title: ELF5 transcription factor expression during gestation in humans and rats - an immunohistochemical analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to measure immunohistochemically the expression of ELF5 protein in term human and rat placentas and in human placentas associated with gestational diabetes (GD) and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).
  
  
  METHODS
  The results were quantitated stereologically using the stereological variable of volume density. A semiquantitative analysis was performed independently by a certified pathologist.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total expression of ELF5 protein was higher in pathological pregnancies than in corresponding control term placentas, with both methods of quantifications showing similar results. In addition, ELF5 expression was also higher in connective tissue and blood vessels in chorionic villi in IUGR placentas (but not in GD placentas) compared to healthy controls. ELF5 is higher in placenta as a whole and in most of its components in both pathologies. The two exceptions are chorionic plates in IUGR and decidua in GD, where its expression is lower than in healthy controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have shown that IUGR and GD are associated with significantly increased levels of ELF5 protein in placentas, which suggests that ELF5 may play an important role in normal placentation. However, these are term placentas and to study ELF5 in premature births would give better insight into human placentation in health and disease.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biology , School of Medicine, University of Zagreb , Zagreb , Croatia.
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jurkovic
authors.affiliation: b Department of Pathology , University Hospital Dubrava , Zagreb , Croatia.
authors.forename: Iva
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gecek
authors.affiliation: c Department of Pathology , School of Medicine, University of Zagreb , Zagreb , Croatia.
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Skrtic
authors.affiliation: d Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics , University Hospital Merkur , Zagreb , Croatia , and.
authors.forename: Jasenka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zmijanac Partl
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biology , School of Medicine, University of Zagreb , Zagreb , Croatia.
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nikuseva Martic
authors.affiliation: e Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics , School of Medicine, University of Zagreb , Zagreb , Croatia.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Serman
authors.affiliation: c Department of Pathology , School of Medicine, University of Zagreb , Zagreb , Croatia.
authors.forename: Danica
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Galesic Ljubanovic
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biology , School of Medicine, University of Zagreb , Zagreb , Croatia.
authors.forename: Ljiljana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Serman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002824:Chorionic Villi / Q000473:pathology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D003656:Decidua / Q000473:pathology; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D010929:Placentation; D011247:Pregnancy; D050783:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D014157:Transcription Factors
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C116038:ELF5 protein, human; D050783:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets; D014157:Transcription Factors
keywords: ELF5; IUGR; gestational diabetes; placenta; rat