Expression patterns of cathepsins B, H, K, L and S in the human endometrium.

Cathepsins B, H, K, L and S belong to the family of lysosomal cysteine proteinases and participate in a variety of proteolytic processes, including degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM). In the present study, we used Northern hybridization to demonstrate the presence of mRNAs for cathepsins B, H, K, L and S in human endometrium during both the proliferative and secretory phases of menstrual cycle. The mRNA levels for cathepsins H and K were significantly lower in secretory phase endometrium in comparison with proliferative phase endometrium. Immunohistochemical localization of the different cathepsins revealed widespread distribution of all cathepsins in both stroma and epithelial cells. The immunoreactivity for cathepsins B, H and K exhibited changes related to endometrial location and/or to the phase of the cycle. The strongest immunoreactivity for cathepsins B, H, L and S was observed in the surface epithelium of the endometrium. The staining for cathepsins was predominantly intracellular, but immunoreactivity was also detected on the surface of small lymphoid cells in the stroma. The findings of the present study suggest that cysteine cathepsins are needed for normal development and function of human endometrium during both the proliferative and secretory phases.

Placental expression of syndecan 1 is diminished in preeclampsia.

OBJECTIVE: Syndecan 1 is a cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycan that binds growth factors and antithrombin III. The objective of this study was to examine whether placental expression of syndecan 1 in preeclampsia differs from that in normal pregnancy and whether gestational age and fetal growth affect syndecan 1 expression. STUDY DESIGN: An immunohistochemical analysis of 30 placentas of women with severe preeclampsia and 15 placentas of women without preeclampsia was performed with the monoclonal anti-syndecan 1 antibody B-B4. RESULTS: In 47% of preeclamptic placentas the immunoreactivity with antibody B-B4 was faint or absent, whereas 93% of the normal placentas exhibited strong immunoreactivity. The reduction in placental expression of syndecan 1 in preeclampsia was not associated with gestational age or impaired fetal growth. CONCLUSION: The expression of syndecan 1 on the chorionic villi is reduced in preeclampsia irrespective of gestational age or fetal growth.

Hypothyroidism among infertile women in Finland.

The main aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the occurrence of hypothyroidism among Finnish women with infertility. For this purpose, the records of 335 women presenting for the first time with infertility at the outpatient clinic of reproductive endocrinology at Turku University Central Hospital during a 3-year period (January 1992 to December 1994) were reviewed. Due to missing data, 36 women were excluded from the analysis. Thyroid function was screened by measuring serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels in conjunction with serum prolactin using immunoradiometric assays. Prior to enrolment in the infertility examinations, ten out of 299 women had used thyroxine substitution for primary hypothyroidism. In the TSH screening test, 12 women (4%) exhibited elevated serum TSH levels ranging from 5.7 to 32 mU/l. Three of these cases were previously diagnosed with hypothyroidism and were using an inadequate dose of thyroxine. The prevalence of abnormal TSH levels was highest in the ovulatory dysfunction (6.3%) and unknown infertility (4.8%) groups and lowest in the tubal infertility (2.6%) and male infertility (1.5%) groups, although no statistically significant differences between the groups were observed. Oligo/amenorrhea was present in 101 (34%) women in the whole study population and in eight (67%, p < 0.5) women with elevated serum TSH at screening. The relatively high occurrence of abnormal TSH levels in infertile women with ovulatory dysfunctions or unknown infertility, as well as with oligo/amenorrhea, emphasizes the importance of TSH screening in these patient groups.

Pre-eclampsia does not change the adhesion molecule status in the placental bed.

During normal placentation trophoblast cells invade maternal tissues and remodel the uterine arteries into low-resistance channels. In pre-eclampsia, trophoblast invasion is impaired and this, along with endothelial dysfunction, has been suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia. We studied the expression of adhesion molecules important for leukocyte extravasation in the placental bed with immunohistochemistry and compared the expression in pre-eclampsia to that in normal pregnancy. Our major finding was that only invasive trophoblasts expressed cutaneous lymphocyte antigen-1 (CLA-1) in the third trimester of pregnancy, whereas villous trophoblasts did not. In the first trimester both villous trophoblasts and invasive trophoblast cells in decidua remained negative for CLA-1. Pre-eclampsia did not change the expression of leukocyte-endothelium adhesion or lymphocyte homing-associated antigens, ICAM-1, ICAM-2, VCAM, P-selectin, E-selectin, L-selectin, CLA-1, CD73, VAP-1 and alphaEbeta7 in the placental bed. Furthermore, pre-eclampsia was not associated with an aberrant accumulation of lymphocytes carrying antigens of any particular known organ-specific homing systems. The results on the unchanged pattern of adhesion molecule expression in pre-eclampsia suggests that there is no major change in the adhesive properties of the endothelium of the placental bed in pre-eclampsia.

Expression of syndecan-1 in human placenta and decidua.

Syndecan-1 is a cell surface heparan sulphate proteoglycan, which binds to the extracellular matrix (ECM), growth factors and antithrombin III. The early expression of syndecan-1 during mouse embryonic development suggests a potential role in the communication between the embryo and the ECM of decidua. Using immunohistochemical methods, the present study showed that the expression of syndecan-1 in the trophoblast cells changes along trophoblast differentiation. The syncytiotrophoblasts in the chorionic villi exhibited an apical expression of syndecan-1. This suggests that the expression is restricted to non-migrating, non-proliferating trophoblasts. The mode of syndecan-1 expression by human placental trophoblasts is independent of gestational age. The expression is not changed in miscarriages. In pre-eclampsia, the staining for syndecan-1 on the villous syncytiotrophoblast is weaker compared to normal pregnancy, but in placental bed the expression is similar. The unique apical localization of syndecan-1 in chorionic villi, not detected in any other tissues, suggests a potential role in fetomaternal communication probably via growth factor binding and in anticoagulation of intervillous circulation.