Mitosis of the Hofbauer cell: Possible implications for a fetal macrophage

Castellucci, Mario; Celona, A.; Bartels, Hanni; Steininger, B.; Benedetto, Vincenzo Di; Kaufmann, Peter

doi:10.1016/0143-4004(87)90040-3

Cited by 55 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…They represent the primitive macrophages known as Hofbauer cells which can be identified by CD68 staining [35]. Their high intrinsic proliferative and mitogenic capacities suggest that in situ mitogenesis may contribute to the enrichment we observed in the present study [36,37]. Flow cytometry analysis using discriminative macrophage markers demonstrated that besides CD68 + cells, additional subsets of macrophages expressing CD14 and CD11b (mac-1) also co-exist in the stromal core of the placental villi.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 60%

Obesity in Pregnancy Stimulates Macrophage Accumulation and Inflammation in the Placenta

et al. 2008

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Obesity and pregnancy are associated with a combination of insulin resistance and inflammatory changes which exacerbate in combination. Based on the similarity between the inflammatory transcriptomes of adipose tissue and placenta, we hypothesized that the placenta develops exaggerated inflammation in response to obesity. The aim of this study was to characterize placental inflammatory mediators and macrophage accumulation in relation to peripheral inflammation in obesity.Placental macrophages and maternal peripheral mononuclear cells from 20 obese and 15 lean women were functionally and phenotypically characterized using immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry and expression for macrophage markers and inflammatory cytokines. The number of resident CD68+ and CD14+ cells was increased 2-3 fold in placenta of obese as compared to lean women. The enhanced macrophage population was characterized by a marked phenotypic heterogeneity with complex subsets of CD14+, CD68+ and CD11b+ cells and by an increased expression of the pro-inflammatory mediators IL-1, TNF-alpha, IL-6. Placental inflammation was associated with an activation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with high amount of CD14, TNF-alpha, IL-6 and the chemokine receptors CCR2 and IL8-R in maternal but not fetal circulation. Additionally, plasma CRP and IL-6 concentrations were higher in obese compared to lean women.In conclusion, the chronic inflammation state of pre-gravid obesity is extending to in utero life with accumulation of an heterogeneous macrophage population and proinflammatory mediators in the placenta. The resulting inflammatory milieu in which the fetus develops may have critical consequences for short and long term programming of obesity. KeywordsObesity; pregnancy; placenta; inflammation; cytokines; fetus; programming The association between excess neonatal adiposity and high pre-gravid BMI and the alarming rise in the number of overweight women of reproductive age, call for elucidating the adverse consequences of obesity in pregnancy (1,2). In non gravid individuals, obesity is described as a low grade inflammatory condition associated with increased production of pro-inflammatory factors which originate from the macrophages infiltrating the adipose tissue (3,4). During pregnancy, however, the placenta becomes a significant source of a variety of cytokines and adipocytokines whose expression is dysregulated by maternal diabetes and obesity (5-7).Pregnancy is considered as a natural inflammatory state evident in activation of maternal leucocytes and increased systemic concentration of acute phase reactants and cytokines (8).The physiological inflammatory state of pregnancy becomes exaggerated when pregnancy is complicated by pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes and returns to baseline levels after delivery (9-11). Products of inflammatory stress secreted by the placenta and microparticules shedding from the syncytial surface of the placenta into the systemic circulation have been proposed as mechanisms driving adaptive immunity (1...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 60%

Obesity in Pregnancy Stimulates Macrophage Accumulation and Inflammation in the Placenta

et al. 2008

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“…Hofbauer cells have been observed to contain mitotic figures. 40 The ability of Hofbauer cells to proliferate within the chorionic villous stroma has been confirmed by using antibodies to cellular proliferation markers such as Ki-67. 41,42 In the present case, symptomatic maternal infection began at 11 weeks' gestation while visiting an area endemic for Zika virus, after which the mother was confirmed to have Zika virus infection with both serologic and RT-PCR methods.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Placental Pathology of Zika Virus: Viral Infection of the Placenta Induces Villous Stromal Macrophage (Hofbauer Cell) Proliferation and Hyperplasia

Rosenberg¹,

Yu²,

Hill³

et al. 2016

Archives of Pathology &Amp; Laboratory Medicine

158

151

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Context.-The placenta is an important component in understanding the fetal response to intrauterine Zika virus infection, but the pathologic changes in this organ remain largely unknown. Hofbauer cells are fetal-derived macrophages normally present in the chorionic villous stroma. They have been implicated in a variety of physiological and pathologic processes, in particular involving infectious agents.Objectives.-To characterize the fetal and maternal responses and viral localization in the placenta following Zika virus transmission to an 11 weeks' gestation fetus. The clinical course was notable for prolonged viremia in the mother and extensive neuronal necrosis in the fetus. The fetus was delivered at 21 weeks' gestation after pregnancy termination.Design.-The placenta was evaluated by using immunohistochemistry for inflammatory cells (macrophages/ monocytes [Hofbauer cells], B and T lymphocytes) and proliferating cells, and an RNA probe to Zika virus. The fetal brain and the placenta were previously found to be positive for Zika virus RNA by reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction.Results.-The placenta demonstrated prominently enlarged, hydropic chorionic villi with hyperplasia and focal proliferation of Hofbauer cells. The degree of Hofbauer cell hyperplasia gave an exaggerated immature appearance to the villi. No acute or chronic villitis, villous necrosis, remote necroinflammatory abnormalities, chorioamnionitis, funisitis, or hemorrhages were present. An RNA probe to Zika virus was positive in villous stromal cells, presumably Hofbauer cells.Conclusions.-Zika virus placental infection induces proliferation and prominent hyperplasia of Hofbauer cells in the chorionic villi but does not elicit villous necrosis or a maternal or fetal lymphoplasmacellular or acute inflammatory cell reaction.

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“…Hofbauer cells, round macrophages with vacuoles and granules in their cytoplasm, appear very early (3rd or 4th week) within mesenchymal villi [17]. They divide by mitosis and constitute an independent cell line.…”

Section: Connective Stromamentioning

confidence: 99%

Ontogenesis of Villi and Fetal Vessels in the Human Placenta

2001

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The ontogenesis of the villous and vascular arborescence in normal pregnancy is reviewed. The emergence of the villi and the fetal vessels is described from early pregnancy to term together with the specializations of the villi, vessels and capillaries observed in the last trimester. The expression, localization and role of the angiogenic growth factors (FGF, VEGF, PLGF, HGF) are described and discussed. Pathological pregnancies with hyper- and hypocapillarization are related to altered oxygenation. The potential roles of growth factors are presented and hypotheses proposed which may provide a molecular basis for the development of the most frequent placental pathologies.

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Mitosis of the Hofbauer cell: Possible implications for a fetal macrophage

Cited by 55 publications

References 32 publications

Obesity in Pregnancy Stimulates Macrophage Accumulation and Inflammation in the Placenta

Obesity in Pregnancy Stimulates Macrophage Accumulation and Inflammation in the Placenta

Placental Pathology of Zika Virus: Viral Infection of the Placenta Induces Villous Stromal Macrophage (Hofbauer Cell) Proliferation and Hyperplasia

Ontogenesis of Villi and Fetal Vessels in the Human Placenta

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