[Expression of lethal gene mRNA on placenta villi in patients with spontaneous abortion].

Objective: To study the role of lethal gene: including retinoic X receptor (RXR)alpha, N-myc and transcript enhancer factor (TEF)-1 in human spontaneous abortion.

Methods: The levels of RXRalpha, N-myc and TEF-1 mRNA expression on placenta villi from 38 spontaneous abortion women and 33 normal early pregnant women were examined by reverse transcription, polymerase chain reaction.

Results: (1) The levels of RXRalpha mRNA on placenta villi from the abortion group were significantly decreased as compared with those from normal group (0.4 +/- 0.3 versus 0.6 +/- 0.3, P < 0.05); There were no significant differences in the levels of N-myc mRNA expression between the abortion group and normal group (2.1 +/- 1.2 versus 2.2 +/- 0.9, P > 0.05). The levels of TEF-1 mRNA on placenta from abortion group were significantly lower than those from normal group (1.6 +/- 1.1, 2.3 +/- 1.2, P < 0.05); (2) The levels of RXR alpha mRNA, TEF-1 mRNA in recurrent abortion group were significantly lower than those from non-recurrent group (0.3 +/- 0.2 versus 0.6 +/- 0.4, P < 0.05, 1.0 +/- 1.1 versus 1.9 +/- 1.2, P < 0.05).

Conclusion: It was suggested that the lower expression of RXR alpha mRNA, TEF-1 mRNA may play an important role in the pathogenesis of spontaneous abortion especially in recurrent abortion.