Angiogenic DC-SIGN(+) cells are present at the attachment sites of epitheliochorial placentae.
Spontaneous early and mid-gestation fetal losses occur in swine. At both stages, endometrial lymphocytes associated with smaller, paler conceptuses have fewer pro-angiogenic and more pro-inflammatory cytokine transcripts compared with robust conceptuses. We hypothesized that similar differences occur in conceptus-associated dendritic cells (DCs). Using laser capture-microdissection, dendritic cell-specific intercellular adhesion molecule-grabbing non-integrin (DC-SIGN)(+) cells were isolated from attachment sites of healthy and arresting conceptuses at gestation day (gd)20 and 50. DC-SIGN(+) cells were screened using real-time PCR for vascular endothelial cell growth factor (Vegf), its receptors, semaphorins (Sema) and plexins (Plxn), and for toll-like receptor (Tlr) transcripts to address potential activation pathways. Homogenized endometrial and trophoblast biopsies were quantified for type 1/type 2 cytokine transcripts/proteins. DC-SIGN(+) cells from healthy and arresting conceptuses had more Vegf transcripts at early than mid gestation whereas transcripts for Vegfr1 and Vegfr2 were stable. In gd20 arresting site DC-SIGN(+) cells, Neuropilin-2 transcripts were elevated, whereas at gd50 arresting sites, Plxn-A2 increased and Sema3A transcripts were lost. Tlr-1, Tlr-4 and Tlr-6 transcript abundance was independent of conceptus health. At gd20, type 1 cytokines were prevalent, whereas at gd50 type 2 cytokines predominated in endometrium and trophoblast. Thus, gestational features, characteristic of haemochorial placentation, are present in species with distinctly different placentation.
Linton
Nicola F
NF
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Wessels
Jocelyn M
JM
Cnossen
Sonya A
SA
van den Heuvel
Marianne J
MJ
Croy
B Anne
BA
Tayade
Chandrakant
C
D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000276:immunology*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D037181:Lectins, C-Type / Q000276:immunology*; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D010920:Placenta / Q000098:blood supply / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000276:immunology*; D013552:Swine; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000276:immunology; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / Q000235:genetics; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000235:genetics; D000099215:DC-Specific ICAM-3 Grabbing Nonintegrin
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2; D000099215:DC-Specific ICAM-3 Grabbing Nonintegrin