title: Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) expression in placentae of women with iron deficiency anemia and β-thalassemia trait.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) expression in placentae of women with iron-deficiency anemia and β-thalassemia trait and to correlate the results with hematological parameters as well as with parameters associated with the outcome of pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  About 126 women who delivered in the Larissa University Hospital were divided in three groups: iron-deficiency anemia (n = 39), β-thalassemia trait carriers (n = 53) and control group (n = 34). HIF-1α expression was assessed with immunochemical assays and statistical analysis was performed with chi-squared test and ANOVA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HIF-1α immunostaining was intense in the two groups of anemia. A statistically significant association was found between HIF-1α immunoreactivity and hematocrit (p < 0.001), hemoglobin (p < 0.001), MCV (p < 0.001), transferrin (p < 0.001) and its receptors (p = 0.040), whereas no significant correlations were observed between HIF-1α, iron serum levels (p = 0.256) and ferritin (p = 0.232). We found no association between HIF-1α and birthweight (p = 0.256), placental weight (p = 0.870) and Apgar score at 1' (p = 0.210) and 5' (p = 0.400).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HIF-1α expression is affected by anemia, although this factor has no important direct effect on the perinatal outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, University of Thessaly , Larissa , Greece .
authors.forename: Vassiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Michalitsi
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dafopoulos
authors.forename: Kleanthi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gourounti
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Messini
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ioannou
authors.forename: Chrysi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Christodoulaki
authors.forename: Periklis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Panagopoulos
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Messinis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: C497442:HIF1A protein, human; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit
keywords: Anemia; HIF-1α; hypoxia; iron deficiency anemia; pregnancy; β-thalassemia trait