Vascular-leukocyte interactions: Mechanisms of human decidual spiral artery remodeling in vitro

Aleah D. Hazan, Samantha D. Smith, Rebecca L. Jones, Wendy Whittle, Stephen J. Lye, Caroline E. Dunk

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    Transformation of uterine spiral arteries is critical for healthy human pregnancy. We recently proposed a role for maternal leukocytes in decidual spiral artery remodeling and suggested that matrix metalloprotease (MMP) activity contributed to the destruction of the arterial wall. In the current study we used our first trimester placental-decidual co-culture (PDC) model to define the temporal relationship and test the mechanistic aspects of this process. PDC experiments were assessed by image analysis over a six-day time-course for degree of vascular transformation and leukocyte distribution around progressively remodeled arterioles. We observed rapid transformation in PDCs associated with loss of vascular smooth muscle cells, widening of the vessel lumen, and significant accumulation of uterine Natural Killer cells and macrophages within the vascular wall (P <0.001) before trophoblast presence in the vessel lumens. These events did not occur in decidua-only cultures. Active MMP-9 was detected in leukocytes and vascular cells of remodeling arterioles , and inhibition of MMP-2/9 activity in PDC resulted in failure of decidual vascular remodeling compared with vehicle-treated PDCs. Apoptosis of vascular cells , macrophage-mediated phagocytosis, and vascular smooth muscle cell dedifferentiation contributed to the remodeling observed. The PDC model indicates that placental presence is required to initiate decidual spiral artery remodeling but that uterine Natural Killer cells and macrophages mediate the early stages of this process at the cellular level. Copyright © American Society for Investigative Pathology.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)1017-1030
    Number of pages13
    JournalAmerican journal of pathology
    Volume177
    Issue number2
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Aug 2010

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