The disappearance of CD34-positive and alpha-smooth muscle actin-positive stromal cells associated with human intra-uterine and tubal pregnancies

Abstract

In order to elucidate the change in alphasmooth muscle actin (ASMA)-positive and CD34- positive stromal cells associated with pregnancy, we examined endometrial and Fallopian tube tissues from 40 patients including normal endometrium (n=10), intrauterine pregnancy (n=10), normal Fallopian tube (n=10), and tubal pregnancy (n=10), using immunohistochemistry. In normal endometrium, only a few ASMApositive cells were focally observed. Additionally, a wide range of CD34-positive stromal cell abundance was observed. In normal Fallopian tube mucosa, a small to moderate number of both ASMA-positive and CD34- positive stromal cells was observed. Neither ASMApositive nor CD34-positive stromal cells were observed anywhere in the decidual stroma during both intrauterine and tubal pregnancies. Likewise, a varying abundance of ASMA-positive cells but no CD34- positive stromal cells were observed at the fetal side during both intra-uterine and tubal pregnancies. In conclusion, the disappearance of CD34-positive and ASMA-positive stromal cells may be an indicator of decidualisation induced change in the stroma during both intra-uterine and tubal pregnancies. ASMA-positive stromal cells at the fetal side associated with pregnancy may play a role in the production of villous extracellular matrix or regulation of blood flow.