[Hemeoxygenase expression and activity in human placenta of pregnancy induced hypertension].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and heme oxygenase-2 (HO-2) in placenta tissue of pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH), and the relationship between HO protein expression and enzymatic activity.


METHODS
Protein expression was analyzed qualitatively and semi-quantitatively by Western blotting in placental tissue of PIH (PIH group, n = 30) and normal late pregnant women (control group, n = 30). The levels of HO enzymatic activity in placental tissue were measured with the double wavelength scanning by spectrophotometer.


RESULTS
(1) Western blotting analysis demonstrated that the relative protein levels of HO-1 and HO-2 in placental samples of control group were 0.7 +/- 0.4 and 0.8 +/- 0.4 respectively, there were no significant difference between HO-1 and HO-2 protein levels (P > 0.05). (2) The relative levels of HO-1 were 0.6 +/- 0.4 in PIH group, there was no significant difference from those in the control group (P > 0.05); the relative levels of HO-2 protein were 0.6 +/- 0.3 in PIH group, that were obviously lower than those in the control group (P < 0.01). The levels of HO enzymatic activity of PIH group were (0.3 +/- 0.2) nmol x mg(-1) x h(-1), significantly lower than that of the control group [(0.5 +/- 0.3) nmol x mg(-1) x h(-1)] (P < 0.01). The levels of HO activity correlated with HO-2 protein levels.


CONCLUSIONS
The expression levels of HO-2 protein were decreased and HO enzymatic activity reduced in PIH group. HO may play a role in the pathophysiology of poor placental perfusion and tissue damage in placenta of PIH.
Department of Obstetrics, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310006, China.
Guo-mei
GM
Cheng
Yi-fu
YF
Shi
Huai-jun
HJ
Zhou
Jin-quan
JQ
Cui
Zhan-qin
ZQ
Niu
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006419:Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing) / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1; D006801:Humans; D046110:Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / Q000201:enzymology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010920:Placenta / Q000201:enzymology*; D011247:Pregnancy
D008565:Membrane Proteins; C496541:HMOX1 protein, human; D006419:Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing); D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1; C105245:heme oxygenase-2