Uterine artery notch is associated with increased placental endothelial nitric oxide synthase and heat shock protein.
OBJECTIVE
This study was undertaken to evaluate whether uterine artery notch is associated with placental expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70), and Lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor (Lox) in pregnant women.


METHODS
Uterine artery Doppler was performed in 30 pregnant women divided into two groups with or without the presence of uterine artery notches. After delivery, placental expression of eNOS, Hsp70, and Lox were evaluated with western blot analysis.


RESULTS
Higher levels of placental eNOS (p = 0.02) and Hsp70 (p = 0.001) were expressed in the group with uterine artery notch compared with the group without uterine artery notch. There was no significant difference for placental Lox expression between group with uterine artery notch and without uterine artery notch (p = 0.17).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that uterine artery notch is associated with increased placental expression of eNOS and Hsp in pregnant women.
Kim
Young Ju
YJ
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea. kkyj@ewha.ac.kr
Lee
Bo Eun
BE
Lee
Hwa Young
HY
Park
Hye Sook
HS
Ha
Eun Hee
EH
Jung
Sung Chul
SC
Pang
Myung Geol
MG
D015153:Blotting, Western; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000503:physiopathology; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000032:analysis*; D010920:Placenta / Q000098:blood supply / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000201:enzymology; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D051127:Scavenger Receptors, Class E / Q000032:analysis; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055988:Uterine Artery / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology
D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; C495137:OLR1 protein, human; D051127:Scavenger Receptors, Class E; C496314:NOS3 protein, human; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III