The vitamin D-activating enzyme 1α-hydroxylase (CYP27B1) and vitamin D receptor (VDR) support anti-inflammatory responses to vitamin D in many tissues. Given the high basal expression of CYP27B1 and VDR in trophoblastic cells from the placenta, we hypothesized that anti-inflammatory effects of vitamin D may be particularly important in this organ. Pregnant wild type (WT) mice i.p. injected with LPS showed elevated expression of mouse Cyp27b1 (4-fold) and VDR (6-fold). Similar results were also obtained after ex vivo treatment of WT placentas with LPS. To assess the functional impact of this, we carried out ex vivo studies using placentas −/− for fetal (trophoblastic) Cyp27b1 or VDR. Vehicle-treated −/− placentas showed increased expression of IFN-γ and decreased expression of IL-10 relative to +/+ placentas. LPS-treated −/− placentas showed increased expression of TLR2, IFN-γ, and IL-6. Array analyses identified other inflammatory factors that are dysregulated in Cyp27b1−/− versus Cyp27b1+/+ placentas after LPS challenge. Data highlighted enhanced expression of IL-4, IL-15, and IL-18, as well as several chemokines and their receptors, in Cyp27b1−/− placentas. Similar results for IL-6 expression were observed with placentas −/− for trophoblastic VDR. Finally, ex vivo treatment of WT placentas with the substrate for Cyp27b1, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, suppressed LPS-induced expression of IL-6 and the chemokine Ccl11. These data indicate that fetal (trophoblastic) vitamin D plays a pivotal role in controlling placental inflammation. In humans, this may be a key factor in placental responses to infection and associated adverse outcomes of pregnancy.

This preliminary study demonstrates that transcatheter PDA closure can be successfully performed in extremely preterm neonates using currently available technology with a high success rate and a low incidence of complications. This report also describes a novel transvenous approach using a combination of echocardiography and judicious use of fluoroscopy to avoid arterial access in this fragile patient population. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

This newly described technique can be performed safely with a high success rate and minimal procedural morbidity in EPNs. Early and midterm follow-up is encouraging. Future efforts should be directed toward developing specific devices for this unique application.

A unique feature of the choroid plexus as a single-layer epithelium is its localization of Na+K+-ATPase at its apical (lumenal) surface. In contrast, a band 3 (AE1 )-related anion exchanger protein has been localized to the basolateral surface of the choroid plexus. Both Na+K+-ATPase and AEI in other tissues have been shown to bind via ankyrin to the spectrin-actin-based membrane cytoskeleton. Since linkage of integral membrane proteins to the membrane cytoskeleton is important for their restriction to specialized domains of the cell surface, we investigated the polarity of the choroid plexus membrane cytoskeleton. We developed isoform-specific antibodies to confirm the identity of choroid plexus band 3-related polypeptide as AE2. We demonstrated that ankyrin, fodrin/spectrin, actin, myosin, and a-actinin are predominantly apical in choroid plexus and preferentially colocalize with apical Na+K+-ATPase rather than with basolateral anion exchanger AE2. Colchicine administration did not alter the polarity ofapical cytoskeletal and transport proteins or basolateral AE2 in choroid plexus, suggesting that biosynthetic targeting of these proteins is not microtubule dependent. In choroid plexus papilloma, Na+K+-ATPase and AE2 were decreased in amount and failed to preserve their polarized distributions. (J. Clin. Invest. 1994.