Expression of androgen receptor in human placentas from normal and preeclamptic pregnancies.
OBJECTIVE
To elucidate the expression of androgen receptor (AR) in human placenta from normal and preeclamptic (PE) pregnancies.


METHODS
This study was performed at the Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Academic Medical Center. Forty normal pregnant women at 37.0 +/- 0.89 weeks' gestation and 40 women with preeclampsia at 35.9 +/- 1.33 weeks' gestation were included in this study. Serum testosterone was measured before delivery. Immunochemical methodology was employed in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections from the placentas of all subjects. AR expression was evaluated in placentas collected from 15 normal pregnant women and 12 PE women.


RESULTS
Women with preeclampsia had an elevated serum testosterone level (0.52 +/- 0.13 vs. 0.34 +/- 0.11 ng/mL; p < 0.01). The expression of AR in both placentas was confirmed using immunohistochemistry and was primarily present in the nucleus and cytoplasm of syncytiotrophoblasts and stromal cells. There was a significant increase in AR mRNA expression in PE placentas compared with normal placentas.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that the increased AR expression may alter AR-mediated function on syncytiotrophoblasts and stromal cells in PE placentas, and be a possible mechanism for its association with preeclampsia.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Te-Yao
TY
Hsu
Kuo-Chung
KC
Lan
Chih-Chang
CC
Tsai
Chi-Yu
CY
Ou
Bi-Hua
BH
Cheng
Men-Yin
MY
Tsai
Hong-Yo
HY
Kang
Yu-Hsia
YH
Tung
Yi-Hush
YH
Wong
Ko-En
KE
Huang
D005260:Female; D005404:Fixatives; D005557:Formaldehyde; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D010920:Placenta / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D005404:Fixatives; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D005557:Formaldehyde; D013739:Testosterone