Telomerase Activity In Human Placenta Tissues: Comparison Between Preeclampsia With and Without Fetal Growth Restriction / 대한산부인과학회잡지

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To analyze telomerase activity(TA) in human placenta tissues and to compare TA in preeclampsia with or without fetal growth restriction(FGR) METHODS: Fourty-six placenta specimens were obtained from pregnant women between 29 and 41 weeks' gestation. TA of each specimen was analyzed including 21 specimens without either preeclampsia or FGR(Group 1), 9 specimens with preeclampsia but without FGR(Group 2), and 16 specimens with both preeclampsia and FGR(Group 3). TA was analysed by radioisotope PCR based telomeric repeat amplification protocol(TRAP) assay. TA was calculated and translated into arbitrary units by computer-assisted densitometry with the control of TA in 293 cell lines. RESULTS: TA was expressed in 16 of 21(76.1%) in group 1, and in 3 of 9(33.3%) in group 2. In contrast, only 4 patients(25%) in group 3 expressed TA. Thus, TA was expressed significantly more often in group 1 than in group 2 and group 3(p=0.003). However, compared with group 2, expression of telomerase activity in group 3 was not reduced significantly(p>0.05). CONCLUSION: TA was minimal in placenta from preeclamptic women with and without FGR, suggesting placental senescence and apoptosis may be associated with FGR and severe preeclampsia.