title: Apoptosis and expression of Bcl-2, Bax, p53, caspase-3, and Fas, Fas ligand in placentas complicated by preeclampsia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether preeclampsia is associated with an increase in placental apoptosis and altered expression of mediators of apoptosis such as Fas, Fas ligand, caspase-3, p53, Bcl-2 and Bax.
  
  
  METHODS
  Placental samples obtained from 20 women with preeclampsia and 14 normal women were analyzed using the Klenow, Frag-EL DNA fragmentation detection kit for apoptosis. Expression of Fas, Fas ligand, caspase-3, p53 Bcl-2, and Bax was assessed using immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median percentage of apoptotic nuclei in trophoblasts was significantly higher for the preeclampsia group than for the controls (6.9 vs 0.25; p =.001). Fas ligand expression was significantly higher in the decidua among the subjects with preeclampsia compared with controls (1.2 vs 0; p = .023). Otherwise no difference was observed in the expression of Bax , Bcl-2, p53, caspase-3, and Fas between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased apoptosis in preeclampsia may not be associated with significant alterations in Fas, Fas ligand, caspase-3, p53, Bcl-2 and Bax expression.
authors.affiliation: Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey. imendilcioglu@hotmail.com
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mendilcioglu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karaveli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Erdogan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simsek
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Taskin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ozekinci
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D055815:Young Adult; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D019014:fas Receptor; D053148:Caspase 3