ASSOCIATION OF PLACENTAL SYNCYTIOTROPHOBLAST MEMBRANE MICRO-PARTICLES (STBM) WITH MATERNAL IMMUNE RESPONSE IN ADVERSE PREGNANCY OUTCOMES

Abstract

Problem: Placental syncytiotrophoblast microvesicles (STBM) may modify maternal immune response. We therefore sought to (1) evaluate the immunogenicity of STBM in women with recurrent miscarriages (RM) and preeclampsia (2) determine the bioactive contents of STBM (3) phenotype maternal decidual immune cells.

Methods: STBM from women with adverse or normal pregnancy, isolated from placental explant culture supernatant, were used in dendritic cell (DC) stimulation assays followed by cytokine ELISA and flow cytometry. STBM bioactive contents were investigated by ESI LC-MS/MS of proteins and lipids. Decidual dendritic cell subsets were studied by a 13-colour flow cytometry.

Results: Pathologic STBM are more immunogenic producing significantly increased level of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 and TNF-a from DC. STBM proteins & lipids are differentially expressed in pathologic pregnancies.

Conclusion: Our findings lend support to the emerging concept of immune-dysregulation in preeclampsia and RM. This has implications in development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.