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Horn-Oudshoorn EJJ, Broekhuizen M, Harhangi MS, Simons SHP, Eggink AJ, Danser AHJ, Reiss IKM, DeKoninck PLJ. Vascular reactivity is altered in the placentas of fetuses with congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Placenta 2024; 145:51-59. [PMID: 38064938 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2023.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) often develop pulmonary hypertension but frequently fail to respond to vasodilator therapy, for instance because of an altered pulmonary vasoreactivity. Investigating such alterations in vivo is impossible. We hypothesised that these alterations are also present in fetoplacental vessels, since both vasculatures are exposed to the same circulating factors (e.g. endothelin-1) and respond similarly to certain stimuli (e.g. hypoxia). As proof-of-concept, we compared fetoplacental vasoreactivity between healthy and CDH-affected placentas. METHODS Fetoplacental vascular function of healthy and antenatally diagnosed left-sided CDH fetuses was assessed by wire myography. Placental expression of enzymes and receptors involved in the altered vasoreactive pathways was measured using quantitative PCR. RESULTS CDH arteries (n = 6) constricted more strongly to thromboxane A2 agonist U46619 (p < 0.001) and dilated less to bradykinin (p = 0.01) and nitric oxide (NO)-donor sodium nitroprusside (p = 0.04) than healthy arteries (n = 8). Vasodilation to prostacyclin analogue iloprost and adenylate cyclase stimulator forskolin, and vasoconstriction to endothelin-1 were not different between both groups. Angiotensin II did not induce vasoconstriction. Phosphodiesterase inhibitors sildenafil and milrinone did not affect responses to sodium nitroprusside, forskolin, or U46619. The mRNA expression of guanylate cyclase 1 soluble subunit alpha 1 (p = 0.003) and protein kinase cyclic guanine monophosphate (cGMP)-dependent 1 (p = 0.02) were reduced in CDH versus healthy placentas. DISCUSSION The identified changes in the thromboxane and NO-cGMP pathways in the fetoplacental vasculature correspond with currently described alterations in the pulmonary vasculature in CDH. Therefore, fetoplacental arteries may provide an opportunity to predict pulmonary therapeutic responses in infants with CDH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily J J Horn-Oudshoorn
- Department of Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care, Division of Neonatology, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Michelle Broekhuizen
- Department of Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care, Division of Neonatology, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pharmacology and Vascular Medicine, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Cardiology, Division of Experimental Cardiology, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Madhavi S Harhangi
- Department of Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care, Division of Neonatology, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pharmacology and Vascular Medicine, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Division of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Sinno H P Simons
- Department of Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care, Division of Neonatology, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Alex J Eggink
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Division of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - A H Jan Danser
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pharmacology and Vascular Medicine, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Irwin K M Reiss
- Department of Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care, Division of Neonatology, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Philip L J DeKoninck
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Division of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
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Jani D, Clark A, Couper S, Thompson JMD, David AL, Melbourne A, Mirjalili A, Lydon AM, Stone PR. The effect of maternal position on placental blood flow and fetoplacental oxygenation in late gestation fetal growth restriction: a magnetic resonance imaging study. J Physiol 2023; 601:5391-5411. [PMID: 37467072 DOI: 10.1113/jp284269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Fetal growth restriction (FGR) and maternal supine going-to-sleep position are both risk factors for late stillbirth. This study aimed to use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to quantify the effect of maternal supine position on maternal-placental and fetoplacental blood flow, placental oxygen transfer and fetal oxygenation in FGR and healthy pregnancies. Twelve women with FGR and 27 women with healthy pregnancies at 34-38 weeks' gestation underwent MRI in both left lateral and supine positions. Phase-contrast MRI and a functional MRI technique (DECIDE) were used to measure blood flow in the maternal internal iliac arteries (IIAs) and umbilical vein (UV), placental oxygen transfer (placental flux), fetal oxygen saturation (FO2 ), and fetal oxygen delivery (delivery flux). The presence of FGR, compared to healthy pregnancies, was associated with a 7.8% lower FO2 (P = 0.02), reduced placental flux, and reduced delivery flux. Maternal supine positioning caused a 3.8% reduction in FO2 (P = 0.001), and significant reductions in total IIA flow, placental flux, UV flow and delivery flux compared to maternal left lateral position. The effect of maternal supine position on fetal oxygen delivery was independent of FGR pregnancy, meaning that supine positioning has an additive effect of reducing fetal oxygenation further in women with FGR, compared to women with appropriately grown for age pregnancies. Meanwhile, the effect of maternal supine positioning on placental oxygen transfer was not independent of the effect of FGR. Therefore, growth-restricted fetuses, which are chronically hypoxaemic, experience a relatively greater decline in oxygen transfer when mothers lie supine in late gestation compared to appropriately growing fetuses. KEY POINTS: Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is the most common risk factor associated with stillbirth, and early recognition and timely delivery is vital to reduce this risk. Maternal supine going-to-sleep position is found to increase the risk of late stillbirth but when combined with having a FGR pregnancy, maternal supine position leads to 15 times greater odds of stillbirth compared to supine sleeping with appropriately grown for age (AGA) pregnancies. Using MRI, this study quantifies the chronic hypoxaemia experienced by growth-restricted fetuses due to 13.5% lower placental oxygen transfer and 26% lower fetal oxygen delivery compared to AGA fetuses. With maternal supine positioning, there is a 23% reduction in maternal-placental blood flow and a further 14% reduction in fetal oxygen delivery for both FGR and AGA pregnancies, but this effect is proportionally greater for growth-restricted fetuses. This knowledge emphasises the importance of avoiding supine positioning in late pregnancy, particularly for vulnerable FGR pregnancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devanshi Jani
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Alys Clark
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Sophie Couper
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - John M D Thompson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Anna L David
- Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's Health, University College Huntley Street, London, UK
| | - Andrew Melbourne
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging, Kings College London, London, UK
| | - Ali Mirjalili
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Anna-Maria Lydon
- Centre for Advanced MRI, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Peter R Stone
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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Redline RW. Placental pathology: Pathways leading to or associated with perinatal brain injury in experimental neurology, special issue: Placental mediated mechanisms of perinatal brain injury. Exp Neurol 2021; 347:113917. [PMID: 34748755 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2021.113917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Perinatal brain injury is a multifactorial process. In utero placental physiology plays a major role in neuroprotection and the normal development of the fetal central nervous system. Advances in placental pathology have clarified several specific mechanisms of injury and the histologic lesions most strongly associated with them. This review provides an updated summary of the relevant placental anatomy and physiology, the specific placental pathways leading to brain injury, the revised Amsterdam classification system for placental pathology, and the known associations of specific placental lesions with subtypes of adverse neurologic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raymond W Redline
- Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Departments of Pathology and Reproductive Biology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, 11100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States of America.
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James JL, Chamley LW, Clark AR. Feeding Your Baby In Utero: How the Uteroplacental Circulation Impacts Pregnancy. Physiology (Bethesda) 2017; 32:234-245. [DOI: 10.1152/physiol.00033.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2016] [Revised: 12/20/2016] [Accepted: 12/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The utero-placental circulation links the maternal and fetal circulations during pregnancy, ensuring adequate gas and nutrient exchange, and consequently fetal growth. However, our understanding of this circulatory system remains incomplete. Here, we discuss how the utero-placental circulation is established, how it changes dynamically during pregnancy, and how this may impact on pregnancy success, highlighting how we may address knowledge gaps through advances in imaging and computational modeling approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna L. James
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; and
| | - Lawrence W. Chamley
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; and
| | - Alys R. Clark
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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Downing JW, Baysinger CL, Johnson RF, Paschall RL, Shotwell MS. The Effects of Vasopressin and Oxytocin on the Fetoplacental Distal Stem Arteriolar Vascular Resistance of the Dual-Perfused, Single, Isolated, Human Placental Cotyledon. Anesth Analg 2016; 123:698-702. [DOI: 10.1213/ane.0000000000001449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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Wareing M. Oxygen sensitivity, potassium channels, and regulation of placental vascular tone. Microcirculation 2014; 21:58-66. [PMID: 23710683 DOI: 10.1111/micc.12069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2013] [Accepted: 05/21/2013] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The human fetoplacental vasculature is a low-resistance circulation with deoxygenated arterial relative to venous blood. The placenta lacks neuronal innervation suggesting that local physical (e.g., oxygenation; flow rate), paracrine (e.g., endothelial cell nitric oxide), and circulating (e.g., angiotensin II) factors will contribute to blood flow regulation in small fetoplacental vessels. Oxygenation (specifically hypoxia) has received particular attention. At the macro-level, hypoxic challenge increases vascular resistance, but the data's physiological relevance remains questionable. K(+) channels are a diverse family of proteins known to play important roles in the normal physiological functions of endothelial and smooth muscle cells of a variety of vascular beds. K(+) channels are categorized by their predicted transmembrane structure or gating properties. A small number of perfused placental cotyledon and isolated blood vessels studies have assessed K(+) channel activity. Specific activator/inhibitor application suggests functional voltage-gated channels, whereas toxin inhibitor studies have documented KCa channel activity. Pharmacological KATP channel activation significantly dilates preconstricted placental arteries and veins. There is a paucity of cell subtype-specific expression studies of placental K(+) channels. This review focuses on the roles of K(+) channels and oxygenation in controlling reactivity of small fetoplacental blood vessels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Wareing
- Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, Institute of Human Development, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK; Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, St. Mary's Hospital, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
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Minzter BH, Johnson RF, Paschall RL, Ramasubramanian R, Ayers GD, Downing JW. The diverse effects of vasopressors on the fetoplacental circulation of the dual perfused human placenta. Anesth Analg 2009; 110:857-62. [PMID: 20032025 DOI: 10.1213/ane.0b013e3181c91ebc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We studied the effects of 5 vasopressors on fetal arterial perfusion pressure (FAP) in vitro using the dual perfused, single isolated cotyledon, human placental model. METHODS In 29 separate experiments, epinephrine (75 mg), norepinephrine (75 mg), ephedrine (50 mg), phenylephrine (2 mg), and methoxamine (40 mg) were introduced into the 250-mL reservoir serving the maternal perfusion circuit to determine the effect of each drug on FAP. The duration of drug exposure for each placental cotyledon was approximately 180 minutes. RESULTS After 180 minutes, FAP (mean +/- sd) increased significantly with ephedrine from 64 +/- 3 to 172 +/- 71 mm Hg (P < 0.001) and with phenylephrine from 81 +/- 4 to 132 +/- 11 mm Hg (P = 0.003). No changes in FAP were seen with epinephrine, norepinephrine, and methoxamine. CONCLUSIONS In the dual perfused, single isolated cotyledon, human placental model, exposure of the maternal circulation to ephedrine and phenylephrine caused an increase in FAP, whereas exposure to norepinephrine, epinephrine, and methoxamine did not. The pharmacodynamic mechanisms underlying these differences have yet to be explained. Thus, the clinical implications of the findings are as yet unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beth H Minzter
- Division of Anesthesiology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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Jakoubek V, Bíbová J, Herget J, Hampl V. Chronic hypoxia increases fetoplacental vascular resistance and vasoconstrictor reactivity in the rat. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2008; 294:H1638-44. [DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.01120.2007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
An increase in fetoplacental vascular resistance caused by hypoxia is considered one of the key factors of placental hypoperfusion and fetal undernutrition leading to intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), one of the serious problems in current neonatology. However, although acute hypoxia has been shown to cause fetoplacental vasoconstriction, the effects of more sustained hypoxic exposure are unknown. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that chronic hypoxia elicits elevations in fetoplacental resistance, that this effect is not completely reversible by acute reoxygenation, and that it is accompanied by increased acute vasoconstrictor reactivity of the fetoplacental vasculature. We measured fetoplacental vascular resistance as well as acute vasoconstrictor reactivity in isolated perfused placentae from rats exposed to hypoxia (10% O2) during the last week of a 3-wk pregnancy. We found that chronic hypoxia shifted the relationship between perfusion pressure and flow rate toward higher pressure values (by ∼20%). This increased vascular resistance was refractory to a high dose of sodium nitroprusside, implying the involvement of other factors than increased vascular tone. Chronic hypoxia also increased vasoconstrictor responses to angiotensin II (by ∼75%) and to acute hypoxic challenges (by >150%). We conclude that chronic prenatal hypoxia causes a sustained elevation of fetoplacental vascular resistance and vasoconstrictor reactivity that are likely to produce placental hypoperfusion and fetal undernutrition in vivo.
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