Doctoral defence: Rain Inno “Placental transcriptome and miRNome in normal and complicated pregnancies”

On 28 June at 10:15 Rain Inno will defend his doctoral thesis “Placental transcriptome and miRNome in normal and complicated pregnancies” for obtaining the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (in Gene Technology).

Supervisor:
Professor Maris Laan, University of Tartu

Opponent:
Professor Udo R. Markert, Jena University Hospital (Germany)

Summary

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Every pregnancy is unique, but every mother’s dream is to have an uncomplicated pregnancy and a healthy newborn. Lifestyle and genetics are crucial factors for determining pregnancy outcomes. It is possible to adjust lifestyle, in the case of genetics, we can measure risk factors and mitigate their effect. We have the need to precisely understand how placental gene and microRNA expression regulates placenta function. The placenta connects the mother with the developing fetus, functioning as a nutrient exchange hub, supplying the fetus with nutrients and oxygen and removing waste products. Placenta development is fast and requires precise gene expression regulation for optimal fetal growth. MicroRNAs are small RNA molecules that regulate gene expression. This codependence is an informative study subject. This thesis aimed to analyze placental gene and microRNA expression in normal and complicated pregnancies and identify what could regulate their expression levels. Our findings show that in case of preeclampsia, gene and microRNA expression is shifted in placenta compared to normal pregnancy placentas (n=215 gene and n=66 microRNAs are differentially expressed). Describing microRNAs expression profiles in the context of gestation, we identified a distinct shift based on gestational progression. Placenta-specific microRNAs showed a similar expression change based on the cluster they are from. We found that microRNAs can be grouped based on their function when combining gene and microRNA expression datasets and evaluating their correlation. This kind of research gives more in-depth information on how placental gene and microRNA expression is regulated in different conditions and adds better understanding of gene and microRNA interactions.