Cell ploidy in molar placental disease

Abstract

Molar diseases of the placenta is associated with cystic change in the villi. The cysts may be from 5-20+ mm in diameter. This disease has been described in association with triploid and diploid cell lines and with and without an accompanying embryo or fetus. It may be followed by malignant change and invasive chorio-carcinoma. In order to investigate the association between cell ploidy, embryonic development and subsequent malignancy, a detailed study of 30 conceptuses with molar disease was made, with the accompanying maternal history and follow-up. The cell ploidy was determined by measurement of nuclei by a cytoscan light microscope connected to a computer program as has been previously described. Diploid cell lines were not found with embryonic or fetal development. Triploid cell lines were always associated with an embryo or fetus. Triploidy is not associated with hyperplastic changes in the trophoblast. These results are presented and discussed.

Triploidy: Pregnancy complications and clinical findings in seven cases

“…In attempting to define a phenotype for triploid fetuses, Harris et al (1981) suggested that the diagnosis should be suspected when cystic placental changes are found to be associated with fetal malformations. Under such circumstances, cytofluorometric DNA measurements on fetal blood samples or placental tissue could be extremely helpful in demonstrating the presence of triploid cellular DNA content (Harris et al, 198 1;Poland and Baillie, 1978;Kunze, 1978). We were able to document the usefulness of this technique for three of the cases described herein.…”

“…Triploidy occurs frequently among early spontaneous abortions, comprising 20 per cent of all chromosomally abnormal fetuses (Boue et al, 1975;Carr and Gideon, 1978). Triploidy is often associated with molar changes of the placenta (Szulman and Surti, 1978a, b;Szulman et al, 1981a, b;Poland and Baillie, 1978). In fact, Ornoy et al (1978) suggested that the association of triploidy with molar placental changes may be one of the major reasons for loss of triploid pregnancies.…”

“…The predominantly paternal origin for triploid conceptuses may support the hypothesis of an immunologic aetiology for preeclampsia. The risk for invasive trophoblastic disease associated with hydatidiform mole appears to pertain almost exclusively to diploid moles (Poland and Baillie, 1978;Berkowitz et al, 1979); however, we currently recommend following HCG levels for 6 months after delivery of partial moles associated with triploidy.…”

Inheritance of Kidney and Urinary Tract Diseases

“…, in those in whom inactivation of an X-chromosome occurred. A partial hydatidiform molar placenta is present in 85% of triploidies; all partial moles may be considered triploidies until proven otherwise [398][399][400] .…”

The examination of embryonic and fetal material in diagnostic histopathology laboratories.

“…Interestingly, triploid cell lines are always associated with an embryo or fetus where cystic disease of the villi has been found, and triploidy is not associated with hyperplastic changes in the trophoblast. 26 In a study of spontaneous human abortuses with normal and abnormal karyotypes, Honor6 et al27 were able to correlate placental morphology and the karyotype of the conceptus. Heteroploid abortuses could be differentiated from the diploid.…”