Caspase-3,8 Protein Expression In The First Trimester Pregnancy Trophoblast After Diagnostic Ultrasound Irradiation

Objective: To investigate the relationship between Caspase-3 and Caspase-8 protein expression in the first trimester pregnancy trophoblast and transabdominal diagnostic ultrasound irradiation,and preliminary to study the mechanism of trophoblasts cell apoptosis induced by diagnostic ultrasound.Methods: Twenty-four first-trimester pregnancy women(20~30 years old) were randomly separated into four groups according to different irradiating time, they were exposed to transabdominal diagnostic ultrasound for 0, 10, 20, and 30 minutes respectively.After 24 hours the chorionic villi were obtained through artifical abortion and expression of Caspase-3 and Caspase-8 protein were analyzed by immunohistochemistry.Results: (1)The expression of Caspase-3: There was no difference between 0-min group[(41.72±1.29)×10~-2] and 10-min group[(41.92+1.83)×10~-2]; In contrast with the 0- and 10-min groups, the expression of Caspase-3 significantly increased in 20-min group[(52.99±1.91)×10~-2] and 30-min group[(59.45±1.43)×10~-2] (p<0.05).(2)The expression of Caspase-8:There was no difference between 0-min group[(31.33 ±1.37) ×10~-2] and 10-min group[(31.82± 1.05)×10~-2]; The expression of Caspase-8 in 20-min group[(44.64±0.76)×10~-2] and 30-min group[(53.01 ±0.74)×10~-2] was statistically higher than the 0- and 10-min groups.Conclusion:Continuous irradiation ≥ 20min by transabdominal diagnostic ultrasound may result in higher expression of Caspase-3 protein in the first trimester pregnancy, further inducing trophoblasts cell apoptosis via extrinsic death pathway.