Application of serum alpha-L-fucosidase in monitoring the function of placenta / 国际检验医学杂志

Objective To investigate the application of maternal serum α-L-fucosidase to the placental function monitoring. Methods Comparative analysis of the changes of serum α-L-fucosidase between 120 patients with advanced placental dysfunction, pregnant women with different stages of gestation and 80 healthy non-pregnant woman was performed,and the correlation of the se-rum α-L-fucosidase of 120 cases with advanced placental dysfunction with UE3 and HPL was analyzed.Results The level of serumα-L-fucosidase of patients with placental dysfunction was lower than that of normal pregnant women,and the difference was statisti-cally significant (P <0.05 ).The serum α-L-fucosidase was correlated with UE3 and HPL which were the indicators of placental function monitoring (r=0.534 and 0.587,P <0.05).Conclusion Serum α-L-fucosidase can serve as the conventional biochemical indicator for monitoring placental function.

Clinical Significance of determination of unconjugated estriol and human placental lactogen in preeclampsia / 国际检验医学杂志

Objective To explore the relationship between serum levels of unconjugated estriol (uE3)and human placental lacto-gen (hPL)and preeclampsia.Methods 123 cases of pregnant women diagnosed as preeclampsia were enrolled into observational group,and 1 50 cases of healthy pregnant women were enrolled into control group.Blood specimen were collected from the two groups in 28-<32 gestational weeks and 32-36 gestational weeks.Serum levels of uE3 and hPL were determined and compared between the two groups.Results The pregnancy outcomes of the control group were better than those of the observation group. With the increase of gestational age,there was increasing trend of serum levels of uE3 and hPL in the two groups.However,com-pared with the observation group,the serum levels of uE3 and hPL were higher in the control group,and the differences were statis-tically significant(P <0.05).Conclusion The decrease of serum levels of uE3 and hPL in pregnant women with preeclampsia may be associated with the pregnancy outcomes.

Identification of messenger RNA of fetoplacental source in maternal plasma of women with normal pregnancies and pregnancies with intrauterine growth restriction / Identificacion de RNA mensajero de origen fetoplacentario en plasma materno de mujeres con embarazos normales y gestantes con restriccion de crecimiento intrauterino

Objective: to quantify placenta-specific RNA in plasma of women carrying foetuses with intrauterine growth restriction and pregnant women with normal pregnancies. Materials and methods: 8 pregnant women with foetuses with intrauterine growth restriction were studied as well as 18 women with uncomplicated pregnancies in the third pregnancy trimester. Total free RNA was quantified in maternal plasma by spectrophotometry and the gene expression of hPL (Human Placental Lactogen) at the messenger RNA level through technical Real Time-Chain Reaction Polymerase. Results: plasma RNA of fetoplacental origin was successfully detected in 100% of pregnant women. There were no statistically significant differences between the values of total RNA extracted from plasma (p = 0.5975) nor in the messenger RNA expression of hPL gene (p = 0.5785) between cases and controls. Conclusion: messenger RNA of fetoplacental origin can be detected in maternal plasma during pregnancy.(AU)Objective: to quantify placenta-specific RNA in plasma of women carrying foetuses with intrauterine growth restriction and pregnant women with normal pregnancies. Materials and methods: 8 pregnant women with foetuses with intrauterine growth restriction were studied as well as 18 women with uncomplicated pregnancies in the third pregnancy trimester. Total free RNA was quantified in maternal plasma by spectrophotometry and the gene expression of hPL (Human Placental Lactogen) at the messenger RNA level through technical Real Time-Chain Reaction Polymerase.Results: plasma RNA of fetoplacental origin was successfully detected in 100% of pregnant women. There were no statistically significant differences between the values of total RNA extracted from plasma (p = 0.5975) nor in the messenger RNA expression of hPL gene (p = 0.5785) between cases and controls.Conclusion: messenger RNA of fetoplacental origin can be detected in maternal plasma during pregnancy

Objetivo: cuantificar RNA específico de placenta en el plasma de mujeres con embarazos con fetos con Restricción de Crecimiento Intrauterino y gestantes con embarazos normales. Materiales y métodos: se estudiaron 8 mujeres con embarazos con fetos con Restricción de Crecimiento Intrauterino y 18 mujeres con embarazos sin complicaciones, en el tercer trimestre de embarazo. Se cuantificó el RNA total libre en plasma materno por espectrofotometría y la expresión del gen hPL (Lactógeno Placentario Humano) a nivel de RNA mensajero por medio de la técnica Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa en Tiempo Real. Resultados: se logró detectar RNA en plasma de origen fetoplacentario en el 100% de las gestantes. No se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre los valores de RNA total extraído de plasma (p=0,5975) ni en la expresión del RNA mensajero del gen hPL (p=0,5785) entre casos y controles. Conclusión: es posible detectar RNA mensajero de origen fetoplacentario en plasma materno durante el embarazo.

Relative Concentrations of Placental Lactogen II and PRL-Like Protein-A in Stressed Rats Placenta / Concentraciones del Lactógeno Placentario II y la Proteína A Ligada a Prolactina en Placentas de Ratas Estresadas

The chronic stress induces functional adaptations in the hypothalamo-pituitary- adrenocortical (HPA) and in the sympathetic-medullary-adrenal axis (SAM). Both axis are considered vital regulators of the homeostasis in vertebrates (Seyle, 1936; Ostrandrer et al, 2006. On the other hand, the placenta provides highly specialized functions during gestation that are critical for the normal development of the embryo/fetus (Soares et al., 1991). We hypothesized that the chronic immobilization (IMO) stress in pregnancy rats produces alterations in prolactin concentrations in placental tissue and also changes in the response of SAM axis. Chronic stress by IMO was applied on days 12, 17 and 21 of pregnancy rats. Relative concentrations and localization of placental lactogen-II (PL-II) and the PRL- like protein A (PLP-A) in chorioalantoic placenta were estimated by Immunoblotting and Immunocytochemical analysis. The levels of catecholamines metabolite, acid 3-metoxi 4-hidroximandélico (VMA), were analyzed in stressed rats urines on 6,12,17,21 days of pregnancy, by HPLC, in order to determine the response of SAM axis. During the days of the pregnancy studied, chronic stress did not induce any changes neither in the localization nor in placental concentrations of PL-II and PLP-A. The VMA values in stressed mothers urines increased on the day 6 respecting the control ones at the same time of pregnancy. VMA values in stressed rats at 21 days of pregnancy are smaller than the respective controls. We conclude that the chronic stressed mothers activated the SAM axis at the beginning of pregnancy and then they diminished the metabolites catecholamines that were interpreted as a stress adaptation coincident with normal concentrations of both placentary prolactines at this stage of the pregnancy.

El estrés crónico induce adaptaciones funcionales en los ejes hipotálamo-pituitario-adrenal (UPA) y en el simpático médulo adrenal (SAM). Ambos ejes son considerados reguladores vitales de la homeostasis en los vertebrados (Seyle, 1936; Ostrandrereí al., 2006). Por otro lado, el desarrollo y crecimiento fetal de los mamíferos dependen en gran medida del buen funcionamiento de la placenta (Soares, 1991). Nosotros hipotetizamos que el estrés crónico por inmovilización (IMO) aplicado a las ratas gestantes produce alteraciones en las concentraciones de las prolactinas en el tejido placentario y cambios en la respuesta del eje SAM. Se le aplicó estrés crónico por IMO a las hembras en los días 12, 17 y 21 de la preñez y se analizó por inmunocitoquímica e inmunoblotting la localización y concentraciones del lactógeno placentario dos (PL-II) y la proteína A ligada a la prolactina (PLP-A) en la placenta. Se analizaron por HPLC, en las orinas de ratas preñadas (6,12,17,21 días), los niveles del metabolito de las catecolaminas, (ácido 3-metoxi 4-hidroximandélico) (VMA), a fin de determinar la respuesta del eje SAM al tratamiento. El estrés crónico no indujo cambios tanto en la localización como en las concentraciones de PL-II y PLP-A en las placentas en los días de la preñez estudiados. Los valores de VMA en las orinas de las madres estresadas se incrementaron en el día 6 con respecto al control del mismo tiempo de preñez. Mientras que a los 21 días los valores de VMA de las ratas estresadas son menores que los controles respectivos. Concluimos que en las madres estresadas crónicamente, no se alteraron las concentraciones de ambas prolactinas placentarias. En cambio se activó el eje SAM al comienzo de la preñez ante el primer estímulo estresante y luego una reducción de la respuesta del eje ante el estrés crónico, a medida que avanza la preñez.

Histological and Immunohistochemical Findings of the Endometrium in Ectopic and Intrauterine Pregnancy

We reviewed histological and immunohistochemical findings of the endometrium in 28 cases of ectopic pregnancy and 11 cases of intrauterine pregnancy without chorionic villi or syncytiotrophoblast. 1) Twenty cases(71.41/o) of ectopic pregnancy revealed gestational patterns and 8 cases(28.6%) showed non-gestational patterns, which were menstrual phase in 3 cases, proliferative phase in I case, early secretary phase in 3 cases and mid secretary phase in 3 cases, respectively. Implantation sites were present in 36.40/o of intrauterine pregnancy. 2) Endometrial spiral arterioles tend to be more prominent with frequent intimal proliferation and thickening of the wall in intrauterine pregnancy than in ectopic pregnancy although it was not statistically significant(p=0.271). 3) Deposition of fibrinoid material in the endometrium was present in 72.7% of intrauterine pregnancy and 25% of ectopic pregnancy. Thrombosis was present in 72.7% of intrauterine pregnancy and 5% of ectopic pregnancy. Hyalinized vessels were also present in 90.9% of intrauterine pregnancy and 200/o of ectopic pregnancy. These were statistically significant(p=0.0002, 0.0209 and 0.0004), but not diagnostic. 4) On immunohistochemical study for intrauterine pregnancy, the rates of positive reaction to human placental lactogen, cytokeratin and human chorionic gonadotropin were 45.5%, 45.5% and 9%, respectively. We concluded that HFIL and cytokeratin are reliable and sensitive markers for implantation site.