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Developmental Regulation of Vascular Endothelial Growth/Permeability Factor Messenger Ribonucleic Acid Levels in and Vascularization of the Villous Placenta During Baboon Pregnancy¹

Departments of Obstetrics/Gynecology/Reproductive Sciences (V.A.H., J.S.B., E.D.A.) and Physiology (R.D.K.), Center for Studies in Reproduction, The University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201; and Department of Physiological Sciences (G.J.P.), Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia 23507

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Eugene D. Albrecht, Ph.D., Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Bressler Research Laboratories 11–019, 655 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21201. E-mail: ealbrech{at}umaryland.edu

Vascular endothelial growth/permeability factor (VEG/PF) has an important role in angiogenesis; however, very little is known about the developmental regulation of VEG/PF and the vascular system within the placenta during human pregnancy. In the present study, therefore, a developmental approach was used in the baboon to determine the placental source of VEG/PF and its fms-like tyrosine kinase (flt-1) and kinase-insert domain containing (KDR/flk-1) receptors, and whether the rise in estrogen with advancing pregnancy was associated with a corresponding increase in placental VEG/PF expression and vascularization. VEG/PF messenger RNA (mRNA) levels were determined by competitive RT-PCR in villous cell fractions isolated by Percoll gradient centrifugation from placentas obtained on days 45 and 54 (very early), 60 (early), 100 (mid), and 165–170 (late) of baboon pregnancy (term = 184 days). Maternal peripheral serum estradiol increased from very low concentrations early in gestation (0.15–0.20 ng/ml) to an early surge of over 2.5 ng/ml on days 60–85, and peak levels of 4–6 ng/ml late in baboon pregnancy. VEG/PF mRNA was expressed in low level in the syncytiotrophoblast (<2,000 attomol/µg total RNA), and values in this fraction did not change significantly with advancing gestation. VEG/PF mRNA expression was slightly greater in the inner villous core cell fraction; however, levels decreased (P < 0.05) between early and late gestation. Cytotrophoblasts were a major source of VEG/PF mRNA and levels increased (P < 0.01) from 3,631 ± 844 attomol/µg total RNA on day 45 to 25,807 ± 5,873 attomol/µg total RNA on day 170. VEG/PF protein expression determined by immunocytochemistry was abundant in cytotrophoblasts and lower in the syncytiotrophoblast and inner villous core cells. The flt-1 and KDR/flk-1 receptors were expressed in the vascular endothelial cells of the baboon villous placenta. The percentage of villous placenta occupied by blood vessels and the number of vessels/mm² villous tissue, determined by image analysis, progressively increased (P < 0.001; r = 0.97) from 3.4 ± 0.2% and 447 ± 29, respectively, on day 54 to 15.9 ± 0.9% and 1,375 ± 71, respectively, on day 170. In summary, the present study shows that villous cytotrophoblasts were a major source of VEG/PF mRNA and protein in the baboon villous placenta, and that cytotrophoblast VEG/PF mRNA levels and vascularization of the villous placenta closely paralleled the increase in estradiol concentrations of advancing pregnancy. These results are consistent with the concept that estrogen has an important role in establishing the new vascular system within the developing placenta during primate pregnancy and that VEG/PF mediates this process.

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