[Roles of placental cellular apoptosis and bcl-2 expression in fetal growth restriction with unclear etiologies].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the roles of placental cellular apoptosis and bcl-2 gene expression in fetal growth restriction (FGR) with unclear etiologies.


METHODS
The placental tissues of 15 FGR and 15 parallel normal pregnancies were included in the study. Apoptosis were evaluated by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, transmission electron microscopy and flow cytometry assay (FCM). Expression of bcl-2 was determined by RT-PCR.


RESULTS
In cells from FGR placentas, but not in control normal cells, typical features of apoptosis were observed, including internucleosomal DNA degradation, and both nuclear (nuclear condensation and fragmentation) and extranuclear (cell blebbing) morphological alterations. The placental cellular apoptosis were also confirmed at a rate of 13.68% by TUNEL assay and 10.58% by FCM in FGR group, compared to 4.05% and 3.88% in the normal tissues. Meanwhile, bcl-2 expression level was lower in FGR group (0.19 +/- 0.13) than in the normal group (0.55 +/- 0.17).


CONCLUSIONS
Apoptosis may play an important role in the pathogenesis of FGR and may be related with to lowered expression of bcl-2.
Chen
Hua
H
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gongli Hospital, Pu Dong New Area, Shanghai 200135, China.
Dai
Zhong-ying
ZY
D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis; D002453:Cell Cycle; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000378:metabolism
D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger