The landscape of implantation and placentation: deciphering the function of dynamic RNA methylation at the maternal-fetal interface

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023 Aug 30:14:1205408. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1205408. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

The maternal-fetal interface is defined as the interface between maternal tissue and sections of the fetus in close contact. RNA methylation modifications are the most frequent kind of RNA alterations. It is effective throughout both normal and pathological implantation and placentation during pregnancy. By influencing early embryo development, embryo implantation, endometrium receptivity, immune microenvironment, as well as some implantation and placentation-related disorders like miscarriage and preeclampsia, it is essential for the establishment of the maternal-fetal interface. Our review focuses on the role of dynamic RNA methylation at the maternal-fetal interface, which has received little attention thus far. It has given the mechanistic underpinnings for both normal and abnormal implantation and placentation and could eventually provide an entirely novel approach to treating related complications.

Keywords: RNA methylation; epigenetic modification; implantation; maternal-fetal interface; placentation; post-transcriptional regulation.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Embryo Implantation* / genetics
  • Embryonic Development
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Methylation
  • Placentation* / genetics
  • Pregnancy
  • RNA

Substances

  • RNA

Grants and funding

This study was supported in part by the National Key Research and Development Program (2022YFC2704600 and 2022YFC2704604), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 82271719, 82071678, and 82171683), the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission Research Fund (No. 21140903800), the Clinical Research Plan of SHDC (SHDC2020CR2059B), and the Key Research Project of Pudong New Area Population and Family Planning Commission (No. PW2020E-1).