title: Increased apoptotic activity on inflammatory human placentas in spontaneous abortions during the first and second trimester of gestation: a histochemical and immunohistochemical study.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of apoptotic markers on inflammatory human placentas from spontaneous abortions during the first and second trimester of gestation and compare them to those without inflammation. Paraffin-embedded specimens from 76 placentas were investigated by conventional histology and immunohistochemistry using monoclonal antibodies against M30, Caspase 3, Caspase 8 and Caspase 9, as well as the terminal deoxynucleotidyl tranferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling method. A higher prevalence of expression of apoptotic markers (94.4%) was observed in placentas associated with chorioamnionitis in comparison with those without inflammation. Our observations confirm that apoptosis is strikingly prevalent in placentas diagnosed with histologic chorioamnionitis, while the inflammation induces cell death.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Histology-Embryology, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece.
authors.forename: Theodora-Eleftheria
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Deftereou
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lambropoulou
authors.forename: Ekaterini
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chatzaki
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koffa
authors.forename: Petros
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ypsilantis
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pagonopoulou
authors.forename: Iordana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Grammatikopoulou
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Papadopoulos
authors.forename: Alexandros
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papalambros
authors.forename: Emmanouil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kontomanolis
authors.forename: Nikolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Papadopoulos
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D017209:Apoptosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second