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Expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase in placenta of women with gestational diabetes
Author(s) -
Schönfelder Gilbert,
John Mathias,
Hopp Hartmut,
Fuhr Norbert,
Van Der Giet Markus,
Paul Martin
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.10.7.8635695
Subject(s) - placenta , nitric oxide synthase , gestational diabetes , chorionic villi , diabetes mellitus , nitric oxide , pathogenesis , endocrinology , fetus , immunohistochemistry , medicine , gestation , trophoblast , pregnancy , biology , andrology , genetics
Gestational diabetes is one of the most prevalent medical complications of pregnancy and causes increased fetal wastage. Investigation of pla‐centas from diabetic mothers indicate chronic dis‐turbances in intervillous circulation, dilatation of capillaries, and a relatively immature villous struc‐ture. Abnormal levels of nitric oxide (NO) may contribute to maternal disorders such as the patho‐genesis of diabetic vascular complications. In the normal placenta NO is generated only by endothelial NOS, which apparently serves to regulate vascular tone in the fetoplacental circulation. In contrast, studies have reported the absence of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in human placentas under normal conditions. The aim of our study was to investigate whether iNOS is expressed in placentae from patients with gestational diabetes. Reverse transe ription‐polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis demonstrated iNOS mRNA and protein expression in placental tissue only from patients with gestational diabetes. Immunohistochemistry localized iNOS staining to endothelial cells and trophoblasts. We conclude that iNOS can be expressed in human placenta. Its expression might play an important role in placental pathophysiology.—Schönfelder, G., John, M., Hopp, H., Fuhr, N., van der Giet, M., Paul, M. Expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase in placenta of women with gestational diabetes. FASEBJ. 10, 777‐784 (1996)