title: Altered gene expression patterns in intrauterine growth restriction: potential role of hypoxia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Placental insufficiency is a primary cause of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). In our study, microarray technology was used to identify genes, which may impair placentation resulting in IUGR.
  
  
  METHODS
  The RNA was isolated from both IUGR term placentas and normal term placentas. Microarray experiments were used to identify differentially expressed genes between the 2 cohorts. Real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry were used in follow-up experiments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Microarray experiments identified increased expression of certain genes including leptin, soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, human chorionic gonadotropin, follistatin-like 3, and hypoxia-inducible factor 2alpha in the IUGR. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction confirmed these results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The upregulation of soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor and hypoxia-inducible factor 2alpha at this period in pregnancy indicate that placental angiogenesis is altered in IUGR and that hypoxia is a major contributor to maldevelopment of the placental vasculature.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Cathal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.forename: Finbarr E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Cotter
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McElwaine
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Twomey
authors.forename: Eoghan E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Mooney
authors.forename: Fergus
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vaughan
mesh_terms: D015687:Cell Hypoxia; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy