Endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression in gestational trophoblastic diseases.
OBJECTIVE
Nitric oxide is thought to play a role in the regulation of trophoblast activity. The aim of this study was to compare endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression in tissue samples taken from gestational trophoblastic diseases and placentas of normal pregnancies.


METHODS
The expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase was tested in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from specimens including 8 first trimester placentas, 3 partial hydatidiform moles, 20 complete hydatidiform moles, 2 invasive moles, and 5 choriocarcinomas. The expression of antibody was scored by a semiquantitative scale to define staining intensity.


RESULTS
The first trimester placentas showed moderate expression in the villous. Gestational trophoblastic diseases displayed strong to very strong endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression in the syncytiotrophoblast, villous, and proliferating mononuclear trophoblasts.


CONCLUSIONS
Endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression seems to have a strong correlation with proliferation of trophoblastic cells, in gestational trophoblastic diseases and in normal pregnancy.
Barut
Aykut
A
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, Zonguldak Karaelmas University, Zonguldak, Turkey.
Harma
Muge
M
Arikan
Ilker
I
Harma
Mehmet Ibrahim
MI
Barut
Figen
F
D002822:Choriocarcinoma / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D031901:Gestational Trophoblastic Disease / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006828:Hydatidiform Mole / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000378:metabolism*; D010920:Placenta / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011379:Prognosis; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology
C496314:NOS3 protein, human; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III