title: Syncytiotrophoblast micro-particles do not induce apoptosis in peripheral T lymphocytes, but differ in their activity depending on the mode of preparation.
abstract: Recent studies have suggested that pre-eclampsia may result from endothelial cell damage and overt immune activity triggered by the elevated release of syncytiotrophoblast-derived micro-particles (STBM). In this context, STBM have been reported to inhibit lymphocyte proliferation and induce Jurkat T cell apoptosis. In this study, STBM were prepared by three different in vitro methods (mechanical dissection, villous explant culture, and placental perfusion) and their functional properties were tested on T lymphocytes enriched from peripheral blood samples. Mechanically- and villous explant-derived STBM significantly inhibited activation, proliferation and cytokine release by T lymphocytes, while placental perfusion-derived STBM significantly induced T cell proliferation and a slight increase in IFNgamma release. None of the STBM preparations caused T cell apoptosis. Therefore, STBM prepared by different methods in vitro exhibit different effects on circulating T cells, a feature that will have to be taken into account when considering their potential role in normal pregnancy and pre-eclampsia.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Prenatal Medicine, University Women's Hospital/Department of Research, University Hospital, CH-4031 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Anurag Kumar
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Corinne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rusterholz
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Holzgreve
authors.forename: Sinuhe
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hahn
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D002457:Cell Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002824:Chorionic Villi / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D002457:Cell Extracts