title: Expression of AP-2γ in placentas of patients with preeclampsia and of smokers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is evidence of a probable key role of the activator protein-2 γ (AP-2γ) in placental development. It is still an open question whether AP-2γ expression may be influenced by preeclampsia, which is a serious pregnancy complication, or by smoking, which has deleterious effects on trophoblastic development.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thus, the expression of AP-2γ was studied in trophoblastic epithelium and endothelium of placentas from patients with preeclampsia (n = 43) and smokers (n = 45) as well as placentas of healthy pregnant women (control group, n = 26) between gestational ages 23 and 43 weeks. To allow differential expression in primary, secondary and tertiary villi, AP-2γ expression (arbitrary units) was determined immunohistologically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In preeclamptic placentas trophoblastic as well as endothelial cells AP-2γ expression was significantly higher compared to that in control placentas. Endothelial AP-2γ expression in placentas from smokers was similar to that of healthy women while trophoblastic AP-2γ expression in smokers' placenta was insignificantly higher compared to that of control placentas. In all three groups expression rates of AP-2γ did not differ between primary, secondary and tertiary villi.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A correlation between increased trophoblastic and endothelial AP-2γ expression in patients with preeclampsia and reduced trophoblastic invasion and migration in preeclampsia has to be discussed. Furthermore, increased AP-2γ expression may play a protective role in preeclampsia, protecting from raised blood pressure. The tendency of an enhanced trophoblastic AP-2γ expression in smokers may indicate a compensatory response to the disturbed balance between proliferation and differentiation of villi induced by smoking.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Pathology, University Clinic Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Strasse 25, 53127, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Hannah A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Gembruch
authors.forename: Rolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fimmers
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schmitz
authors.forename: Annette M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D010929:Placentation; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D050656:Transcription Factor AP-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D050656:Transcription Factor AP-2