Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41031631›Full record

ArticleBiology of reproduction2026

TGF-β3 promotes trophoblast development in sheep embryos via ACSS2-dependent permissive lipid metabolism†.

Francesca Boffa, Marika Domenicone, Margherita Moncada, Martina Lo Sterzo, Luca Palazzese, Aurora Scudieri, Emanuele Capra, Barbari Lazzari, Luca Valbonetti, Luisa Gioia and 4 more

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In one paragraph

Article in Biology of reproduction, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Francesca BoffaDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-1815-5636
Marika DomeniconeDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy.
Margherita MoncadaDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy.
Martina Lo SterzoDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy.
Luca PalazzeseDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy.
Aurora ScudieriDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy.
Emanuele CapraCNR-IBBA, Institute of Agricultural Biology and Biotechnology, National Research Council, Via Einstein, Lodi, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-3167-3940
Barbari LazzariCNR-IBBA, Institute of Agricultural Biology and Biotechnology, National Research Council, Via Einstein, Lodi, Italy.
Luca ValbonettiDepartment of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy.
Luisa GioiaDepartment of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy.
Ramiro AlberioSchool of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Nottingham, UK.
Domenico IusoDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy.
Pasqualino LoiDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy.
Marta CzernikDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy.

Funding

Italian Ministry of University and Research CN00000041Italian National Recovery and Resilience PlanNational Center for Gene Therapy and Drugs based on RNA TechnologyNational Science Centre 2019/35/B/NZ3/02856
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) supports the in vitro maintenance of embryonic and trophoblast stem cells. Here, we demonstrated that, in a sheep embryo model, the transition from morula to blastocyst is positively regulated by TGF-β3, primarily through its promotion of trophoblast development. Our results indicate that morulae treated with TGF-β3 develop at a higher rate into blastocysts, characterized by an expanded trophoblast layer marked by CDX-2 expression. In blastocysts, TGF-β3 mediates transcriptional activation of genes involved in cell adhesion and lipid metabolism pathways, leading to remarkable in vitro outgrowth expansion and a substantial increase in trophoblast lipid droplet content. Functional analysis reveals that the positive effects of TGF-β3 are mitigated by inhibition of Acetyl-CoA Synthetase Short-Chain Family Member 2 (ACSS2), a key enzyme upregulated by TGF-β3 and a promoter of de novo lipogenesis. These findings suggest that TGF-β3 modulates lipid metabolism during blastocyst formation and may play a potential role in regulating implantation and placental development.

Indexed as

Acetate-CoA LigaseEmbryonic DevelopmentLipid MetabolismTransforming Growth Factor beta3TrophoblastsAnimalsBlastocystEmbryo, MammalianFemaleGene Expression Regulation, DevelopmentalMorulaPregnancySheepAcetate-CoA LigaseTransforming Growth Factor beta3blastocystin vitroovinetgf-β3trophoblast

Identifiers

PMID41031631
PMCPMC13017937

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.