed all leukocytes,...
Pregnant women and their fetuses are often excluded from clinical trials due to missing drug-related pre-clinical trial information at the human feto-maternal interface (FMi). The two interfaces-placenta/decidua fetal membranes/decidua gatekeepers of drug transport; however, testing functions is impractical during pregnancy. Limitations current in-vivo/in-vitro models have hampered development Hence, major complications like preterm births maternal neonatal mortalities remain high....
Abstract Objective Oxidative stress (OS)-induced signaler p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK) activation and fetal membrane senescence are associated with parturition. This study determined changes in glycogen synthase 3 beta (GSK3β) its regulation by p38MAPK effecting to further delineate the molecular mechanism involved senescence. Methods Primary human amnion epithelial cells mesenchymal were treated cigarette smoke extract (CSE, OS inducer). Expression of total phosphorylated...
Abstract Extracellular vesicles play a crucial role in feto-maternal communication and provide an important paracrine signaling mechanism pregnancy. We hypothesized that fetal cells-derived exosomes microvesicles (MVs) under oxidative stress (OS) carry unique cargo traffic through interface, which cause inflammation uterine cells associated with parturition. Exosomes MVs, from primary amnion epithelial cell (AEC) culture media normal or OS-induced conditions, were isolated by optimized...
Introduction The placenta is essential for fetal growth and survival maintaining a successful pregnancy. sterility of the has been challenged recently; however, presence placental microbiome controversial. We tested hypothesis that bacterial extracellular vesicles (BEVs) from Gram-negative bacteria as an alternate source microbial DNA, regardless existence community in placenta. Methods Placentae term, not labor Cesareans deliveries, were used this study, specimens sampled randomly side....
Background Fetal inflammatory response mediated by the influx of immune cells and activation pro-inflammatory transcription factor NF-κB in feto-maternal uterine tissues is major determinant infection-associated preterm birth (PTB, live births &lt; 37 weeks gestation). Objective To reduce incidence PTB minimizing inflammation, extracellular vesicles (EVs) were electroporetically engineered to contain anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-10 (eIL-10), their efficacy was tested an...
Differences in male (M) and female (F) neonates' premature birth outcomes placental trophoblast inflammation have been observed but are unknown to occur within the fetal membrane layer (chorion trophoblasts [CTC]). This study examined whether sex-based differences gene expression inflammatory marker can be CTCs under control or infectious conditions modeling preterm birth. from six different patient-derived samples (3M/3F) were cultured divided into experimental (Lipopolysaccharide [LPS])...
Abstract Human fetal membrane and maternal decidua parietalis form one of the major feto-maternal interfaces during pregnancy. Studies on this interface is limited as several investigators have access to placenta, experience difficulties isolate maintain primary cells. Many cell lines that are currently available do not characteristics or properties their cells origin. Therefore, we created, characterized immortalized from isolates membrane-derived amnion epithelial cells, chorion...
Background Microbial invasion of the intraamniotic cavity and inflammation are factors associated with spontaneous preterm birth. Understanding route kinetics infection, sites colonization, mechanisms host inflammatory response is critical to reducing birth risk. Objectives This study developed an animal model ascending infection live bacteria ( E . coli ) in pregnant CD-1 mice goal better understanding process microbial inflammation. Study design Multiple experiments were conducted this...
During pregnancy, the placenta is established as a primary organ for drug transport at maternal-fetal interface. The fetal membranes (FM) also form an interface with maternal tissues; however, their role in has not been previously investigated. Knowledge of across this feto-maternal along can improve new development and testing use during pregnancy. We hypothesize that extracellular vesicles (exosomes 30-160 nm) released from FM placental cells may contain proteins might impact trafficking...
Genital mycoplasmas can break the cervical barrier and cause intraamniotic infection preterm birth. This study developed a six-chamber vagina-cervix-decidua-organ-on-a-chip (VCD-OOC) that recapitulates female reproductive tract during pregnancy with culture chambers populated by vaginal epithelial cells, stromal decidual cells. Cells cultured in VCD-OOC were characterized morphology immunostaining for cell-specific markers. We transferred media from cell chamber of to feto-maternal interface...
Abstract Oxidative stress (OS) and inflammation arising from cellular derangements at the fetal membrane‐decidual interface (feto‐maternal [FMi]) is a major antecedent to preterm birth (PTB). However, it impractical study OS‐associated FMi disease state during human pregnancy, thus difficult develop strategies reduce incidences of PTB. A microfluidic organ‐on‐chip model (FMi‐OOC) that mimics in vivo structure functions vitro was developed address this challenge. The FMi‐OOC contained (amnion...
Introduction: Preterm birth rates and maternal neonatal mortality remain concerning global health issues, necessitating improved strategies for testing therapeutic compounds during pregnancy. Current 2D or 3D cell models animal often fail to provide data that can effectively translate into clinical trials, leading pregnant women being excluded from drug development considerations studies. To address this limitation, we explored the utility of in silico simulation modeling microfluidic-based...
Abstract Background Fetal cell-derived exosomes (extracellular vesicles, 40–160 nm) are communication channels that can signal parturition by inducing inflammatory changes in maternal decidua and myometrium. Little is known about their functional roles on the fetal side. This study isolated characterized from decidual myometrial cells grown under normal inflammatory/oxidative stress conditions determined impact membrane cells. Methods Decidual were standard culture (control) or exposed for...
Abstract During human pregnancy the chorion (fetal) lines decidua (maternal) creating feto–maternal interface. Despite their proximity, resident decidual immune cells remain quiescent during gestation and do not invade chorion. Infection infiltration of activated toward are often associated with preterm birth. However, mechanisms that maintain choriodecidual homeostasis or compromise barrier functions unclear. To understand these processes, a two-chamber microphysiological system (MPS) was...
This study determined if exosomes from ectocervical epithelial (ECTO) cells infected with Ureaplasma parvum (U. parvum) can carry bacterial antigens and cause inflammation at the feto-maternal interface using two organ-on-chip devices, one representing vagina-cervix-decidua another mimicking interface, whether such lead to preterm birth (PTB). Exosomes U. -infected ECTO were characterized cryo-electron microscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis, Western blot, Exoview analysis. The...