Imaging mass cytometry reveals the prominent role of myeloid cells at the maternal-fetal interface
Juliette Krop,
Anita van der Zwan,
Marieke E. Ijsselsteijn,
Hanneke Kapsenberg,
Sietse J. Luk,
Sanne H. Hendriks,
Carin van der Keur,
Lotte J. Verleng,
Antonis Somarakis,
Lotte van der Meeren,
Geert Haasnoot,
Manon Bos,
Noel F.C.C. de Miranda,
Susana M. Chuva de Sousa Lopes,
Marie-Louise P. van der Hoorn,
Frits Koning,
Frans H.J. Claas,
Sebastiaan Heidt,
Michael Eikmans
Affiliations
Juliette Krop
Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
Anita van der Zwan
Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
Marieke E. Ijsselsteijn
Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
Hanneke Kapsenberg
Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
Sietse J. Luk
Department of Haematology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
Sanne H. Hendriks
Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
Carin van der Keur
Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
Lotte J. Verleng
Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
Antonis Somarakis
Division of Image Processing, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
Lotte van der Meeren
Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands; Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
Geert Haasnoot
Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
Manon Bos
Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands; Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
Noel F.C.C. de Miranda
Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
Susana M. Chuva de Sousa Lopes
Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
Marie-Louise P. van der Hoorn
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
Frits Koning
Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
Frans H.J. Claas
Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
Sebastiaan Heidt
Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
Michael Eikmans
Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands; Corresponding author
Summary: Although the immunological complexity of the maternal-fetal interface is well appreciated, the actual interaction of maternal immune cells and fetal trophoblasts is insufficiently understood. To comprehend the composition and spatial orientation of maternal immune cells and fetal extravillous trophoblasts, we applied imaging mass cytometry on decidua basalis of the three trimesters of healthy pregnancy. Within all trimesters, we observed considerably higher frequencies of myeloid cells in the decidua than is seen with single-cell suspension techniques. Moreover, they were the most pronounced cell type in the microenvironment of other decidual cells. In first trimester, HLA-DR- macrophages represented the most abundant myeloid subcluster and these cells were frequently observed in the vicinity of trophoblasts. At term, HLA-DR+ macrophage subclusters were abundantly present and frequently observed in the microenvironment of T cells. Taken together, our results highlight the dynamic role of myeloid cells at the human maternal-fetal interface throughout gestation.
