Alpha 2,6-sialyltransferase I expression in the placenta of patients with preeclampsia.
BACKGROUND
The expression of sialyl-glycoconjugates changes during development, differentiation and oncogenic transformation, tumor invasion and metastasis. Similarly, in the early stage of pregnancy, trophoblast cells have to undergo adhesion, invasion, and proliferation to develop a healthy placenta; the cytobiologic behavior is similar to tumor growth and invasion. Inadequate trophoblast invasion to the spiral artery in the 2nd trimester of pregnancy was believed to be correlated with pregnancy complications, including preeclampsia.


METHODS
Alterations in alpha2,6-sialyltransferase I (ST6Gal I) mRNA in the placental tissues of women with preeclampsia (n=20) and without preeclampsia (n=20 used as a control) were examined by semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The transcription regulators of ST6Gal I including a "constitutive" promoter (Y + Z form), "hepatic" promoter (H form), and lymphoblastic promoter (X form) were investigated. The enzyme activity of ST6Gal I was also examined.


RESULTS
Both mRNA expression and enzyme activity of ST6Gal I did not show a significant difference in the placental tissues of the women of both groups. The transcription regulators of ST6Gal I, including the Y+Z form and the H form, also failed to show any difference. The X form, seldom detected in the study, was excluded from analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggested that ST6Gal I was not involved in the pathogenesis of the preeclampsia.
Wang
Peng-Hui
PH
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C. phwang@vghtpe.gov.tw
Lee
Wen-Ling
WL
Yang
Yu-Hui
YH
Chen
Yi-Jen
YJ
Tsai
Ying-Chieh
YC
Yuan
Chiou-Chung
CC
D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010920:Placenta / Q000201:enzymology*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000201:enzymology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012799:Sialyltransferases / Q000235:genetics*; D000094802:beta-D-Galactoside alpha 2-6-Sialyltransferase
D015703:Antigens, CD; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012799:Sialyltransferases; C093493:ST6GAL1 protein, human; D000094802:beta-D-Galactoside alpha 2-6-Sialyltransferase