[Ultrastructural aspects of the HIV-1 infection in human placental villi with zidovudine treatment].

BACKGROUND

HIV patients with normal placental villi can suffer degenerative changes, the hormones that maintain pregnancy (HCG and progesterone) are diminishing, the pH of blood and oxygen tensions lower.

OBJECTIVE

To demonstrate ultrastructural degenerative changes in placental villi at term of pregnant women infected by HIV-1 with zidovudine treatment.

MATERIAL AND METHOD: Four placentas at term from seropositive mothers were analyzed; three specimens of each one were processed with conventional transmission electron microscopy. The results were compared with four control cases.

RESULTS

Particles belonging to the viral structure associated with the microvilli of the syncytium and cytoplasmic regions were found. Were observed: interruptions of syncytial plasma membrane, syncytial edema; loss of ribosomes at level of RER, disappearance of mitochondria, Golgi complex, RER, lysosomes and cytoplasmic filaments, dissolution of hyaloplasmic matrix, filopodiums of syncytial membrane, aggregated nuclear heterochromatin and dilated perinuclear cistern. Macrophagues had numerous particles into cytoplasm, probably pertaining to electron dense material contained in the viral nucleocapsid, also observed in the stromal region close to the endothelium of the villus. Some myofibroblasts were detected suffering a process of cellular death with cariorexis event.

CONCLUSIONS

These changes indicate that the cytopathic effect spreads from peripheral syncytium to stromal zone suggesting that the damaged placental barrier don't have the better conditions for the transmission of gases, nutrients and metabolites toward fetal circulation.