title: Mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition in the placental tissues of patients with preeclampsia.
abstract: During early pregnancy in humans, mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET) contributes to decidualization of endometrial stromal cells in the uterus. Defects in decidualization can interfere with placental formation and can lead to pregnancy complications, including preeclampsia. However, MET markers in preeclamptic placental tissues have not been characterized. To investigate the association between changes in MET and preeclampsia, we evaluated MET markers in preeclamptic placental tissues relative to normal placentas. Placentas were collected from 20 preeclamptic and 20 normotensive healthy women. Protein and mRNA levels of MET-related markers, including E-cadherin, N-cadherin (neural cadherin), vimentin, ZO-1 (zona occludens 1) and SLUG, were analyzed via western blot and quantitative real-time PCR (Q-PCR), respectively. E- and N-cadherin were localized in the placentas through immunohistochemistry. The mRNA and protein expressions of GLI1 and GLI2 were detected by Q-PCR and western blot. In preeclamptic placentas, the mRNA and protein levels of E-cadherin and ZO-1 were elevated relative to the controls, whereas the levels of N-cadherin, SLUG and vimentin were lower. The staining intensities of E- and N-cadherin were consistent with their protein levels detected by western blot. The mRNA and protein levels of GLI1 and GLI2 were significantly lower in preeclamptic placentas compared with that in control placentas. We conclude that MET in the placenta may be associated with the progression of preeclampsia.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.|Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.|Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors: Lili
authors: L
authors: Du
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors: Liyun
authors: L
authors: Kuang
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.|Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.|Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors: Fang
authors: F
authors: He
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors: Wenting
authors: W
authors: Tang
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors: Wen
authors: W
authors: Sun
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.|Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.|Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors: Dunjin
authors: D
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D010929:Placentation / Q000502:physiology*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014746:Vimentin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000071676:Zinc Finger Protein GLI1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000075746:Zinc Finger Protein Gli2; D062826:Zonula Occludens-1 Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015820:Cadherins; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; C569042:TJP1 protein, human; D014746:Vimentin; D000071676:Zinc Finger Protein GLI1; D000075746:Zinc Finger Protein Gli2; D062826:Zonula Occludens-1 Protein