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Hypoxia‐inducible factor‐2α is involved in enhanced apoptosis in the placenta from pregnancies with fetal growth restriction
Author(s) -
Dai ShuYan,
Kanenishi Kenji,
Ueno Masaki,
Sakamoto Haruhiko,
Hata Toshiyuki
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
pathology international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.73
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1440-1827
pISSN - 1320-5463
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1827.2004.01750.x
Subject(s) - placenta , tunel assay , apoptosis , andrology , terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase , fetus , immunohistochemistry , biology , hypoxia (environmental) , pregnancy , staining , downregulation and upregulation , medicine , chemistry , immunology , biochemistry , gene , genetics , organic chemistry , oxygen
The aim of the present study is to investigate whether hypoxia‐inducible factors (HIF‐1α, HIF‐2α, HIF‐1β) are involved in enhanced apoptosis in the human placenta from pregnancies with fetal growth restriction (FGR). Placental samples were obtained from women with normal term pregnancy ( n = 18) or from pregnancy with FGR ( n = 12). Placenta apoptosis was assessed by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase deoxy‐UTP‐nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining. The expressions of HIF‐1α, HIF‐2α, and HIF‐1β were examined by immunohistochemical analysis. Enhanced apoptosis was observed in the placenta from pregnancies with FGR compared with normal term placenta. The apoptosis index in FGR group (1.45 ± 1.26%) was significantly higher than that in the normal control group (0.18 ± 0.16%; P < 0.01). There were no significant differences in the intensity of the staining for HIF‐1α and HIF‐1β expressions between two groups, while HIF‐2α was overexpressed in the placenta from pregnancies with FGR group ( P < 0.05). The upregulation of HIF‐2α protein expression in the placenta from pregnancies with FGR may, at least in part, be involved in the increased placental apoptosis.