RELEVANCE OF ENDOGENOUS VIP AT THE EARLY MATERNALPLACENTAL INTERFACE: FUNCTIONAL PROFILE OF TROPHOBLAST GIANT CELLS FROM NORMAL AND VIP-DEFICIENT MICE

VANESA HAUK; ESTEBAN GRASSO; LUCILA GALLINO; GUILLERMINA CALO; ROSANNA RAMHORST; JAMES WASCHEK; CLAUDIA PÉREZ LEIRÓS

Mar del Plata

Simposio; VI Latin American Symposium on Maternal-Fetal Interaction and Placenta (VI SLIMP) and the V Latin American Symposium on Reproductive Immunology (V LASRI); 2015

The constitution of the maternal-placental interface is characterized by functional changes of trophoblast cells that acquire an invasive phenotype under strict tissue homeostasis maintenance. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) activates VPAC1/VPAC2 receptors with smooth muscle relaxing, immunomodulatory and trophic effects. We have reported on its role at the early maternal-placental interface to favor a suitable immune profile for placentation and fetal growth. Objectives: To explore the relevance of endogenous VIP at the early maternal-placental interface and its impact on the local expression of trophoblast functional and immune markers. Methods: Pregnant C57BL/6 WT, VIP+/- or VIP-/- female mice mated to males of the different genotypes were analyzed for macroscopic pregnancy parameters. Implantation sites excised on day 8.5 were analyzed by RTqPCR, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry or processed for laser capture microdissection (LCM). Trophoblast giant cells (TGC) isolated by LCM were analyzed for VIP/VPAC, MMP9 and VEGF expression among other TGC markers by RTqPCR. Results: C57BL/6 VIP+/- mothers presented reduced litter size compared with WT mothers (WTxWT: 8,3±0,5; VIP(+/-)x(+/-): 5,8±0,8; P