Morphological characteristics of placentas associated with idiopathic intrauterine growth retardation: a clinicopathologic study

Tomaš, Sandra Zekić; Roje, Damir; Prusac, Ivana Kuzmić; Tadin, Ivica; Čapkun, Vesna

doi:10.1016/j.ejogrb.2010.05.006

Cited by 22 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Placental syncytial knots are rare before 32 weeks of pregnancy, and their frequency increases progressively towards term when they can be normally found in 10–30% of villi . Among placental lesions resulting in maternal underperfusion, increased number of syncytial knots are considered to be the results of an increased rate of ischemic necrosis of distal villi caused by hypoxia . In hypoxic placentas, blood circulating in intervillous space is reduced, leading to increased rates of villous cells apoptosis to increase the exchange surface.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In hypoxic placentas, blood circulating in intervillous space is reduced, leading to increased rates of villous cells apoptosis to increase the exchange surface. For this reason, syncytial knots normally accumulate on the villous surface until term, whereas their preterm presence is a pathologic response to increase nutrient uptake . Experimental animal studies have demonstrated that exposure of syncytiothrophoblast to hypoxia, hyperoxia, or reactive oxygen species increases the number of syncytial knots, supporting the causal role of maternal underperfusion.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Placental histopathological correlates of umbilical artery Doppler velocimetry in pregnancies complicated by fetal growth restriction

et al. 2012

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Placental histopathological correlates of umbilical artery Doppler velocimetry in pregnancies complicated by fetal growth restriction

et al. 2012

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“…The main placental histo-pathological characteristics associated with IUGR secondary to placental insufficiency were examined: presence of villi that were small in size, perivillous nuclear clusters (i.e. presence of syncytial knots) and perivillous fibrin deposition [26], [27], [28], [29].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reduced Placental Telomere Length during Pregnancies Complicated by Intrauterine Growth Restriction

et al. 2013

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ObjectivesRecent studies have shown that telomere length was significantly reduced in placentas collected at delivery from pregnancies complicated by intrauterine growth restriction secondary to placental insufficiency. Placental telomere length measurement during ongoing pregnancies complicated by intrauterine growth restriction has never been reported. This was the main objective of our study.MethodsIn our center, late chorionic villus samplings were performed between 18 and 37 weeks of amenorrhea in 24 subjects with severe intrauterine growth restriction (cases) and in 28 subjects with other indications for prenatal diagnosis (controls). Placental insufficiency was assessed by histo-pathological examination. Relative measurement of telomere length was carried out prospectively by quantitative Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization using fluorescent Peptide Nucleic Acid probes on interphase nuclei obtained from long-term cultured villi and with an automated epifluorescent microscope. A quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction technique was performed to confirm the quantitative Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization results. The number of copies of gene loci encoding the RNA template (hTERC) and the catalytic subunit (hTERT) of the enzyme complex telomerase were also estimated in these placentas by Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization.ResultsMean fluorescence intensity of telomere probes estimated by quantitative Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization was significantly less for cases compared to controls (p<0.001). This result indicated that mean telomere length was significantly reduced in placentas during pregnancies complicated by intrauterine growth restriction. Reduced telomere length was confirmed by the quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction technique. No copy number variation of the hTERC and hTERT loci was noticed for cases, or for controls.ConclusionThis study clearly demonstrates a reduction of placental telomere length in ongoing pregnancies (from 18 to 37 weeks of amenorrhea) complicated by severe intrauterine growth restriction secondary to placental insufficiency.

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“…Investigations using random block sampling and stereological studies reported reductions in the number, surface area, and volume of terminal villi in FGR-affected placentae, compared with placentae from uncomplicated pregnancies (Biagiotti et al, 1999; Egbor et al, 2006; Biswas et al, 2008; Vedmedovska et al, 2011; Almasry et al, 2012; Almasry and Elfayomy, 2012). Additionally, villous vessels exhibited fewer branches, and a majority of the vessels were slender and uncoiled (Teasdale, 1984; Teasdale and Jean-Jacques, 1988; Jackson et al, 1995; Chen et al, 2002; Mayhew, 2003; Tomas et al, 2010). A failure, or reduced capability, of branching angiogenesis in FGR is strongly associated (Kingdom et al, 2000) with a reduced supply of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus, and subsequent growth delay (Sanchez-Vera et al, 2005; Salafia et al, 2006).…”

Section: Impaired Angiogenesis and Pregnancy-associated Disordersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of homeobox gene action may reveal novel angiogenic pathways in normal placental vasculature and in clinical pregnancy disorders associated with abnormal placental angiogenesis.

2014

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Homeobox genes are essential for both the development of the blood and lymphatic vascular systems, as well as for their maintenance in the adult. Homeobox genes comprise an important family of transcription factors, which are characterized by a well conserved DNA binding motif; the homeodomain. The specificity of the homeodomain allows the transcription factor to bind to the promoter regions of batteries of target genes and thereby regulates their expression. Target genes identified for homeodomain proteins have been shown to control fundamental cell processes such as proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. We and others have reported that homeobox genes are expressed in the placental vasculature, but our knowledge of their downstream target genes is limited. This review highlights the importance of studying the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which homeobox genes and their downstream targets may regulate important vascular cellular processes such as proliferation, migration, and endothelial tube formation, which are essential for placental vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. A better understanding of the molecular targets of homeobox genes may lead to new therapies for aberrant angiogenesis associated with clinically important pregnancy pathologies, including fetal growth restriction and preeclampsia.

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Morphological characteristics of placentas associated with idiopathic intrauterine growth retardation: a clinicopathologic study

Cited by 22 publications

References 19 publications

Placental histopathological correlates of umbilical artery Doppler velocimetry in pregnancies complicated by fetal growth restriction

Placental histopathological correlates of umbilical artery Doppler velocimetry in pregnancies complicated by fetal growth restriction

Reduced Placental Telomere Length during Pregnancies Complicated by Intrauterine Growth Restriction

Analysis of homeobox gene action may reveal novel angiogenic pathways in normal placental vasculature and in clinical pregnancy disorders associated with abnormal placental angiogenesis.

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