Histological evidence of oxidative stress and premature senescence in preterm premature rupture of the human fetal membranes recapitulated in vitro.
Preterm prelabor rupture of the membranes (pPROM) may lead to preterm births (PTBs). We investigated premature senescence of fetal membranes in women with pPROM and spontaneous PTB with intact membranes (<34 weeks) and the inducibility fetal membrane senescence phenotype by oxidative stress in vitro. IHC was performed for p53, p21, and phospho (p)-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) as markers of senescence phenotype in pPROM, PTBs, and term births. Term fetal membranes were exposed to cigarette smoke extract to induce oxidative stress. Western blots documented p-p53 and p-p38 MAPK. Transmission electron microscopy assessed cellular morphologic features in clinical and cigarette smoke extract-treated membranes. A total of 80% of pPROM cells and >60% of term cells were positive for all three senescence phenotype markers, and concentrations were higher than in PTBs (P < 0.05). p53 staining was comparable in membranes from PTB and term birth pregnancies, whereas only <30% and <45% of cells were positive for p21 and p38 MAPK, respectively. In vitro cigarette smoke extract exposure increased p-p38 MAPK without any detectable change in p-p53 MAPK. Enlargement of organelles consistent with senescence phenotype was evident in pPROM and term membranes in vivo and after cigarette smoke extract treatment in vitro but was less apparent in PTBs. Histologic and biochemical resemblance of pPROM and term membranes suggests premature senescence of the membranes is a mechanistic feature in pPROM, and this can be phenocopied in an in vitro model.
Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine Perinatal Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas. Electronic address: ram.menon@utmb.edu.
Ramkumar
R
Menon
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas.
Istvan
I
Boldogh
Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas.
Hal K
HK
Hawkins
Electron Microscopy Core Laboratory, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas.
Michael
M
Woodson
Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine Perinatal Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas.
Jossimara
J
Polettini
Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine Perinatal Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas.
Tariq Ali
TA
Syed
Perinatal Research Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
Stephen J
SJ
Fortunato
Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine Perinatal Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas.
George R
GR
Saade
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas.
John
J
Papaconstantinou
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Robert N
RN
Taylor
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D016922:Cellular Senescence; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21 / Q000378:metabolism; D005321:Extraembryonic Membranes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005322:Premature Rupture of Fetal Membranes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism
D015415:Biomarkers; C493956:CDKN1A protein, human; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; C495901:TP53 protein, human; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases