Influence of Hypoxia on Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor in Cultured Human Trophoblast / 대한산부인과학회잡지

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the hypoxic condition influences on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) mRNA in the cultured human trophoblast. METHODS: Trophoblasts were isolated from the normal placenta in early pregnancy (6-10 weeks in gestation). Isolated trophoblasts were cultured under normoxic (5% CO2, 95% humid air in incubator) and hypoxic (MERCK, 1% O2, 99% CO2) conditions for 24, 48 and 72 hours, respectively. Total RNA was extracted from the cultured trophoblasts in each culture condition. The expressions of VEGF and bFGF mRNA were determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Northern blot analysis. RESULTS: The expression of VEGF189 mRNA was significantly increased in the hypoxic condition compared to the normoxic condition and control after 24 hours (p<0.05, p<0.05, respectively). The expression of VEGF206 mRNA was also significantly increased in the hypoxic condition compared to the normoxic condition and control after 48 hours (p<0.05, p<0.05, respectively). However, there was no significant difference between the normoxic and hypoxic conditions in the expression of VEGF121 and VEGF165 mRNA. The expression of bFGF mRNA was significantly increased in the hypoxic condition compared to the normoxic condition and control at 24 hours and 48 hours (p<0.05, p<0.05, respectively). bFGF mRNA was more expressed than VEGF mRNA in the hypoxic condition. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the hypoxic condition may stimulates the expression of bFGF and VEGF mRNA, and besides bFGF may be a more potent inducer of angiogenesis rather than VEGF in early human gestation.

Gene Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor(VEGF) and Placental Growth Factor(PlGF) in Human Placenta / 대한산부인과학회잡지

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether gene expressions of VEGF and PlGF are different between the human placenta of normal and abnormal pregnancy. METHODS: Placenta was collected at each trimester of normal pregnancy, missed abortion, intrauterine growth retardation and pre-eclampsia. Total RNA was extracted from placenta. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) was performed using VEGF and PlGF primer. RESULTS: VEGF121, VEGF165 and VEGF189 were identified in normal pregnancy and missed abortion. In two cases of four IUGR and one case of three pre-eclampsia, four of isoforms (VEGF121, VEGF145, VEGF165, and VEGF189) were identified. The intensity of signal was strongest for VEGF165 in all cases. PlGF131 and PlGF152 were identified in all cases. However, the signal intensities of VEGF121, VEGF165, VEGF189, PlGF131 and PlGF152 were not different according to the gestational age. They were also not different between normal pregnancy and abnormal pregnancy. CONCLUSION: VEGF and PlGF were not only expressed at placenta but also overexpressed in part of IUGR and pre-eclampsia. The results suggest that VEGF may play a role in the induction of angiogenesis of placenta in normal pregnancy and its production may be increased under the hypoxic condition.