Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is one of the most common complications of an abnormal pregnancy. Placental dysplasia has been established as a significant contributing factor to FGR. Zinc finger protein 554 (ZNF554) is a member of the Krüppel-associated box domain zinc finger protein subfamily, primarily expressed in the placenta and essential for maintaining normal pregnancy outcomes. However, its precise role in FGR remains uncertain. In this study, we confirmed that ZNF554 was low expressed in the placenta of the FGR pregnancy. To further elucidate the impact of ZNF554 on trophoblasts, we conducted experiments using siRNA and overexpression plasmids on HTR8/SVneo and JEG3 cells. Our findings revealed that silencing ZNF554 increased apoptosis and inhibited migration and invasion, while overexpression reduced apoptosis and promoted migration and invasion. Notably, ZNF554 knockdown decreased cellular antioxidant capacity and elevated the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Conversely, ZNF554 activated the nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (NRF2) signaling pathway, exerting its antioxidant effects. Additionally, ZNF554 knockdown promoted cellular autophagy by suppressing P62 and enhancing LC3-II/LC3-I expression. Importantly, the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) partially mitigated the impact of ZNF554 knockdown on mitochondrial ROS in trophoblast cells and subsequent effects on cellular autophagy and apoptosis. In conclusion, our results suggest that ZNF554 plays a pivotal role in modulating trophoblast cell invasion and may serve as a prognostic marker and potential therapeutic target for FGR.
Keyphrases
- induced apoptosis
- oxidative stress
- endoplasmic reticulum stress
- signaling pathway
- cell death
- cell cycle arrest
- dna damage
- reactive oxygen species
- pregnancy outcomes
- pi k akt
- nuclear factor
- transcription factor
- pregnant women
- preterm birth
- cell proliferation
- binding protein
- escherichia coli
- epithelial mesenchymal transition
- mass spectrometry
- risk factors
- protein protein
- drug delivery
- cancer therapy
- single cell
- anti inflammatory
- risk assessment
- climate change
- oxide nanoparticles