title: Vitamin C Induces the Reduction of Oxidative Stress and Paradoxically Stimulates the Apoptotic Gene Expression in Extravillous Trophoblasts Derived From First-Trimester Tissue.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of vitamin C on the expression of the genes related to apoptosis in extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs) in the first trimester.
  
  
  METHODS
  Extravillous trophoblasts were cultured under 2% O2 followed by 2% O2 or 8% O2 with or without vitamin C. The level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cultured medium was estimated using electron spin resonance spectroscopy. The expression levels of the genes TP53, BCL2, and BAX were quantified using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Reactive oxygen species were found to be decreased after adding vitamin C under increasing oxygen concentrations. In addition, the ratio of BAX/BCL2 also increased after adding vitamin C under conditions of 2% O2, while the gene expression level of BCL2 increased after adding vitamin C under increasing oxygen concentrations. In contrast, the gene expression level of TP53 and the ratio of BAX/BCL2 both decreased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have revealed that vitamin C reduces ROS and may promote the apoptosis of EVTs under conditions of 2% O2 while paradoxically preventing apoptosis under increasing oxygen concentrations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Showa University School of Medicine, Shinagawa, Japan kurobei343@mac.com.
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kawashima
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Showa University School of Medicine, Shinagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sekizawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Showa University School of Medicine, Shinagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koide
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Showa University School of Medicine, Shinagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Junichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Showa University School of Medicine, Shinagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazue
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Satoh
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Showa University School of Medicine, Shinagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arakaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Showa University School of Medicine, Shinagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Shin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takenaka
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Showa University School of Medicine, Shinagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Matsuoka
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002824:Chorionic Villi / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010920:Placenta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D001205:Ascorbic Acid
keywords: ESR; RT-PCR; apoptosis; extravillous trophoblasts; vitamin C