Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Publication Date

Winter 12-15-2023

Abstract

Adverse gestational outcomes of pregnancy are a globally occurring threat to fetomaternal health, with limited clinical prognostic and intervention strategies aside from premature labor induction. Epidemiological data shows strong correlations between gestational exposure to air pollution and the incidence of adverse gestational outcomes. The research presented here was designed to evaluate potential murine models of gestational exposure, as well as quantify maternal cardiovascular damage therein. These studies employ radiotelemetry, echocardiography, single cell RNA-sequencing, and untargeted lipidomic analyses in efforts to study these effects. Results implicate cardiovascular responses to mid-gestational ozone exposure as evidenced by decreased maternal cardiac output and increased blood pressure. Trascriptomic data revealed placental pericytes being the most reactive placental cells to maternal ozone exposure, and overall placental extracellular matrix organization being affected. Lipidomic data identified PS37:5 and PIP2 (20:3) as pulmonary lipids altered during ozone inhalation, which may be relevant for non-pharmaceutical intervention and prevention methods for at risk mothers. Collectively, these data highlight both benefits and challenges of murine models for reproductive toxicology studies, and add important foundations for targeted studies to help expand mechanistic insights on air-pollution derived adverse gestational outcomes.

Keywords

Ozone, Placenta, Gestation, Maternal, Fetal

Document Type

Dissertation

Language

English

Degree Name

Biomedical Sciences

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program

First Committee Member (Chair)

Eliseo F Castillo, Ph.D.

Second Committee Member

Matthew J Campen, Ph.D.

Third Committee Member

Alicia M Bolt, Ph.D.

Fourth Committee Member

Rama R Gullapalli, MD, Ph.D.

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