HIGH SCORE OF VEGF RECEPTORS, FLT-1 Y FLK-1, DURING PORCINE GESTATION. PRELIMINAR STUDY

MOLIVA M, CRISTOFOLINI A, ALONSO L, SANCHIS E, CHANIQUE A, MERKIS C.

San Juan

Congreso; SECOND JOINT MEETING OF THE BIOLOGY SOCIETIES FROM ARGENTINA; 2011

Swines present a chorioallantoic placenta characterized by an apposition between uterine and chorionic epithelia, interdigitated by fetal and maternal microvilli, involving a vast increase in the area of contact without loss of continuity of membranes. Placental angiogenesis constitutes a pivotal factor during gestation in pigs to accompany the augmentation in blood flow with advancing gestation. This process expends on the expression of different molecules, as the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and their specific receptors, Flt-1 and Flk-1. Our purpose was to study the angiogenesis in placentas from crossbred swines. Placental samples of 4 m from 30, 60, 80 and 114 days of gestation were used. The immunolocalization of VEGF receptors, Flt-1 and Flk-1, was performed by immunohistochemistry. The results were expressed as semiquantitative and the distribution of intensity of staining was determined by High Score. Flk-1 was expressed at days 30, 60 and 80 of pregnancy, being negative at term. Temporo-spatial distribution of Flt-1 was elevated at days 30 and 114 days, and negative at day 80. In previous studies, we have determined the distribution of immunointensity of VEGF throughout porcine placentation. According with the observations of the present study, the angiogenic events at the beggining and the end of gestation are associated with the co-localization of VEGF and Flt-1, and at days 60 and 80 Flk-1 would accompany the stimulation of placental angiogenesis induced by VEGF.