Nitric oxide platelet production in spontaneous miscarriage in the first trimester.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the role played by platelet nitric oxide (NO) metabolism in patients with spontaneous miscarriage (SM) and recurrent spontaneous miscarriage (RSM) compared with healthy pregnant women.


METHODS
Retrospective case-control study.


METHODS
Patients and controls in an academic research environment.


METHODS
None.


METHODS
Thirty singleton pregnant women who experienced SM, nine singleton pregnant women who presented with RSM, and 30 singleton healthy pregnant women matched for age, parity, and gestational age were enrolled.


METHODS
NO levels and peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) production; moreover, inducible NO synthase (iNOS), endothelial NO synthase (eNOS), and nitrotyrosine expression (N-Tyr) were observed in the same samples.


RESULTS
A significant increase was shown in platelet NO and ONOO(-) levels and in iNOS and N-Tyr both in SM and in RSM pregnant women compared with controls.


CONCLUSIONS
The data herein reported imply that a modified NO pathway might play a key role in the physiological changes of advancing gestation but may also contribute to the pathophysiology of spontaneous miscarriage. Thus, any factors balancing NO metabolism might be useful in the treatment of miscarriage, thus reducing the substantial morbidity and associated mortality.
Raffaelli
Francesca
F
Department of Biochemistry, Biology and Genetics, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy. raffi.3@virgilio.it
Nanetti
Laura
L
Vignini
Arianna
A
Mazzanti
Laura
L
Giannubilo
Stefano Raffaele
SR
Curzi
Claudia Maria
CM
Turi
Angelo
A
Vitali
Paola
P
Tranquilli
Andrea Luigi
AL
D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000378:metabolism; D030421:Peroxynitrous Acid / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism
D030421:Peroxynitrous Acid; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C002744:3-nitrotyrosine; D014443:Tyrosine; C496319:NOS2 protein, human; C496314:NOS3 protein, human; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III