The Placentas of Women Who Suffer an Episode of Psychosis during Pregnancy Have Increased Lipid Peroxidation with Evidence of Ferroptosis
Miguel A. Ortega,
Oscar Fraile-Martinez,
Cielo García-Montero,
Rosa M. Funes Moñux,
Sonia Rodriguez-Martín,
Coral Bravo,
Juan A. De Leon-Luis,
Jose V. Saz,
Miguel A. Saez,
Luis G. Guijarro,
Guillermo Lahera,
Fernando Mora,
Sonia Fernandez-Rojo,
Javier Quintero,
Jorge Monserrat,
Natalio García-Honduvilla,
Julia Bujan,
Melchor Alvarez-Mon,
Miguel Angel Alvarez-Mon
Affiliations
Miguel A. Ortega
Department of Medicine and Medical Specialities, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Spain
Oscar Fraile-Martinez
Department of Medicine and Medical Specialities, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Spain
Cielo García-Montero
Department of Medicine and Medical Specialities, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Spain
Rosa M. Funes Moñux
Department of Medicine and Medical Specialities, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Spain
Sonia Rodriguez-Martín
Department of Medicine and Medical Specialities, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Spain
Coral Bravo
Department of Public and Maternal and Child Health, School of Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Juan A. De Leon-Luis
Department of Public and Maternal and Child Health, School of Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Jose V. Saz
Department of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcala de Henares, Spain
Miguel A. Saez
Department of Medicine and Medical Specialities, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Spain
Luis G. Guijarro
Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
Guillermo Lahera
Department of Medicine and Medical Specialities, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Spain
Fernando Mora
Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Hospital Universitario Infanta Leonor, 28031 Madrid, Spain
Sonia Fernandez-Rojo
Psychiatry Service, Center for Biomedical Research in the Mental Health Network, University Hospital Príncipe de Asturias, 28806 Alcalá de Henares, Spain
Javier Quintero
Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Hospital Universitario Infanta Leonor, 28031 Madrid, Spain
Jorge Monserrat
Department of Medicine and Medical Specialities, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Spain
Natalio García-Honduvilla
Department of Medicine and Medical Specialities, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Spain
Julia Bujan
Department of Medicine and Medical Specialities, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Spain
Melchor Alvarez-Mon
Department of Medicine and Medical Specialities, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Spain
Miguel Angel Alvarez-Mon
Department of Medicine and Medical Specialities, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Spain
Psychosis is a complex entity characterized by psychological, behavioral, and motor alterations resulting in a loss of contact with reality. Although it is not common, pregnancy can be a period in which a first episode of psychosis can manifest, entailing detrimental consequences for both the fetus and the mother. The pathophysiological basis and study of maternofetal wellbeing need to be further elucidated. Lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis are two phenomena that are tightly linked to the placental dysfunction commonly observed in different complications of pregnancy. In the present study, we aim to explore the histopathological and gene expression of different markers of lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis in the placentas of women who underwent a first episode of psychosis during their pregnancy (n = 22). The aim is to then compare them with healthy pregnant women (n = 20). In order to achieve this goal, iron deposits were studied using Prussian Blue staining. In addition, the protein/gene expression of a transferrin receptor (TFRC), as well as an acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL-4), arachidonate lipoxygenase-5 (ALOX-5), malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) were all analyzed through gene expression (RT-qPCR) and immunohistochemical procedures. Our results demonstrate an increased presence of iron deposits that are accompanied by a further expression of TFRC, ACSL-4, ALOX-5, MDA, and GPX4—all of which are observed in the placenta tissue of women who have suffered from a first episode of psychosis. Therefore, in our study, a histopathological increase in lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis markers in the affected women is suggested. However, further studies are needed in order to validate our results and to establish possible consequences for the reported alterations.
