Acute atherosis of decidua basalis; characterization of spiral arteries, endothelial status and activation

Acute atherosis (AA) is a lesion affecting uteroplacental spiral arteries during pregnancy, most frequently in preeclampsia but occasionally in normal pregnancy. It is commonly observed in untransformed spiral arteries (intact smooth muscle cell layer, lacking intramural trophoblasts). The mechanism causing lesion development is unknown. AA shares some morphological similarities with atherosclerosis, in which endothelial activation occurs early. Here we histologically characterize decidua basalis spiral arteries with and without AA, focusing on endothelial status and activation.

Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded decidua basalis tissue sections from 32 patients (16 normotensive, 5 with AA, 16 preeclampsia, 7 with AA) were stained with H + E, PAS, MSB (Martius Scarlet Blue), desmin, CK7, CD68, CD31, vWF and ICAM-1. We logged remodeling status, presence of AA, endothelial morphology, endothelial CD31 intensity and activation (ICAM-1-positive cells).

We observed fully or partially transformed spiral arteries in most decidua basalis samples, and no untransformed arteries. AA arteries were also observed, characterized by intramural CD68-positive vacuolated cells and fibrinoid necrosis. They lacked a smooth muscle cell layer and intramural trophoblasts. The fibrinoid necrosis in AA lesions stained red with MSB. AA arteries were associated with lower CD31 staining intensity of endothelial cells. More arteries had an abnormal or destroyed endothelium relative to arteries without AA. Endothelial activation was not observed in the majority of AA arteries.

Our results indicate an altered endothelial phenotype as important in the development of AA, supporting previous observations. The histology of AA differs from that of atherosclerosis.