Increased Apoptotic Activity of Human Trophoblasts in Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension: Assessment by the Caspase-related M30 CytoDeath Antibody / 대한해부학회지

ABSTRACT

Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) is a multi-system disorder unique to human pregnancy. Although the etiology of PIH is still unknown, there is a large evidence suggesting that abnormal trophoblast invasion is occurring in early pregnancy and that this may contribute to relative placental hypoxia and oxidative stress that may further exacerbate placental pathology. This study was undertaken to determine placental Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Mn SOD activities and evaluate the use of M30 CytoDeath antibody to assess trophoblasts apoptotic activity in normal and PIH pregnancies. We also compared apoptotic rates as detected by M30 and TdT-mediated dUTP nickend labelling (TUNEL). Placental expression of Cu/Zn SOD and Mn SOD were reduced in PIH as compared to normal pregnancies. M30 immunoreactivity occurred predominantly in the syncytiotrophoblasts, and a significantly higher number of M30 positive cells in the preeclamptic placentas were found when compared with normal placentas. The number of M30 positive cells correlated with another apoptotic index previously detected by TUNEL method.