Reduced angiovasculogenic and increased inflammatory profiles of cord blood cells in severe but not mild preeclampsia

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Seonggeon Cho, Emory University; Young-Doug Sohn, Emory University; Sangsung Kim, Yonsei University; Augustine Rajakumar, Emory University; Martina Badell, Emory University; Neil Sidell, Emory University; Young Yoon, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2021-02-11
• Publisher: Nature Portfolio
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © The Author(s) 2021
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-83146-8
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Scientific Reports
• Volume: 11
• Issue: 1
• Start Page: 3630
• End Page: 3630
• Grant/Funding Information: National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MSIT) (No. 2020R1A2C3003784 and No. 2020M3A9I4038454); Korea Health Technology R&D Project through the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), funded by the Ministry of Health & Welfare (HI16C2211); Faculty Research Assistance Program of Yonsei University College of Medicine (6-2019-0119).; This work was generously supported by grants from the Abraham J & Phyllis Katz Foundation, NHLBI (R01HL129511, R01HL150887)
• Keywords: Pregnancy; Endothelial cells; Bone marrow; Human umbilical cord; Science & Technology; CD31(+) cells; Multidisciplinary Sciences; Neovascularization; Growth restriction; Pathogenesis; Identification; Science & Technology - Other Topics; Decrease
• Research Categories: Engineering, Biomedical; Health Sciences, Obstetrics and Gynecology; Biology, Cell

Abstract

Preeclampsia (PE) is a prevalent pregnancy disorder that leads to high maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. While defective vascular development and angiogenesis in placenta are known as crucial pathological findings, its pathophysiological mechanism remains elusive. To better understand the effects of PE on angio-vasculogenesis and inflammatory networks in the fetus and to identify their biological signatures, we investigated the quantitative and functional characteristics of cord blood-derived mononuclear cells (CB-MNCs) and CD31-positive MNCs. Flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that the CB-MNCs from the severe PE group had significantly decreased number of cells expressing CD3, CD11b, CD14, CD19, KDR, and CD31 compared with the normal group. Quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR) shows down-regulation of the major angiogenic factor VEGFA in MNCs and CD31+ MNCs in severe PE. The major inflammatory cytokines IL1 was highly upregulated in CD31+ CB-MNCs in the severe PE patients. Mild PE patients, however, did not display any significant difference in expression of all measured angiogenic genes and most inflammatory genes. These findings show distinct angiogenic and inflammatory signatures from severe PE, and they may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of vascular defects in placenta of severe PE.