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Final Program


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Basic Science

Poster Session 1

(305) A Multi-Organ Fetal Membrane-Placenta-on-Chip Platform to Study the Transmission of Infection and Inflammation During Pregnancy

Tuesday, February 13, 2024
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM  
Location: Prince George's Exhibit Hall CDE, Lower Atrium Level
Objective: Infection and inflammation are risk factors for spontaneous preterm birth. However, the spread of infection and inflammatory mediators at the two feto-maternal interfaces (FMi; placenta and fetal membranes with decidua [Fig 1A]) are difficult to study due to the limitations of animal models and the lack of comprehensive in-vitro models. We developed a humanized multi-organ fetal membrane-placenta organ-on-chip (FMi-PLA-OOC) (Fig 1B-C), established physiologic and pathologic models of the FMi, and determined the responses of FMis to infection and inflammation.

Study Design: FMi-PLA-OOC contained cells from human umbilical cord endothelium, cyto- and syncytiotrophoblasts, decidua, chorion, and amnion (mesenchyme and epithelium) in seven cell chambers connected by arrays of collagen-filled microchannels. To validate FMi-PLA-OOC, we determined cell viability (cytotoxicity - lactate dehydrogenase [LDH] assay) and confirmed that in utero cellular characteristics (immunocytochemistry [ICC]) were maintained during culture on-chip. We also determined lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 100ng/mL) propagation (immunostaining) and inflammation (multiplex cytokine assay).

Results: Cell markers and viability in the FMi-PLA-OOC were similar to in-utero FMi, validating the physiological relevance of the device (Fig 1D-E). LPS propagated from maternal to fetal cells within 6 days (Fig 1F), inducing an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokine concentrations (IL-6, IL-8, TNF-a) and a decrease in anti-inflammatory cytokine production (IL-10) across the fetal membrane and placenta layers (Fig 1G; [Heat map is normalized to control. *- p< 0.05]).

Conclusion: Healthy and disease models of FMis on a chip demonstrated differential responses of the placental and fetal membrane to infection and inflammation. This platform provides broad utility in obstetrics research.