Project-ID: LS17-008
Project start: 05. November 2018
Project end: will follow
Runtime: 36 months / ongoing
Funding amount: € 299.926,00

Brief summary:

Background:
Iron is an essential trace element that is required by all cells, but toxic when present in excess. Iron deficiency is the most common form of micronutritional deficiency worldwide. Preterm infants as well as pregnant women are most likely to suffer from it. During pregnancy, the placenta is the major interface of nutritional exchange between mother and developing fetus. Although mammalian iron metabolism is in general very well characterized, surprisingly little is known about iron metabolism and transfer in the human placenta.

Aims:
Inspired by the substantial gaps of knowledge on human placental iron metabolism and by our preliminary data on human placenta, we aim to study:
(1) The iron metabolism and transport in human placentas and appropriate cell models.
(2) The iron status of healthy mother-child-pairs in relation to placental expression of proteins involved in iron metabolism as well as in relation to placental iron.

Methods:
In the proposed study, which is based on overall 105 healthy, non-anemic mother-child-pairs, iron status of pregnant women and neonates in relation to placental expression and localization of iron metabolising and transporting proteins is investigated. In vitro experiments with human placental cells (primary trophoblast cells, Hofbauer cells, primary placental endothelial cells, and the two placental cell lines BeWo and HUVEC) will be conducted to examine and confirm the involvement of TFR1, FPN1, ZIP8 and other (to be selected) candidate proteins in placental iron metabolism and transport.

Innovation:
The proposed study is the first, which combines iron status of mother-child-pairs with extensive basic research (protein expression, function, and localization) on human placentas. The key proteins involved in human placental iron metabolism and transport will be examined for the first time together. The study is based on a comparably large number of mother-child-pairs. With the proposed study we aim to add new knowledge on human placental iron metabolism and transfer. We expect long-term benefits arising from this innovative approach, which will enable us in the long run to optimize the therapy of maternal and preterm iron deficiency.

Keywords:
Placenta physiology