title: Differential Expression of HrtA1 and ADAM12 in Placentas from Preeclamptic and Normotensive Pregnancies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  High temperature requirement factor A 1 (HtrA1) and a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 12 (ADAM12), which play roles in placental implantation and placental growth, have been implicated in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated relative mRNA expression of both genes in placental tissues from women with preeclampsia (N=18) (average gestational age 36 weeks) and an equal number of women with normotensive pregnancies (average gestational age 39 weeks). Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to measure mRNA extracted from term placental biopsies. Differential gene expression was evaluated using Student's T-test and fold change analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistically significant increases in placental HtRA1 (1.69-fold, p=0.030) and ADAM12 (1.48-fold, p=0.010) mRNA expression were observed among preeclamptic cases as compared with normotensive controls. HtrA1 expression was correlated with maternal age (p-value <0.01) among preeclampsia cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increases in HtRA1 and ADAM12 placental gene expression in placentas from preeclamptic pregnancies are consistent with some earlier reports of altered serum protein concentrations in preeclamptic pregnancies. This adds to the literature suggesting that defects in placentation (e.g. involving trophoblast invasion) are of etiologic importance in preeclampsia.
authors.affiliation: Center for Perinatal Studies, Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, WA ; Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.
authors.forename: Daniel A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Enquobahrie
authors.affiliation: Center for Perinatal Studies, Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, WA.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hevner
authors.affiliation: Center for Perinatal Studies, Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, WA.
authors.forename: Chunfang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: Center for Perinatal Studies, Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, WA.
authors.forename: Dejene F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Abetew
authors.affiliation: Center for Perinatal Studies, Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, WA.
authors.forename: Tanya K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Sorensen
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Michelle A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Williams
keywords: ADAM12; HrtA1; placenta, gene expression; preeclampsia