Discipline: Biological Sciences
Subcategory: Genetics
Tashmay Jones - Bethune-Cookman University
Co-Author(s): Raphael Isokpehi, Bethune-Cookman University, Daytona Beach, FL
Collectins (collagen-containing C-type lectins) are a part of the innate immune system, forming a family of collagenous calcium ion dependent defense lectins, which are found in animals. Within the collectin (COLEC) gene family, there are ten genes. The placenta is the highly specialized but relatively understudied organ of pregnancy that supports the normal growth and development of the fetus. It is the least understood human organ. The objective of the research study was to determine the expression levels of the individual members within the collectin family in normal placentae during the gestational ages of human pregnancy. We hypothesize that a combination of bioinformatics and visual analytics methods will help us to identify data patterns in placental expression levels of collectins that could be of potential biological significance in placental function and development. Affymetrix probe sets expression values (signal intensities) for the gene family were extracted from NCBI GEO DataSet GDS4037 (12 normal placentae at first-trimester, second-trimester, and term). A total of 7 probe sets were analyzed for the collectin gene family. A box plot representation identified probe set “221019_s_at” from the COLEC12 gene as having the highest expression level in the placenta data set. COLEC12 (CL-P1) is a scavenger receptor, mediating the uptake of oxidized low density lipoprotein and microbes, as well as predominantly facilitating phagocytosis for fungi in vascular endothelia. CL-P1 mainly associates with cytotrophoblasts and syncytiotrophoblasts of the placenta. Future research could investigate the COLEC12 expression as a non-invasive marker for prediction of adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Funder Acknowledgement(s): Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP)
Faculty Advisor: Raphael Isokpehi, isokpehir@cookman.edu
Role: Within this research, I was partook in literary research to gain a better understanding of the placenta during the gestational age of human pregnancy. In the midst of doing so, I had to correlate my findings with the analyses taken with the use of affymetrix probe sets values.