[Apoptosis gene expression profiling of placental trophoblast cells in patients with pregnancy induced hypertension].

Objective: To explore the function of placental trophoblast cell apoptosis on the pathogenetic mechanism of pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH).

Methods: Apoptosis of trophoblast cells in 20 cases of PIH (PIH group) and in 10 cases of normal pregnancy (control group) were directly observed using the terminal-deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated d-UTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) method. Apoptosis gene expression patterns were screened with gene chip provided by Poxing Company, Shanghai. Standards for differently expressed genes were: (1) An absolute value of the natural logarithm of cy5 (PIH group)/cy3 (control group) greater than 0.69 with a difference of signal of cy5 2 times over that of cy3. (2) The signal value either cy3 or cy5 must be greater than 800.

Results: (1) TUNEL test showed that the number of trophoblast cells apoptosis per ten thousand micro m(2) was 1.584 in the PIH group and 0.032 in the control group with significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01). (2) Ten differently expressed apoptosis genes were obtained through gene chip test (occupy 5% of total apoptosis gene in the gene chip). There was a significant decrease of apoptosis gene expression in all of PIH patient placental tissues (i.e a ratio of cy5/cy3 less than 1). Among them, there were genes that possess significant anti-apoptosis functions (including SFRP(2), IAP(2), DHCY24 and ATPIA1).

Conclusions: Remarkable apoptosis was found in placental trophoblast cells of PIH patients. Significant decrease in genes with anti-apoptosis functions can result in the apoptosis of placental trophoblast cells and thus contributes to the pathogenesis of PIH.