Placental Villi-Decidua Interactions in Normal and Hypertensive Pregnancies: A Morphological Quantitative Study

Biagini, Giancarlo A.; Pugnaloni, Armanda; Carboni, V.; Mazzanti, Laura; Cester, N.; Romaninï, Carlo; Toschi, Elena; Castaldini, C.

doi:10.1159/000292717

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…In addition, in diabetic pregnancies the evident increase of fibronectin in the umbilical vein wall [23] seems to reflect the already known increased syntheses of various extracellular matrix proteins, such as collagen IV, detect able in this disease [24], In conclusion, our studies show how the umbilical cord can actively respond to abnormal microenvironmental stimuli such as those occurring dur ing hypertension and diabetes, similarly to what was al ready observed in some of our other studies concerning an other embryonal appendage, the placenta [25,26], Furthermore, our present results clearly indicate how abnormal clinical conditions observed in the pregnant mother may represent a serious threat to fetal health with a possible feedback threat to the mother herself.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

The Human Umbilical Vein in Normal, Hypertensive and Diabetic Pregnancies: Immunomorphological and Ultrastructural Evidence

Pugnaloni

Salvolini²,

Lucarini³

et al. 1995

Gynecol Obstet Invest

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Mother-fetus exchanges at the placental level are found to be altered in women affected by hypertensive or diabetic pregnancies following the onset of microenvironmental, circulatory, trophic or tissue disorders. Our aim was therefore to assess the alterations occurring within the umbilical cord, particularly its venous endothelial component and underlying smooth muscle layer, using transmission (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and immunohistochemical analyses. Immunohistochemical data appear to support the ultrastructural evidence for an activated state of these vascular structures, in both conditions (hypertension and diabetes). Furthermore, mainly during diabetic pregnancies, extracellular matrix molecules such as tenascin and fibronectin also quantitatively increase at the vein wall level. The umbilical cord seems to be a structure capable of responding actively to abnormal microenvironmental conditions which seriously threaten the health of the fetus and also the mother herself.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

The Human Umbilical Vein in Normal, Hypertensive and Diabetic Pregnancies: Immunomorphological and Ultrastructural Evidence

Pugnaloni

Salvolini²,

Lucarini³

et al. 1995

Gynecol Obstet Invest

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“…In cases of PIH the physiological vascular changes are limited to some spiral arteries in the decidual segments with some remaining in the same state as spiral arteries in the non-pregnant uterus 20 . Biagini and co-workers 21 showed that in placentae of hypertensive women there is a higher number of chorionic villi-decidua interactions and a smaller surface area of a single interaction than in the placentae of normotensive women. Thus, the placental vascular interface between mother and fetus may be abnormal prior to the development of clinical PIH.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do heart rate and velocity variability derived from umbilical artery velocity waveforms change prior to clinical pregnancy‐induced hypertension?

Ursem

Clark

Keller

et al. 1999

Ultrasound in Obstet & Gyne

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Objective To investigate the hypothesis that alterations in heart rate variability, peak systolic velocity variability and time-averaged velocity variability in the human umbilical artery may predict early signs of dysfunctional fetalplacental coupling in pregnancies that later develop pregnancy-induced hypertension.Methods Doppler flow velocity recordings from the umbilical artery were performed at 10-20 weeks of gestation in 12 nulliparous women who subsequently developed pregnancy-induced hypertension. From umbilical artery velocity waveforms of at least 12 s in duration we determined absolute values and beat-to-beat variability in fetal heart rate, peak systolic and time-averaged velocity and compared these findings with those in normal nulliparous pregnant women matched for gestational age.Results Absolute values for fetal heart rate, peak systolic and time-averaged velocity as well as beat-to-beat variability in fetal heart rate did not differ significantly between women later developing pregnancy-induced hypertension and normal controls. However, variability in peak systolic velocity and time-averaged velocity were decreased in women who subsequently developed pregnancy-induced hypertension.Conclusions Whereas fetal heart rate variability was similar, umbilical artery flow velocity variability was reduced in women developing pregnancy-induced hypertension compared with controls. It is proposed from this study that variability of the umbilical artery flow velocity is associated with mechanical changes in the vascular bed of women who later develop pregnancy-induced hypertension.

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Connection between human leucocyte antigens D region and T helper cytokines in preeclampsia

Omu

Al-Azemi

Al-Qattan

et al. 2002

Arch Gynecol Obstet

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Preeclampsia is a common and major cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Human leucocyte antigen (HLA) susceptibility and impaired adaptation of the T lymphocyte sub-population and a bi-directional effect of T helper cytokines on the outcome of pregnancy have been reported in patients with preeclampsia. The association between maternal HLA class II and T helper cytokines in women with preeclampsia was investigated in seventy-six preeclamptic women and normotensive controls using Terasaki microlymphocytotoxicity test. T helper cytokines interleukin (IL)-8, IL-6, IL-4, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interferon (IFN)-gamma were estimated in the maternal blood and placenta by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Histopathological evaluation of the placenta was also carried out. HLA class II DR2, DR4, DR5, DRw8, DRw10, DRw11, DRw18, and DQw2 had significant relative risk ratios for preeclampsia, while DQw3 was more common in the controls. DR4-DRw11-DQw2 haplotype was more common in preeclamptic women with intrauterine growth restriction, low birth weight and placental weight, increased expression of T helper cytokines IL-8, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma and abnormal uteroplacental vasculature. These findings suggest that HLA class II DR4-DRw11 -DQw2 haplotypes may be associated with preeclampsia with intrauterine growth restriction through low placental weight from impaired placental development, as a result of increased expression of T helper 1 cytokines IL-8, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma.

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Placental Villi-Decidua Interactions in Normal and Hypertensive Pregnancies: A Morphological Quantitative Study

Cited by 4 publications

References 11 publications

The Human Umbilical Vein in Normal, Hypertensive and Diabetic Pregnancies: Immunomorphological and Ultrastructural Evidence

The Human Umbilical Vein in Normal, Hypertensive and Diabetic Pregnancies: Immunomorphological and Ultrastructural Evidence

Do heart rate and velocity variability derived from umbilical artery velocity waveforms change prior to clinical pregnancy‐induced hypertension?

Connection between human leucocyte antigens D region and T helper cytokines in preeclampsia

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