title: HSP70-mediated control of endothelial cell apoptosis during pre-eclampsia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pre-eclampsia is a hypertensive disorder characterized by maternal vascular endothelial dysfunction. It is likely that this enhanced rate of endothelial cell stress is associated with the pre- and post-partum complications of both mother and fetus. Deciphering the expression pattern of factors involved in altering placental endothelial cell viability in pre-eclampsia aids in identifying components that may protect the fetus from the consequences of placental dysfunction and oxidative stress.
  
  
  METHODS
  Expression of thioredoxin (Trx), an antioxidant protein; heat shock protein (HSP) 70, a cytoprotective protein; heat shock factor (HSF)1, a transcriptional factor of HSPs; and apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1), a pro-apoptotic protein, was elucidated in endothelial cells from human term placentas of normotensive and pre-eclamptic subjects (n=35).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant increase in HSP70 (p<0.05), HSF1 (p<0.05), Trx (p<0.05) and an insignificant increase in ASK1 were noted in pre-eclamptic endothelial cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This analysis supports the role of HSP70 expression in promoting cell survival by regulating ASK expression in pre-eclampsia.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Department of Biochemistry, Bharathi Women's College, Affiliated to University of Madras, Chennai 600108, Tamil Nadu, India. dstpadmini@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: Ekambaram
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Padmini
authors.forename: Srinivasan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lavanya
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000076249:Heat Shock Transcription Factors; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D048848:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 5 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010920:Placenta / Q000166:cytology; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D013879:Thioredoxins / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C000619706:HSF1 protein, human; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D000076249:Heat Shock Transcription Factors; C491203:TXN protein, human; D014157:Transcription Factors; D013879:Thioredoxins; D048848:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 5; C482858:MAP3K5 protein, human