Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are released from almost all cells and tissues. They are able to transport substances (e.g. proteins, RNA or DNA) at higher concentrations than in their environment and may adhere in a receptor-controlled manner to specific cells or tissues in order to release their content into the respective target structure. Blood contains high concentrations of EVs mainly derived from platelets, and, at a smaller amount, from erythrocytes. The female and male reproductive tracts produce EVs which may be associated with fertility or infertility and are released into body fluids and mucosas of the urogenital organs. In this review, the currently relevant detection methods are presented and critically compared. During pregnancy, placenta-derived EVs are dynamically detectable in peripheral blood with changing profiles depending upon progress of pregnancy and different pregnancy-associated pathologies, such as preeclampsia. EVs offer novel non-invasive diagnostic tools which may reflect the situation of the placenta and the foetus. EVs in urine have the potential of reflecting urogenital diseases including cancers of the neighbouring organs. Several methods for detection, quantification and phenotyping of EVs have been established, which include electron microscopy, flow cytometry, ELISA-like methods, Western blotting and analyses based on Brownian motion. This review article summarises the current knowledge about EVs in blood and cord blood, in the different compartments of the male and female reproductive tracts, in trophoblast cells from normal and pre-eclamptic pregnancies, in placenta ex vivo perfusate, in the amniotic fluid, and in breast milk, as well as their potential effects on natural killer cells as possible targets.
- MeSH
- extracelulární vezikuly * MeSH
- fetální krev cytologie MeSH
- krevní buňky cytologie MeSH
- laktace MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mateřské mléko cytologie MeSH
- těhotenství MeSH
- urogenitální systém cytologie MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- těhotenství MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- přehledy MeSH
- Publikační typ
- abstrakt z konference MeSH
- Publikační typ
- abstrakt z konference MeSH
A basic precondition for the development of preeclampsia is the presence of placental trophoblast cells in the maternal blood circulation. On the other hand, while trophoblast cells are present in the blood of all pregnant women, preeclampsia occurs in only 2-5% of them. Evidently, other factors play a crucial role. The aim of this study was to compare a set of selected immunological factors (anti-cardiolipin autoantibodies, trophoblast-induced cell-mediated immunity, C3 and C4 complement components) and biochemical factors (serum immunoglobulins IgA, IgG, IgM) among three groups of women with uncomplicated pregnancy, gestational hypertension, or preeclampsia. Blood samples were taken 2-12h before delivery. In the preeclampsia group, there was a significantly higher number of women positive for anti-cardiolipin autoantibodies, trophoblast-induced cell-mediated immunity was elevated, serum IgG was elevated and C4 complement component was reduced. We conclude that both elevated autoimmune reactivity and the higher immune reactivity to trophoblast may contribute to the onset of preeclampsia.
- MeSH
- autoprotilátky imunologie MeSH
- biologické markery metabolismus MeSH
- buněčná imunita MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- imunoglobuliny krev MeSH
- kardiolipiny imunologie MeSH
- komplement 4 metabolismus MeSH
- komplement C3 metabolismus MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladý dospělý MeSH
- preeklampsie diagnóza imunologie MeSH
- těhotenství MeSH
- trofoblasty imunologie MeSH
- Check Tag
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladý dospělý MeSH
- těhotenství MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Publikační typ
- abstrakt z konference MeSH
- Publikační typ
- abstrakt z konference MeSH
