Morphometric image analysis of placental C-type lectin domain family 2, member D (CLEC2D) immuno-expression in HIV associated pre-eclampsia

Deneshree Varaden; Jagidesa Moodley; Onankoy A Onyangunga; Thajasvarie Naicker

doi:10.1016/j.eurox.2019.100039

Morphometric image analysis of placental C-type lectin domain family 2, member D (CLEC2D) immuno-expression in HIV associated pre-eclampsia

Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol X. 2019 May 8:3:100039. doi: 10.1016/j.eurox.2019.100039. eCollection 2019 Jul.

Authors

Deneshree Varaden¹, Jagidesa Moodley², Onankoy A Onyangunga¹, Thajasvarie Naicker¹

Affiliations

¹ Optics and Imaging Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
² Womens Health and HIV Research Unit, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Abstract

Objective: C-type lectin domain family 2, member D (CLEC2D) is implicated in the immune response. Pre-eclampsia and HIV infection have opposing immune responses. In view of the high prevalence of HIV infection and pre-eclampsia in South Africa, this study assessed the placental immuno-expression of CLEC2D in HIV associated pre-eclampsia.

Method: Placental tissue was obtained from 60 pregnancies which were categorized according to pregnancy type (pre-eclamptic or normotensive) and HIV status (positive or negative). Immunohistochemistry and morphometric image analysis were used to evaluate placental CLEC2D immuno-expression.

Results: CLEC2D expression was significantly decreased in the conducting villi of pre-eclamptic vs normotensive placentae (p = 0.0418) but was increased in the exchange villi, albeit non-significant (p = 0.4948). HIV positive status intensified placental CLEC2D immuno-expression in conducting (p = 0.0312) and exchange (p = 0.0025) villi. CLEC2D expression was significantly different in exchange vs conducting villi (p < 0.0001) and across study groups (p = 0.0003). Normotensive; HIV negative placentae (control) had a non-significant difference in CLEC2D expression across villi types, however significant difference was noted within the remaining groups: normotensive; HIV positive (p < 0.05), pre-eclamptic; HIV positive (p < 0.01 and pre-eclamptic; HIV negative (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: The contrasting expression of CLEC2D in HIV infection and pre-eclampsia is demonstrative of the immunosuppressive and pro-inflammatory roles of the respective pathologies. However, this implication may be confounded by highly active anti-retroviral treatment (HAART).

Keywords: CLEC; CLEC2D; CLEC2D, C-type lectin domain family 2, member D; HAART, highly active anti-retroviral treatment; HIV; HIV, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; Hypertension; ITAMs, immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motifs; LLT1; LLT1, lectin like transcript; NK, natural killer; OCIL; OCIL, osteoclast inhibiting lectin; PE, pre-eclampsia; Pre-eclampsia; Preeclampsia; Pregnancy.