title: [Expression of corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor type-1 in intrahepatic cholestatic placental tissue].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the expression level of corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor type-1 (CRHR-1) in intrahepatic cholestatic placental (ICP) tissue.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human placental samples were collected from 10 ICP patients and 10 healthy controls after parturition at 37-40 weeks of gestation. CRHR-1 protein and mRNA expression was assessed by western blotting and nested-real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, respectively. Normally distributed data were summarized as mean +/- standard deviation, and intergroup comparisons were made by two-tailed Student's t-test. Non-normally distributed data were presented as median with interquartile range, and intergroup comparisons were made by Wilcoxon test. For all statistical analyses, a two-tailed P-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The CRHR-1 fluorescence intensity was lower in ICP tissues (1.55 +/- 0.28) than in placental tissues from healthy controls (1.60 +/- 0.37), but the difference did not reach statistical significance (t = 0.349, P = 0.732). The CRHR-1 mRNA content was slightly higher in the ICP tissues [0.139(0.268)] than in the placental tissues from healthy controls [0.031(0.245)], but the difference did not reach statistical significance (t = 1.504, P = 0.136).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CRHR-1 expression is decreased in ICP tissues, which may lead to a smaller volume of placental lobular villi vessels and restrict the CRH positive feedback loop, ultimately promoting acute hypoxic stress and possible harm to the fetus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Zheng-fei
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Mao-mao
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Bing-xin
authors.initials: BX
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Xiao-dong
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002780:Cholestasis, Intrahepatic / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000378:metabolism*; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D018019:Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D000099052:CRF Receptor, Type 1
chemical_list: D018019:Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D000099052:CRF Receptor, Type 1