Figure 4.

Characterization of fetal microchimeric cells in wounds in post-partum SAD mice. (A) Heatmap showing genes, ordered by transcripts per million (TPM) and with TPM >50, expressed in eGFP⁺ fetal microchimeric cells (FMC) sorted from digested wounds of post-partum SAD mice at day 3. No comparison was performed in order to display the main genes expressed by FMC recruited in wounds. Membrane receptors previously reported to be enriched in blood FMC of wounded pregnant mice¹⁷ are shown. Data are presented as log₂ TPM. (B) ARCHS4 enrichment analysis of the 500 most expressed genes in sorted eGFP⁺ FMC of post-partum SAD wounds. (C) Graphical summary obtained upon transcriptional analysis, using ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) software, of sorted eGFP⁺ FMC from harvested wounds of post-partum SAD mice at day 3 after the injury. (D) Representative images of CD31⁺ and CD45⁺ cells co-stained with GFP in wound beds of post-partum SAD mice. White arrowheads show double-stained cells. The quantification of double-stained cells at day 5 is shown. Nuclei were counterstained with DAPI. Data are presented as means ± standard deviations and individual values. Scale bars represent 50 mm. (E) Volcano plot showing differentially expressed genes between wounds of post-partum and virgin SAD mice. Blue dots and red dots represent, respectively, downregulated and upregulated genes in wounds in post-partum mice compared with those in virgin mice. The labeled genes correspond to selected bone marrow and placental genes. (F) Mouse Gene Atlas enrichment analysis of upregulated genes in wounds in post-partum SAD mice as compared with wounds in virgin SAD mice. In (A-C, E and F), one 6-mm excisional wound was performed in post-partum SAD mice (n=2 mice for A-C, and n=3 mice for E and F) or virgin SAD mice (n=2 mice). In (D), one 8-mm excisional wound was performed in virgin mice (n=4) or post-partum SAD mice (n=5).