The regional expression of insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) in the placentae of women with pre-eclampsia.
Insulin-like growth factors and their binding proteins regulate cellular proliferation, differentiation and function, and play an important role in placental development. IGF-II and IGFBP-1 are abundantly expressed by cells at the maternal-fetal interface and mediate cell-to-cell communication between trophoblasts and decidua. Placentae of pre-eclamptic pregnancies show villous cytotrophoblast proliferation, increased syncytial sprout formation and impaired trophoblast invasion. We hypothesized that the expression of IGF-II and IGFBP-1 by cells at the maternal-fetal interface is altered in pre-eclampsia. We determined the regional abundance and cellular localization of IGF-II mRNA and IGFBP-1 mRNA and protein in placentae from normotensive control and pre-eclamptic pregnancies. IGF-II mRNA was expressed in both the chorionic villi and basal plate decidua regions. Increased IGF-II mRNA abundance was observed in the intermediate trophoblasts of peri-infarct regions. IGFBP-1 expression was present only in the decidua of the basal plate and membranes, and this expression was decreased significantly in pre-eclamptic placentae. The increased IGF-II expression in the intermediate trophoblast surrounding placental infarcts suggests a role for IGF-II in placental repair or remodelling. Decreased IGFBP-1 mRNA expression in the basal plate decidua suggests that the increased concentrations of IGFBP-1 the circulation of pre-eclamptic women is not of decidual origin. The altered IGF-II and IGFBP-1 expression at the fetomaternal interface may be important in the pathophysiology of pre-eclampsia.
Gratton
R J
RJ
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, CIHR Group in Fetal and Neonatal Health and Development, The Child Health Research Institute, The Lawson Health Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada. rgratton@uwo.ca
Asano
H
H
Han
V K M
VK
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002824:Chorionic Villi / Q000378:metabolism; D003656:Decidua / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D018970:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000378:metabolism
D018970:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II