title: Expression and clinical significance of LXRα and SREBP-1c in placentas of preeclampsia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the expression and correlations of liver X receptor alpha (LXRa) and its target gene sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) in placentas of preeclampsia (PE) and their significance in PE.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pregnancies were divided into two groups, 60 cases (29 cases of mild and 31 cases of severe) of PE group and 56 cases of normal group. The level of mRNA and protein of LXRa and SREBP-1c were analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in the placentas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RT-PCR and IHC results showed that the mRNA and protein expression of both LXRa and SREBP-1c increased gradually with the extent of PE among normal pregnancy, mild PE and severe PE groups, and the differences were of statistically significance (P<0.01 or P<0.05). There were positive correlations between the expression of LXRa mRNA and SREBP-1c mRNA, also between LXRa mRNA and LXRa protein (r=0.521, P<0.01; r=0.422, P<0.01). The expression of SREBP-1c mRNA positively correlated with its protein level (r=0.598, P<0.01). There were positive correlations between the expression of LXRa protein and SREBP-1c protein (r=0.612, P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expression of LXRa is elevated significantly in placentas of PE patients, and might contribute for promoting the transcription and translation of its target gene SREBP1-c, which is related to the occurrence and development of PE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, The 1st Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jianhua
authors.affiliation: Departmento of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, the 2nd Affiliated Hospital Affiliated to Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350003, China.
authors.forename: Miao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xueqin
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, The 1st Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China.
authors.forename: Hu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jifen
keywords: LXRa; Preeclampsia; SREBP-1c; Trophoderm