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The Potential Role of Endoglin During Pregnancy

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Reproductive Immunology

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Abstract

The endoglin (CD 105) is a glycoprotein constitutively expressed at high levels on vascular endothelium and present on syncytiotrophoblast of placenta, throughout pregnancy. It is also transiently expressed on differentiating extravillous trophoblasts (EVT) in anchoring villi. Interference with endoglin expression using antibodies or antisense oligonucleotides in human villous expiants in culture, induces EVT differentiation along the invasive pathway. Endoglin can modulate specific responses to TGF-β1 and TGF-β3 and was recently shown to bind other growth factors of this superfamily including activin, by associating with the appropriate ligand binding serine kinase receptors. Since EVT differentiation is stimulated by activin while inhibited by TGF-β1/β3, we suggest that endoglin might be regulating the effects of these three factors and play a key role in establishing adequate anchoring villi function. Endoglin is mutated in Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia Type 1 (HHT1) and reduced levels of surface protein appear to be the underlying cause of this disorder. HHT occurs in 1: 10,000 people, and is associated with dilated vessels and arteriovenous malformations. Preliminary findings suggest that blood vessels within villi of HHT1 placenta at term, express lower levels of endoglin and are susceptible to dilatation. This implicates that endoglin expressed on placental vessels might also contribute to regulation of fetomaternal interactions during pregnancy.

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  1. Cancer and Blood Research Programme, Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave, Canada

    Michelle Letarte

  2. Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada, M5G1X8

    Michelle Letarte

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  1. Michelle Letarte
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  1. Gamete Antigen Laboratory, National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi, India

    Satish K. Gupta (Chief) (Chief)

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Letarte, M. (1999). The Potential Role of Endoglin During Pregnancy. In: Gupta, S.K. (eds) Reproductive Immunology. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4197-0_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4197-0_16

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