title: Placental macrophages are impaired in chorioamnionitis, an infectious pathology of the placenta.
abstract: Pregnancy is dependent on maternal-fetal tolerance that may be compromised because of infections or inflammation of the placenta. In this study, we examined whether the context of placental immune tolerance affected the functions of resident macrophages and if their functions were altered during chorioamnionitis, an infectious pathology of the placenta. Macrophages from at-term placentas expressed CD14, exhibited macrophage microbicidal functions, but were less inflammatory than monocyte-derived macrophages. Moreover, placental macrophages spontaneously matured into multinucleated giant cells (MGCs), a property not exhibited by monocyte-derived macrophages, and we detected MGCs of myeloid origin in placental tissue. Compared with placental macrophages, MGCs exhibited a specific phenotype and gene expression signature, consisting of increased cytoskeleton-associated gene expression along with depressed expression of inflammatory response genes. Furthermore, placental macrophages from patients with chorioamnionitis were unable to form MGCs, but this defect was partially corrected by incubating these placental macrophages with control trophoblast supernatants. MGCs formation likely serves to regulate their inflammatory and cytocidal activities in a context that imposes semiallograft acceptance and defense against pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Recherche sur les Maladies Infectieuses Tropicales et Emergentes, Aix-Marseille Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7278, INSERM U1095, 13385 Marseille, France;
authors.forename: Amira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ben Amara
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gorvel
authors.forename: Karine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Baulan
authors.forename: Justine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Derain-Court
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buffat
authors.forename: Christel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vérollet
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Textoris
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ghigo
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bretelle
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Maridonneau-Parini
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Mege
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002821:Chorioamnionitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned / Q000494:pharmacology; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000276:immunology; D015726:Giant Cells / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D010920:Placenta / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000276:immunology*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000276:immunology*; D023001:Transplantation Tolerance; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors