title: Alpha 2,6-sialyltransferase I expression in the placenta of patients with preeclampsia.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: 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
authors.forename: Peng-Hui
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wen-Ling
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yu-Hui
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yi-Jen
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ying-Chieh
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Chiou-Chung
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Yuan
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012799:Sialyltransferases; C093493:ST6GAL1 protein, human; D000094802:beta-D-Galactoside alpha 2-6-Sialyltransferase