Maternal prenatal symptoms of depression and down regulation of placental monoamine oxidase A expression

作者：Blakeley Paul Michael; Capron Lauren Emma; Jensen Anna Bugge; O'Donnell Kieran J; Glover Vivette^*

来源：Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 2013, 75(4): 341-345.

DOI：10.1016/j.jpsychores.2013.07.002

• Prenatal
• Stress
• MAO A
• Placenta
• Depression
• Programming

Objective: Maternal prenatal symptoms of depression and anxiety have been associated with altered neuro-developmental outcomes in the child. These effects may be mediated in part by altered placental function, with increased fetal 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) exposure being one possible mechanism. The current study aimed to determine whether maternal symptoms of depression or anxiety were associated with decreased placental expression of monoamine oxidase A (MAO A), the enzyme which metabolises 5-HT into 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid. The localisation of MAO A in the placenta was also investigated.
Methods: Pregnant women were recruited one day prior to elective caesarean and assessed using psychometric tests for symptoms of depression (Edinburgh Depression Scale) and anxiety (Spielberger State/Trait Index). Villous trophoblast tissue was extracted from each placenta and used for subsequent gene expression analysis (N = 62). Localisation was studied using immunohistochemistry, with a specific polyclonal antibody.
Results: Increasing symptoms of maternal depression were associated with a reduction in placental MAO A expression (r = 0.339, p = 0.007, N = 62). There was a trend for a similar correlation with symptoms of maternal trait anxiety, but not with state anxiety. MAO A was localised to the syncytiotrophoblast, the tissue between maternal and fetal blood.
Conclusions: These findings support the hypothesis that maternal mood is associated with altered placental function. A reduction in placental MAO A expression is consistent with a subsequent increase in fetal exposure to 5-HT.

• 出版日期2013-10