» Articles » PMID: 19215319

Trophoblast-mediated Spiral Artery Remodelling: a Role for Apoptosis

Overview
Journal J Anat
Date 2009 Feb 14
PMID 19215319
Citations 61
Authors
Affiliations
Soon will be listed here.
Abstract

In the first 20 weeks of pregnancy a number of important changes take place in the maternal uterine vasculature. Vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells are lost from the spiral arteries and are replaced by fetal trophoblast cells. The resulting increase in blood flow to the intervillous space ensures that the fetus receives the nutrients and respiratory gases required for growth. Failure of the vessels to remodel sufficiently is a common feature of pregnancy pathologies such as early pregnancy loss, intrauterine growth restriction and pre-eclampsia. Although there is evidence to suggest that some vascular changes occur prior to trophoblast invasion, it is clear that in the absence of trophoblast invasion the remodelling of the spiral arteries is reduced. The cellular and molecular mechanisms by which trophoblasts influence vessel structure have been little studied. Trophoblasts synthesize and release a plethora of cytokines and growth factors including members of the tumour necrosis factor family such as tumour necrosis factor alpha, Fas-ligand and tumour necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand. Recent studies suggest that these factors may be important in regulating the remodelling process by inducing both endothelial cell and vascular smooth muscle cell apoptosis.

Citing Articles

Targeting A2M-LRP1 reverses uterine spiral artery remodeling disorder and alleviates the progression of preeclampsia.

Huang Z, Zhang P, Chen R, Sun L, Wang J, Yan R Cell Commun Signal. 2025; 23(1):107.

PMID: 39994728 PMC: 11852582. DOI: 10.1186/s12964-025-02060-y.


Sexually dimorphic DNA methylation and gene expression patterns in human first trimester placenta.

Gonzalez T, Willson B, Wang E, Taylor K, Novoa A, Swarna A Biol Sex Differ. 2024; 15(1):63.

PMID: 39152463 PMC: 11328442. DOI: 10.1186/s13293-024-00629-9.


Clinical Analysis of Postpartum Preeclampsia After an Uncomplicated Pregnancy.

Fehr S, Frelier S Cureus. 2024; 16(4):e57834.

PMID: 38721196 PMC: 11077498. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.57834.


Animal models of postpartum hemorrhage.

Hargett S, Leslie E, Chapa H, Gaharwar A Lab Anim (NY). 2024; 53(4):93-106.

PMID: 38528231 DOI: 10.1038/s41684-024-01349-8.


Circulating inflammatory cytokines and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

Guan S, Bai X, Ding J, Zhuang R Front Immunol. 2023; 14:1297929.

PMID: 38035087 PMC: 10687474. DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1297929.


References
1.
Greenwood J, Minhas K, Di Santo J, Makita M, Kiso Y, Croy B . Ultrastructural studies of implantation sites from mice deficient in uterine natural killer cells. Placenta. 2000; 21(7):693-702. DOI: 10.1053/plac.2000.0556. View

2.
Zhou Y, Damsky C, Fisher S . Preeclampsia is associated with failure of human cytotrophoblasts to mimic a vascular adhesion phenotype. One cause of defective endovascular invasion in this syndrome?. J Clin Invest. 1997; 99(9):2152-64. PMC: 508045. DOI: 10.1172/JCI119388. View

3.
Spierings D, de Vries E, Vellenga E, van den Heuvel F, Koornstra J, Wesseling J . Tissue distribution of the death ligand TRAIL and its receptors. J Histochem Cytochem. 2004; 52(6):821-31. DOI: 10.1369/jhc.3A6112.2004. View

4.
Meekins J, Luckas M, Pijnenborg R, McFadyen I . Histological study of decidual spiral arteries and the presence of maternal erythrocytes in the intervillous space during the first trimester of normal human pregnancy. Placenta. 1997; 18(5-6):459-64. DOI: 10.1016/s0143-4004(97)80048-3. View

5.
Blankenship T, Enders A, King B . Trophoblastic invasion and modification of uterine veins during placental development in macaques. Cell Tissue Res. 1993; 274(1):135-44. DOI: 10.1007/BF00327994. View