title: Levels of microRNA-181b and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 are associated with hypertensive disorders complicating pregnancy.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to explore the association between the expression of microRNA (miRNA)-181b and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in the placental tissue of pregnant females with a hypertensive disorder complicating pregnancy (HDCP). Placental tissue samples were obtained from 48 patients with HDCP and 40 females with a normal pregnancy. The levels of miRNA-181b and PAI-1 mRNA were determined by the reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The expression of PAI-1 protein was analyzed by western blotting. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were transfected with the pEGP-miRNA-181b plasmid using Lipofectamine®2000. Transfection efficiency was confirmed by immunohistochemical analysis. The levels of miRNA-181b in the placental tissue of patients with HDCP were lower than those in the control group, whereas the levels of PAI-1 mRNA in the placental tissue of patients with HDCP were higher than those in the control group. The expression of the PAI-1 protein in the HDCP group was higher than that in the control group. Following transfection of VSMCs with plasmid pGCMV/EGFP/miRNA-181b, the levels of PAI-1 mRNA were reduced while the levels of miRNA-181 were upregulated. Furthermore, the expression levels of PAI-1 protein were lower than those in the control group. The levels of miRNA-181b and PAI-1 mRNA were strongly associated with HDCP. Thus, miRNA-181b may play an important role in the regulation of PAI-1. PAI-1 and miRNA-181b may be novel biomarkers to be used in HDCP therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong 515041, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yan-Shan
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong 515041, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong 515041, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Rui-Qin
authors.initials: RQ
authors.lastname: Mai
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong 515041, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
keywords: hypertensive disorders complicating pregnancy; microRNA-181b; plasminogen activator inhibitor-1