Vimentin is synthesized by mouse vascular trophoblast giant cells from embryonic day 7.5 onwards and is a characteristic factor of these cells.

INTRODUCTION

A few days after implantation, the embryo grows intensely and trophoblast giant cells (TGC) undergo cell rearrangement, especially of their cytoskeleton. Although we previously showed vimentin in mouse antimesometrial TGC at embryonic days (E) 8.5-10.5, by immunostaining, we did not demonstrate what is the first embryonic day that TGC synthesize vimentin and whether mouse chorioallantoic placental TGC express vimentin. This is of particular interest because cytokeratin is a marker for TGC in the placenta.

METHODS

We performed in situ hybridization and immunolocalization, combined with histological and stereological techniques, to study vimentin expression between E6.5 and E12.5 and we investigated Vegf and Flt1/Vegfr1 expression in TGC.

RESULTS

Analyses of morphologic parameters of TGC showed that the highest expansion of nuclear and cytoplasmic volumes (p ≤ 0.05) occurred at E7.5. We detected vimentin expression in TGC from E7.5 onwards; vimentin disappeared as TGC degeneration advanced. Primary and secondary TGC showed intense positive immunostaining for vimentin, Vegf and Flt1/Vegfr1 at E7.5. In the chorioallantoic placenta, parietal TGC (zone of giant cells), spiral artery-associated TGC, maternal blood canal-associated TGC and TGC within the sinusoidal spaces of the labyrinth exhibited an intense immunopositive-reaction for vimentin.

DISCUSSION

At E7.5 TGC acquire vimentin, Vegf and Flt1/Vegfr1; at the same time, blood begins to drain from maternal vessels. Vimentin synthesis initiates during a differentiation process of TGC and continues throughout the stage of vascular TGC.

CONCLUSIONS

We propose that vimentin is a characteristic factor of specialized (vascular) TGC, being a valuable tool for studying pathological pregnancies associated with defects in vascular trophoblasts in mice.