Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42371391›Full record

ArticleMolecular and cellular biochemistry2026

Bile acid-induced TBG depletion promotes trophoblast apoptosis via local thyroxine insufficiency in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.

Gaoying Wang, Wen Hu, Jianyi Gao, Rong Wang, Ting Zhang, Ruirui Dong

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Article in Molecular and cellular biochemistry, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Gaoying Wang *Affiliated Women's Hospital of Jiangnan University, Jiangnan University, 48 Huaishu Lane, Liangxi District, Wuxi, 214002, Jiangsu, China.
Wen Hu *Department of Endocrinology, The Affiliated Huaian Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University/The Second Peoples Hospital of Huaian, Huai'an, 223001, China.
Jianyi Gao *Affiliated Women's Hospital of Jiangnan University, Jiangnan University, 48 Huaishu Lane, Liangxi District, Wuxi, 214002, Jiangsu, China.
Rong WangAffiliated Women's Hospital of Jiangnan University, Jiangnan University, 48 Huaishu Lane, Liangxi District, Wuxi, 214002, Jiangsu, China.
Ting ZhangAffiliated Women's Hospital of Jiangnan University, Jiangnan University, 48 Huaishu Lane, Liangxi District, Wuxi, 214002, Jiangsu, China. 9862022078@jiangnan.edu.cn.
Ruirui DongAffiliated Women's Hospital of Jiangnan University, Jiangnan University, 48 Huaishu Lane, Liangxi District, Wuxi, 214002, Jiangsu, China. 9862023236@jiangnan.edu.cn.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 82171674National Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu BK20241759Wuxi City Health Committee Youth Project Q202529Wuxi City Science and technology development Fund project Y20252209
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is characterized by bile acid accumulation, placental dysfunction, and adverse perinatal outcomes. However, there is currently no reliable tool to predict the occurrence of severe ICP or its associated complications, and its pathophysiology remains incompletely understood. The objective of this study was to identify more sensitive and specific biomarkers for the clinical diagnosis, early prediction, and prognostic assessment of adverse outcomes in ICP, and to explore the biological relevance of the identified pathway at the maternal-fetal interface. We performed integrated serum metabolomic-proteomic analysis, followed by trimester-specific clinical validation, placental tissue analysis, in vitro trophoblast experiments, and in vivo validation in an estrogen-induced ICP rat model. Exploratory multi-omics analysis highlighted the thyroxine-binding globulin-thyroxine (TBG-T4) axis, related to thyroid hormone transport and availability, as a biologically relevant pathway in ICP. Although total and free T4 remained within physiological reference ranges, circulating TBG, total T4, and free T4 were significantly reduced across pregnancy in women with ICP and were associated with biochemical cholestasis, earlier delivery, and lower neonatal birth weight. Mechanistic analyses showed that reduced TBG availability was associated with decreased local T4 availability and enhanced trophoblast apoptosis under bile acid stress. In the ICP rat model, Ad-TBG-mediated TBG overexpression partially restored thyroid hormone homeostasis, attenuated placental and hepatic injury, and improved fetal growth and survival. These findings identify disruption of the TBG-T4 axis as a mechanistic link between cholestatic stress, impaired thyroid hormone availability, and trophoblast apoptosis in ICP.

Indexed as

ApoptosisBile Acids and SaltsCholestasis, IntrahepaticPregnancy ComplicationsThyroxineThyroxine-Binding GlobulinTrophoblastsAnimalsFemaleHumansPregnancyRatsRats, Sprague-DawleyBile Acids and SaltsThyroxineThyroxine-Binding GlobulinAdverse pregnancy outcomesApoptosisICP diagnosisMulti-omicsThyroid hormone homeostasis

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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.