title: The increase in metallothionein and ectopic decidual immunoreactivity with respect to the progression of labor at term and the lack of analogical changes in placental abruption.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The coexistence of immune and decidual cells is related to the development of a resistance to immune-mediated apoptosis in both ectopic and eutopic decidua. This unique feature of endometrial cells seems to be linked with the expression of metallothionein (MT), an inhibitor of apoptosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The MT immunoreactivity level was assessed in 82 eutopic (CC) and ectopic (cesarean scar deciduosis - CSD) decidual tissue samples obtained from patients during cesarean sections at term and from patients on whom cesarean sections were performed on account of placental abruption (PA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistically, significantly higher levels of MT immunoreactivity were found in eutopic and ectopic decidua sampled during cesarean sections performed on patients with advanced labor when compared to the levels found in tissues sampled during cesarean sections on patients without labor. No differences were observed in the MT immunoreactivity levels in decidual tissue samples derived from patients who had undergone cesarean sections on account of PA with respect to the progression of labor at the time of the surgical procedure. Statistically, the decidual MT immunoreactivity levels were significantly higher in the PA than the CC subgroups and in the PA than the CSD subgroups correlating with the stage of labor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MT in decidual cells seems to be responsible for the proper coexistence between decidual cells and activated immune cells that infiltrate both eutopic and ectopic decidua during cesarean section and PA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathomorphology of the Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Krystyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Galazka
authors.forename: Kazimierz
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pitynski
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Skret-Magierlo
authors.forename: Pawel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mach
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Knafel
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sikora
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Niemiec
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dobrogowski
authors.forename: Anotni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Basta
authors.forename: Lukasz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wicherek
mesh_terms: D000037:Abruptio Placentae / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section; D003656:Decidua / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D004717:Endometrium / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000276:immunology; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D010920:Placenta / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D008668:Metallothionein