Integrating Transcriptomics, Proteomics, and Metabolomics to Investigate the Mechanism of Fetal Placental Overgrowth in Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer Cattle

Abstract

A major factor limiting the development of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) technology is the low success rate of pregnancy, mainly due to placental abnormalities disrupting the maternal-fetal balance during pregnancy. Although there has been some progress in research on the abnormal enlargement of cloned bovine placenta, there are still few reports on the direct regulatory mechanisms of enlarged cloned bovine placenta tissue. In this study, we conducted sequencing and analysis of transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics of placental tissues from SCNT cattle (n = 3) and control (CON) cattle (n = 3). The omics analysis results indicate abnormalities in biological functions such as protein digestion and absorption, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, the regulation of lipid breakdown, as well as glycerolipid metabolism, and arginine and proline metabolism in the placenta of SCNT cattle. Integrating these analyses highlights critical metabolic pathways affecting SCNT cattle placenta, including choline metabolism and unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis. These findings suggest that aberrant expressions of genes, proteins, and metabolites in SCNT placentas affect key pathways in protein digestion, growth hormone function, and energy metabolism. Our results suggest that abnormal protein synthesis, growth hormone function, and energy metabolism in SCNT bovine placental tissues contribute to placental hypertrophy. These findings offer valuable insights for further investigation into the mechanisms underlying SCNT bovine placental abnormalities.