ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Chorioamnionitis is a gestational pathological condition characterized by acute inflammation of the amniochorionic membranes and placentas leading to high concentrations of IL-1ß, Il-6, Il-8 and TGF-ß in the amniotic fluid. In normal conditions, the permeability of foeto-maternal barrier is due to the assembly and maintenance of different cellular junctional domains. METHODS: In the present study, first we aimed to evaluate the protein expression (by immunohistochemistry and western blotting) and mRNA (by real time PCR) levels of the molecular components of tight junctions (Zonula occludens-1 and occludin), and of adherent junctions (VE-cadherin and ß-catenin) in placentas from chorioamnionitis compared to that in normal pregnancies. RESULTS: Western blotting results showed a significant down-regulation of occludin in placentas affected with chorioamnionitis. No differences were detected for the other proteins analysed. We evaluated whether occludin expression was regulated by IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8 and TGF-ß by means of in vitro studies using HUVEC cultures and demonstrated a key role of IL-1ß and TGF-ß in the disappearance of occludin at cellular border. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude by suggesting a pivotal role of these two cytokines in facilitating intra-placental infection via para-cellular way due to the disassembly of tight junctions at trophoblastic and endothelial cells in placental tissues.
Subject(s)
Chorioamnionitis/physiopathology , Interleukin-1beta/physiology , Placenta/physiology , Tight Junctions/physiology , Transforming Growth Factor beta/physiology , Antigens, CD/genetics , Antigens, CD/metabolism , Cadherins/genetics , Cadherins/metabolism , Case-Control Studies , Cell Membrane Permeability , Chorioamnionitis/genetics , Chorioamnionitis/pathology , Cytokines/metabolism , Female , Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells , Humans , Immunohistochemistry , Maternal-Fetal Exchange , Occludin/genetics , Occludin/metabolism , Placenta/physiopathology , Pregnancy , RNA, Messenger/genetics , RNA, Messenger/metabolism , Tight Junctions/pathology , Zonula Occludens-1 Protein/genetics , Zonula Occludens-1 Protein/metabolism , beta Catenin/genetics , beta Catenin/metabolismABSTRACT
We evaluated the presence of HtrA1 in maternal plasma of normal pregnancies and of pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia (PE) without and with Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR). We demonstrate that HtrA1 maternal plasma levels show significant different concentrations in first, second and third trimester of gestation and that HtrA1 concentration increases in maternal plasma of gestations complicated by PE with IUGR compared with control maternal plasma matched for gestational age. Based on these data high maternal plasma levels of HtrA1 could be considered as a possible marker of an occurring IUGR in preeclamptic women.
Subject(s)
Fetal Growth Retardation/blood , Pre-Eclampsia/blood , Serine Endopeptidases/blood , Adult , Biomarkers/blood , Early Diagnosis , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Female , Fetal Growth Retardation/diagnosis , Gestational Age , High-Temperature Requirement A Serine Peptidase 1 , Humans , Pregnancy , Young AdultABSTRACT
A mortality study was undertaken on a cohort of 538 male workers employed at a coke plant in Carrara in the period 1960-1985. The follow-up period ranged from January 1 1960 to December 31 1990, with 10,665 person-years accumulated. A significant excess in mortality for lung cancer was observed: 19 observed deaths vs 10.02 expected deaths using national rates, SMR 190 (C.I. 95% = 114-296), and vs 11.19 expected deaths using regional rates, SMR 170 (C.I. 95% = 102-265). The results suggest the possible influence of this occupation on mortality from lung cancer, as was observed in previous studies performed on larger cohorts of coke oven workers.
