title: Expression of ATF4 and VEGF in chorionic villus tissue in early spontaneous abortion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the relationship between early spontaneous abortion (SA) and the expression of activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression of ATF4 and VEGF protein and mRNA in villi from first trimester spontaneous abortion (SA, n=30) and normal pregnancy (NP, n=30) were detected by immunohistochemistry and fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both protein and mRNA expressions of ATF4 and VEGF in the SA group were significantly lower than in the NP group (P<0.01). Their proteins are expressed mainly in syncytiotrophoblast, cytotrophoblast and villous stromal cells. Correlation analysis showed that the expression of ATF4 was positively correlated with that of VEGF in the SA group (r=0.717, P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lower expression of ATF4 and VEGF genes in chorionic villus tissue may participate in the pathogenesis of spontaneous abortion.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, PR China.
authors.forename: Luwei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.forename: Kang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: Xiaoxi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051701:Activating Transcription Factor 4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D002824:Chorionic Villi / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C497109:ATF4 protein, human; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D051701:Activating Transcription Factor 4
keywords: ATF4; Spontaneous abortion; VEGF; Villus