The placental-umbilical unit in sickle cell disease pregnancy: a model for studying in vivo functional adjustments to hypoxia in humans.
The placental-umbilical unit in sickle cell disease (SCD) pregnancy was used to explore hypoxia in vivo, an important factor in the pathophysiology of this disease. Gross examination and microscopic analysis of the placentas, taken immediately after delivery, indicate good concordance between maturity and term as controls, but higher frequency of vascular injuries such as excess syncytial knots, excess fibrin deposits, congestion and villous necroses. Unexpectedly, neither leukocyte recruitment nor alteration in extraplacental membrane was observed, suggesting the absence of inflammation. Additionally, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 concentrations, measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), were similar in the placental maternal blood from controls and SCD. There were also no significant differences found in IL-6 vein blood concentrations between controls and SCD, IL-8 being not detected. Immunostaining of umbilical vein endothelium in SCD pregnancies showed redistribution of PECAM-1 (CD31), von Willebrand factor (vWF), and P-selectin to the cell surface, controls exhibiting the classical pattern. Staining quantification indicated increases in vWF (+36.2%; P=.006) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression (+96.0%; P=.006) over control, but a reduction in endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) (-45.5%; P=.029). These results document, for the first time, direct functional adjustments in response to hypoxia in human in vivo. The mechanism for these changes has not been clearly established, but it may reflect increased tolerance to SCD hypoxic conditions and hypoxia in general.
Trampont
Paul
P
UMR-S458 INSERM Université des Antilles et de la Guyane, Paris, France.
Roudier
Martine
M
Andrea
Anne-Marie
AM
Nomal
Nelly
N
Mignot
Therese-Marie
TM
Leborgne-Samuel
Yanick
Y
Ravion
Sylvie
S
Clayton
John
J
Mary
Didier
D
Elion
Jacques
J
Decastel
Monique
M
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008954:Models, Biological; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014470:Umbilical Cord / Q000098:blood supply; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
D015415:Biomarkers; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A