Topological dependent modifications of gene expression in the preeclamptic placenta under aspirin treatment.

Low-dose aspirin treatment in placentas from preeclamptic women is linked to consistent down regulation of 116 genes across cohorts, suppressing hypoxia, NF kappa B, estrogen response, and inflammatory signatures.

• Why it matters: Early aspirin reduces preeclampsia incidence, but its molecular effects in the diseased human placenta—especially across distinct placental regions—are not well defined.
• What they did: Using topologically resolved transcriptomics in two independent preeclamptic cohorts, the study profiled villous (syncytiotrophoblast-rich) and deep parenchymal (stromal/endothelial-rich) samples, then validated aspirin-modulated placental transcripts and secretion in BeWo trophoblasts.
• The result: Aspirin attenuated core inflammatory, hypoxic, and metabolic pathways, and in BeWo cells altered secretion of MMP9, ANGPT2, and soluble endoglin (sENG), supporting a mechanistic framework for improved placental vascular adaptation.