MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES OF STRESS MARKERS IN PLACENTA

Abstract

Introduction. The multinucleated syncytiotrophoblast of human placental villi is responsible for transport functions between thematernal and fetal circulation and is the main site of protein synthesis and steroid production. It is formed by the fusion of underlyingcytotrophoblast cells. The nuclei of the multinucleated syncytiotrophoblast are nonmitotic, but the mechanism of cell cycle arrest in thesyncytiotrophoblast is not known. Single publications have described that cell fusion induces a cellular senescence, best known as acomponent of the stress response and an important factor in preventing tumor cell growth. For syncytiotrophoblast, one of the criteriaof its aging is the formation of so-called syncytial nodes - local accumulations of nuclear material with protrusion of these cells into theinterstitial space.The purpose of the study. To determine the morphological features in women's placentas under the influence of chronic stresscaused by coronavirus disease and internal irradiation, with the subsequent formation of criteria for diagnosing diseases and assessingthe severity of lesions in the mother and fetus.Material and methods. A morphological study of syncytial nodules in the villi of the placenta of groups of women with chronic stressdue to internal irradiation and COVID-19 (classified by severity of the disease) was performed in comparison with the physiologicalcourse of pregnancy and childbirth. Histopathological and ultrastructural examination of placentas was performed with the detection ofsyncytial nodes with morphometric analysis of their ultrastructural features of the nuclear component of syncytiotrophoblast nodules andtheir comparison in clinical groups. The number of syncytial nodes was estimated on histological specimens stained with hematoxylinand eosin. The effect of chronic stress in women was significantly (p<0.05) confirmed by increased cortisol levels (saliva test). Statisticalprocessing of the results was carried out using licensed programs «Microsoft Excel» and «Statistica». The design of the study and allmethods used in this study were reviewed and approved by the Bioethics Committee of the State Institution «Institute of Pediatrics,Obstetrics and Gynecology named after Academician O.M. Lukyanova of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine», Kyiv,Ukraine.Results of the study. Morphological examination of the placental tissue of parturient women with COVID-19 showed an increasein the number of syncytial nodes in the villi, which we associated with the presence of stress. Ultrastructural studies revealed changes inthe nuclei of syncytial nodules depending on the pathology.Conclusion. An increase in the number of syncytial nodes in the chorionic structures in internal radiation and COVID-19 in pregnantwomen has been established, which is important as predictors of placental factors for the health of the individual in the future.