Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Nov 4:22:eAO0583.
doi: 10.31744/einstein_journal/2024AO0583. eCollection 2024.

Influence of maternal hyperglycemia on placental capillary distribution

Jusciele Brogin Moreli  1   2 , Natália Ferrari  2 , Ana Maria Cirino Ruocco  1 , Mariana Gomes de Oliveira Santos  2 , Aline Rodrigues Lorenzon  3 , Carla Patrícia Carlos  3 , Marilza Vieira Cunha Rudge  1 , Iracema de Mattos Paranhos Calderon  1
Affiliations

Influence of maternal hyperglycemia on placental capillary distribution

Jusciele Brogin Moreli et al. Einstein (Sao Paulo). .

Abstract

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the distribution of placental villous vessels in pregnant women with different degrees of hyperglycemia.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed using placental samples from 30 pregnant women without diabetes (n=10), with gestational diabetes mellitus (n=10), and with previous diabetes (type 1 and type 2 diabetes; n=10). Maternal glycemic control was evaluated using the glycemic mean and glycated hemoglobin levels. Placental samples were obtained during elective cesarean sections and processed for villous vessel analysis using immunohistochemistry for Von Willebrand factor. Vessels within 10μm of the villus margin were classified as peripheral, and vessels at a distance greater than 10μm were classified as central. The number, area, and perimeter of all vessels were evaluated, and the relationship between vessel area and total area of placental villus was calculated.

Results: Pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus and those with previous diabetes had higher glycated hemoglobin levels. The number of vessels was reduced in the villi of the previous Diabetes Group owing to peripheral reduction. Additionally, the area, perimeter, and percentage of peripheral blood were lower in the previous Diabetes Group than in the Non-Diabetic Group.

Conclusion: Maternal glycemic levels can modify placental capillary distribution.

Plain language summary

Moreli et al. demonstrated a reduction in vessels in the periphery of the placental villi in pregnant women with previous diabetes (type 1 and type 2). The placental vessels of this population are more distant from the maternal blood and may represent placental villous immaturity. These results were obtained when we classified the villous vessels as central or peripherial using 10μm of the villus margin as a reference.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: none.

Figures

None
Graphical abstract
Figure 1
Figure 1. Placental villous vessel analysis example in a schematic figure (A) and photomicrography (B). The vessels were classified as peripheral (vessels within 10μm of the villus margin) and central (vessels observed at a distance greater than 10μm). The bars indicate 50μm
Figure 2
Figure 2. Research workflow
Figure 3
Figure 3. Placental total villous vessel analysis. Portions of intermediate villi in the placentas of non-diabetic (A), gestational diabetes mellitus (B), and previous diabetes (C) groups of pregnant women. Chorionic villi (v), mesenchyme (m), villous vessels (arrowhead), in the maternal-fetal exchange surface in contact with intervillous space. Note the immunolabeling for Von Willebrand factor - brown color in the endothelial cells of vessels. The bars indicate 50 μm. 200X magnification
Figure 4
Figure 4. Placental central and peripheral villous vessels. Portions of intermediate villi in placentas of non-diabetic (A), gestational diabetes mellitus (B), and previous diabetes (C) groups of pregnant women. Note the immunolabeling for Von Willebrand factor - brown color in the endothelial cells of vessels. The bars indicate 50 μm. 400X magnification. Central villous vessels analysis (D-G) and peripheral villous vessels analysis (H-K)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

References

    1. ElSayed NA, Aleppo G, Aroda VR, Bannuru RR, Brown FM, Bruemmer D, Collins BS, Hilliard ME, Isaacs D, Johnson EL, Kahan S, Khunti K, Leon J, Lyons SK, Perry ML, Prahalad P, Pratley RE, Seley JJ, Stanton RC, Gabbay RA. on behalf of the American Diabetes Association. 2. Classification and Diagnosis of Diabetes: Standards of Care in Diabetes-2023. Diabetes Care. 2023;46(Suppl 1):S19–S40. Erratum in: Diabetes Care. 2023 Feb 01. Erratum in: Diabetes Care. 2023;46(9):1715. Review. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Reece EA. The fetal and maternal consequences of gestational diabetes mellitus. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2010;23(3):199–203. Review. - PubMed
    1. Hay WW., Jr Placental-fetal glucose exchange and fetal glucose metabolism. Trans Am Clin Climatol Assoc. 2006;117:321–339. discussion 339-40. Review. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Burton GJ, Fowden AL, Thornburg KL. Placental Origins of Chronic Disease. Physiol Rev. 2016;96(4):1509–1565. Review. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Desoye G, Hauguel-de Mouzon S. The human placenta in gestational diabetes mellitus. The insulin and cytokine network. Diabetes Care. 2007;30(Suppl 2):S120–S126. Erratum in: Diabetes Care. 2007;30(12):3154. Review. - PubMed

MeSH terms