A feto-placental co-culture model shows the complex disruptive effect of the antidepressant fluoxetine and its metabolite norfluoxetine on estrogen biosynthesis and serotonin transport

Abstract : Up to 6.2% of pregnant women undergo antidepressant treatment with selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). SSRIs, which act on the serotonin transporter (SERT), have been associated with adverse effects on pregnancy. However, the action of one of the most prescribed SSRIs, fluoxetine, on the endocrine function of the feto-placental unit and placental serotonin transport has never been studied. Using a co-culture of BeWo (human trophoblast-like) and H295R (human fetal-like adrenocortical) cells, we studied the effects of fluoxetine and its active metabolite norfluoxetine on feto-placental estrogen biosynthesis and serotonin transport.