Nitric oxide and peroxynitrite platelet levels in women with small-for-gestational-age fetuses.
OBJECTIVE
The placenta produces reactive oxygen species (ROS) including nitric oxide (NO) and peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) that have pronounced effects on placental function. Excessive ROS production may occur in pathological pregnancies, such as those complicated by small-for-gestational-age (SGA) fetuses.


METHODS
The aim of the present work was to study NO and ONOO(-) levels in platelets of pregnant women with SGA fetuses compared with a control group.


METHODS
The study was performed on 30 pregnant women with SGA fetuses (SGA group) and on 30 healthy pregnant women (appropriate-for-gestational-age [AGA] group) matched for maternal and gestational age. All women included in this study were in the third trimester of pregnancy.


METHODS
Platelets were isolated by differential centrifugation. NO metabolites, after enzymatic conversion followed by the Griess reaction, were measured as nitrite by spectrophotometric detection. Peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) levels were evaluated using the fluorescence probe 2,7-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFDA).


METHODS
The following determinations were made: platelet nitric oxide and peroxynitrite levels in the SGA group and controls; inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and nitrotyrosine (N-Tyr) expression in the same groups.


RESULTS
Our results show that both platelet NO and ONOO(-) levels were significantly higher in the SGA group than in the controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Increased platelets levels of nitric oxide and peroxynitrite might play a role in the pathophysiology of intrauterine growth restriction. Further investigations are in progress to clarify if these molecules are pathogenetic factors, an epiphenomenon or a pathophysiological marker.
Nanetti
L
L
Institute of Biochemistry, Polytechnical University of Marche, Ancona, Italy.
Giannubilo
S R
SR
Raffaelli
F
F
Curzi
C M
CM
Vignini
A
A
Moroni
C
C
Tanase
L
L
Carboni
E
E
Turi
A
A
Mazzanti
L
L
Tranquilli
A L
AL
D000328:Adult; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000378:metabolism; D030421:Peroxynitrous Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000209:etiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third
D030421:Peroxynitrous Acid; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III