title: Lymphatic vascular endothelial hyaluronan receptor-1 immunoexpression in placenta of HIV infected pre-eclamptic women.
abstract: Lymphangiogenesis is the formation of new vessels from pre-existing lymphatic vessels. Data on lymphangiogenesis in the placenta of HIV-infected pre-eclamptics are sparse and the findings are conflicting. The aim of this novel study was to evaluate LYVE-1 immunoexpression in the placenta of HIV infected normotensive versus pre-eclamptic women.
  
  
  
  Placental tissue was obtained from normotensive and pre-eclamptic women stratified according to their HIV status. The pre-eclamptic group was divided into early (<34 weeks) and late (>34 weeks) onset. Immunohistochemistry utilized mouse anti-human LYVE-1 antibody and was morphometrically evaluated.
  
  
  
  LYVE-1 immunostaining was localized within endothelium of the arterial supply and venous drainage of both conducting and exchange villi as well as within medial cells of arteries. LYVE-1 immunostained macrophage-like cells were observed within the fetal and maternal circulation. LYVE-1 immunoexpression was higher (p=0.0001) in HIV positive cohort, regardless of pregnancy and villous type. Irrespective of HIV status and pregnancy type, LYVE-1 immunoexpression was significantly elevated in the conducting compared to the exchange villi (p=0.01). LYVE-1 immunoexpression was higher in N and LOPE compared to EOPE groups for both conducting and exchange villi types respectively (p=0.0001 and p=0.006). There is a decrease of LYVE-1 expression in EOPE+ (conducting villi) and EOPE- (exchange villi) compared to N and LOPE subgroups.
  
  
  
  This study provides a novel insight into an up-regulation of LYVE-1 expression in the fetal circulation of conducting and exchange villi of HIV-infected pre-eclamptics.
authors.affiliation: Optics and Imaging Centre, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa. Electronic address: felyonya@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Onankoy A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Onyangunga
authors.affiliation: Women's Health and HIV Research Centre, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
authors.forename: Jagidesa
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moodley
authors.affiliation: Optics and Imaging Centre, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
authors.forename: Vesselina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Merhar
authors.affiliation: Optics and Imaging Centre, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Ofusori
authors.affiliation: Optics and Imaging Centre, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
authors.forename: Thajasvarie
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Naicker
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006678:HIV / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007120:Immunochemistry; D042583:Lymphangiogenesis; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D010920:Placenta / Q000473:pathology*; D021041:Placental Circulation; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D033921:Vesicular Transport Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C119248:LYVE1 protein, human; D033921:Vesicular Transport Proteins
keywords: HIV infection; LYVE-1; Macrophage-like cells; Placenta; Pre-eclampsia