Spatial transcriptomics of human placentas reveal distinct RNA patterns associated with morphology and preeclampsia

Nayanika Bhalla; Lovisa Franzén; Annika Scheynius; Nikos Papadogiannakis; Stefan R Hansson; Susanne Lager; Patrik L Ståhl

doi:10.1016/j.placenta.2023.07.004

Spatial transcriptomics of human placentas reveal distinct RNA patterns associated with morphology and preeclampsia

Placenta. 2023 Aug:139:213-216. doi: 10.1016/j.placenta.2023.07.004. Epub 2023 Jul 5.

Authors

Nayanika Bhalla¹, Lovisa Franzén¹, Annika Scheynius², Nikos Papadogiannakis³, Stefan R Hansson⁴, Susanne Lager⁵, Patrik L Ståhl¹

Affiliations

¹ Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Gene Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.
² Department of Clinical Science and Education, Karolinska Institutet, Sachs' Children and Youth Hospital, Södersjukhuset, Stockholm, Sweden.
³ Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Pathology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
⁴ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
⁵ Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. Electronic address: susanne.lager@kbh.uu.se.

PMID: 37481829
DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2023.07.004

Abstract

Spatial transcriptomics (ST) maps RNA level patterns within a tissue. This technology has not been previously applied to human placental tissue. We demonstrate analysis of human placental samples with ST. Unsupervised clustering revealed that distinct RNA patterns were found corresponding to different morphological structures. Additionally, when focusing upon terminal villi and hemoglobin associated structures, RNA levels differed between placentas from full term healthy pregnancies and those complicated by preeclampsia. The results from this study can provide a benchmark for future ST studies in placenta.

Keywords: Differential gene expression; Hemoglobin; Morphology; Oxidoreductase pathway; Placenta; Preeclampsia; Pregnancy complications; Spatial transcriptomics; Villi.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Female
Gene Expression Profiling
Humans
Placenta*
Pre-Eclampsia* / genetics
Pregnancy
RNA
Transcriptome

Substances

RNA