title: Comparative proteomics analysis of placenta from pregnant women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) usually occurs in the third trimester and associated with increased risks in fetal complications. Currently, the exact cause of this disease is unknown. In this study we aim to investigate the potential proteins in placenta, which may participate in the molecular mechanisms of ICP-related fetal complications using iTRAQ-based proteomics approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  The iTRAQ analysis combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was performed to separate differentially expressed placental proteins from 4 pregnant women with ICP and 4 healthy pregnant women. Bioinformatics analysis was used to find the relative processes that these differentially expressed proteins were involved in. Three apoptosis related proteins ERp29, PRDX6 and MPO that resulted from iTRAQ-based proteomics were further verified in placenta by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Placental apoptosis was also detected by TUNEL assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Proteomics results showed there were 38 differentially expressed proteins from pregnant women with ICP and healthy pregnant women, 29 were upregulated and 9 were downregulated in placenta from pregnant women with ICP. Bioinformatics analysis showed most of the identified proteins was functionally related to specific cell processes, including apoptosis, oxidative stress, lipid metabolism. The expression levels of ERp29, PRDX6 and MPO were consistent with the proteomics data. The apoptosis index in placenta from ICP patients was significantly increased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This preliminary work provides a better understanding of the proteomic alterations of placenta from pregnant women with ICP and may provide us some new insights into the pathophysiology and potential novel treatment targets for ICP.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China ; Wuxi Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Yueshuai
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Xuejiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Wuxi Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China.
authors.forename: Daozhen
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Wuxi Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China.
authors.forename: Jingying
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Zuomin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002780:Cholestasis, Intrahepatic / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism*; D054465:Peroxiredoxin VI / Q000378:metabolism*; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D040901:Proteomics / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C491738:ERP29 protein, human; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; C515977:PRDX6 protein, human; D054465:Peroxiredoxin VI; D009195:Peroxidase