Aims: Increasing evidence suggests that oxidative stress may play a key role in the aetiology of preeclampsia (PE). The aim of this study was to elucidate the placental defence mechanisms employed against oxidative stress and, in particular, the specific role of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2).
Methods And Results: Expression of Nrf2 in third-trimester placental tissue was compared in preeclamptic and normal gestation-matched controls.
Syncytial trophoblast fusion is an essential step in the process of implantation. This project is aimed at the immunological inhibition of syncytial trophoblast fusion as a novel approach to contraception. Fusion-inhibiting recombinant antibodies were generated and used together with autoantibodies from patients with repetitive in vitro fertilization (IVF) failure that were shown to inhibit syncytial fusion and are expected to inhibit implantation, to generate anti-idiotypic peptides.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Live birth rates are increased by treatment with heparin and aspirin in cases of poor pregnancy outcome such as antiphospholipid syndrome. Both drugs may attenuate miscarriage by inhibiting aberrant coagulation or by modulating trophoblast apoptosis. Here we assessed their roles in trophoblast apoptosis in vitro.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDifferentiation of human trophoblast from the proliferative to the invasive phenotype takes place in a hypoxic and thus likely an acidic microenvironment. During differentiation, the secretion pattern of fibronectin isoforms changes. Therefore, we analysed the relation between extracellular pH, secretion of fibronectin splice variants and invasiveness.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF