Binding of the placental growth factor to VEGF receptor type 1 modulates human T cell functions.

The immunosuppressive properties of vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) suggest a new role of angiogenic factors in T cell modulation in cancer and pregnancy. Most of VEGF effects on T cells are mediated through the VEGF receptor type 2 (VEGFR-2). This study aims to investigate the role of placental growth factor (PlGF) as a selective VEGFR-1 ligand in the modulation of human T cells functions.

Elevated levels of dehydroepiandrosterone as a potential mechanism of dendritic cell impairment during pregnancy.

Background: This study aimed to test the hypothesis that immune dysfunction and the increased risk of spontaneous abortion in pregnant women with hyperandrogenia (HA) are caused by the reduced tolerogenic potential of dendritic cells (DCs) that results from elevated levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS).

Methods: The phenotypic and functional properties of monocyte-derived DCs generated from blood monocytes from non-pregnant women, women with a normal pregnancy, or pregnant women with HA, as well as the in vitro effects of DHEAS on DCs in healthy pregnant women were investigated.

Results: In a normal pregnancy, DCs were shown to be immature and are characterized by a reduced number of CD83(+) and CD25(+) DCs, the ability to stimulate type 2 T cell responses and to induce T cell apoptosis.

[Placental morphology in inherited thrombophilia].

Objective: To study placental morphological changes in inherited thrombophilia.

Subject And Methods: A morphometric method was used to examine placentas from 37 patients divided into 3 groups: 1) 13 pregnant women with verified inherited thrombophilia; 2) 14 pregnant women with inherited thrombophilia and signs of placental inflammatory manifestations (basal deciduitis, intervillositis, placentitis); 3) 10 women with normal pregnancy (a control group).

Results: In inherited thrombophilia, the placentas exhibited morphological manifestations of chronic placental insufficiency as pathological immaturity with a predominance of intermediate differentiated villi and as dissociated maturity of cotyledones, with a substantial reduction in the specialized terminal villi, excessive intervillous fibrinoid formation and villous immuring, evolving pseudoinfarctions, fewer capillaries in the terminal villi, and their increased stromal proportion.

Mixed lymphocyte reaction blocking factors (MLR-Bf) as potential biomarker for indication and efficacy of paternal lymphocyte immunization in recurrent spontaneous abortion.

Objectives: The majority of cases of unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) remains unclear and is found to be associated with alloimmune antibodies termed as mixed lymphocyte reaction blocking factor (MLR-Bf). The decreased production of MLR-Bf may play major role in the immunologic failure of pregnancy and can lead to abortion. The present study was aimed at evaluating MLR-Bf as potential biomarker of indication and the efficacy of immunotherapy with paternal lymphocytes (LIT) in women with RSA.

[Structural-functional transformations of the ileal lymph nodes in pregnancy complicated by blood loss].

The microanatomic organization of iliac lymph nodes was studied in 24 pregnant Wistar rats (pregnancy term 21 days) after simulation of acute hemorrhage in them. A considerable decrease of a relative area occupied by a marginal sinus was revealed. This shows transport functional changes of lymph nodes in pregnancy complicated by hemorrhage.

[The morphofunctional characteristics of the thymus in rat fetuses and progeny in venous occlusion].

Using histological and morphometrical methods, morphofunctional state of the thymus was studied in fetuses and offspring of rats in physiological pregnancy and under conditions of phlebo-occlusion. Phlebo-occlusion resulted in hypertrophy of the fetus, thymus and offspring, changes in structural zones and cellular reactions.