title: Maternal smoking and placental expression of a panel of genes related to angiogenesis and oxidative stress in early pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Maternal cigarette smoking is paradoxically associated with a decreased risk of developing preeclampsia. Since preeclampsia is thought to be associated with altered mechanisms of angiogenesis and oxidative stress, we aim to investigate the influence of maternal smoking on the early placental expression of a panel of genes related to angiogenesis and oxidative stress.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected villous tissue samples at 6-7 and 10-11 weeks of gestation from 31 women requesting surgical termination. Placental expression of the following genes were quantified by real-time PCR: vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), fms-like tyrosine kinase (Flt-1), soluble endoglin (sEng), placental growth factor (PlGF), heme oxygenase-1 (HMOX-1) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Maternal smoking status was assessed by levels of serum cotinine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Placental expression of VEGFA was significantly higher in smoking women at 10-11 weeks of gestation compared with nonsmoking women at the same gestational age. There was no significant difference at 6-7 weeks of gestation. There was no variation in the expression of the other genes explored related to smoking status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Here we report that VEGFA placental expression was higher in smoking women at 10-11 weeks of gestation. Increased VEGFA expression in the early stages of pregnancy in smoking women might contribute to the decreased risk of developing preeclampsia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Azusa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shinjo
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ventura
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koide
authors.forename: Kyouko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hori
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yotsumoto
authors.forename: Ryu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Matsuoka
authors.forename: Kiyotake
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ichizuka
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sekizawa
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000235:genetics; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D010920:Placenta / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A