Project 4: Placental Mammal Model
Impact of BTEX chemicals exposure during pregnancy to maternal and fetal well-being
Rationale/Goal
The central theme of Project 4 focuses on deciphering the signaling pathways by which exposure to VOCs during pregnancy have an impact on early life growth and development with a focus on the fetal immune system. Our central hypothesis is that inflammation in the placenta and decidua due to maternal exposure to VOCs, alters the development of the fetal immune system, which results in an aberrant post-natal immune response to infections. Our preliminary studies suggest that although the fetus may be protected against microbial infection, the outcome of maternal exposure, protective or deleterious, depends on the nature of the immune response and the severity of the inflammatory process at the implantation site (placenta-decidua interface). The mechanisms underlying the response of the fetal immune system to VOC exposure and how indirect training by VOC-induced maternal inflammation takes place is unclear and understudied.
Expected Outcomes
Upon completion of these aims we will have a better understanding of the outcomes associated with the impact of VOCs exposure on the placental/decidua unit and its consequent influence on fetal programing and its potential effects on the development of an appropriate neonatal immune responses. This project is a mechanistic bridge between the developmental zebrafish (Project 3) and epidemiological (Project 5) projects that utilizes a placental model of inhalation VOC exposure. CAC will quantitate BTEX metabolites and DMAC will disseminate among the other biomedical projects to make comparisons between fish, mouse, and human exposures paradigms possible.
Project 4 Research Team
 | Gil Mor, Ph.D. Professor, Obsetrics and Gynecology Co-Investigator, Project 4, CLEAR |
 | Douglas Rudan, Ph.D. Professor and Director, Epigenomics and Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Co-Investigator, Project 4, CLEAR |
 | Michael Petriello, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Pharmacology Co-Investigator, Project 4, CLEAR |
 | Marianna Sadagurski, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Biological Sciences and Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics Co-Investigator, Project 4, CLEAR |
 | Jiahui (Candy) Ding, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Obstetrics & Gynecology Co-Investigator, Project 4, CLEAR |