Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41366770›Full record

ArticleJournal of biomedical science2025

Maternal causation of early-onset pre-eclampsia: excessive endometrial gland-derived apolipoprotein D induces placental ferroptosis and developmental abnormalities.

Yang Dong, Cheuk-Lun Lee, Jianlin Li, Xiaofeng Liu, Qunxiong Zeng, Jiangming Zhong, Qingqing Zhang, Ting Wu, Vivian W Y Ng, Calvin K F Lee and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of biomedical science, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing 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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Insights into the maternal-fetal interface from spatial multi-omics.Frontiers in cell and developmental biology · 2026
    Review
  3. Review
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

15 authors.

Yang Dong *Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Cheuk-Lun Lee *Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China. keith-cl.lee@polyu.edu.hk.
Jianlin LiDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Xiaofeng LiuThe University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
Qunxiong ZengDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Jiangming ZhongDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Qingqing ZhangThe University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
Ting WuDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
Vivian W Y NgDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Calvin K F LeeDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Graham J BurtonDepartment of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Ernest H Y NgDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
William S B YeungDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Ka-Wang CheungDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. kawang@hku.hk.
Philip C N ChiuDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. pchiucn@hku.hk.

Funding

Hong Kong Research Grant Council 17110423Hong Kong Research Grant Council 17114424PolyU (UGC) Start-up Fund for New Recruits P0050668Shenzhen Basic Research Program-Natural Science Foundation JCYJ20250604180845060
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEarly-onset pre-eclampsia (ePE) is a severe pregnancy complication characterized by dysregulated trophoblast functions and impaired placentation during early pregnancy, leading to substantial maternal and fetal morbidity. While circumstantial evidence indicates defective secretion from endometrial glands impairs placental development, direct evidence linking maternal glandular dysfunction to ePE pathogenesis remains elusive.

methodsWe established endometrial glandular organoids from women with ePE and healthy pregnancies, analyzing their secretomes by iTRAQ-based proteomics, RNAseq, and spatial transcriptomics. Functional effects of organoid secretomes on trophoblasts were examined in vitro. An endometrial-specific apolipoprotein D (APOD) knock-in mouse model was studied in vivo. APOD levels in first-trimester serum samples from women who later developed ePE were compared to healthy pregnancies.

resultsSecretomes from ePE derived endometrial organoids impeded spiral artery remodeling. Multiomic analyses revealed increased APOD production in both ePE organoids and decidual tissues. APOD overexpression disrupted trophoblast functions and endothelial vascular remodeling in vitro, and recapitulated ePE phenotypes in an APOD knock-in mouse model through PI3K/Akt-mediated placental ferroptosis and potential ER stress induction. Ferroptosis inhibition with Fer-1 rescued placental defects and PE symptoms in APOD knock-in mice. Elevated APOD levels in first-trimester serum samples from women who later developed ePE suggest its potential as an early biomarker.

conclusionThis study provides the first direct evidence linking dysregulated endometrial gland function to defective placentation and ePE. APOD was identified as a crucial endometrial gland-secreted factor contributing to ePE, suggesting its potential as an early biomarker and therapeutic target.

Indexed as

Apolipoproteins DEndometriumFerroptosisPlacentaPre-EclampsiaAdultAnimalsFemaleHumansMicePlacentationPregnancyAPOD protein, humanApolipoproteins DApolipoprotein DEarly detectionEndometrial organoidFerroptosisPlacentaPre-eclampsia

Identifiers

PMID41366770
PMCPMC12690863

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.