| BackgroundsPre-eclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-specific disease, which seriously affect t he health of both the mother and the baby. Its pathogenesis is complex. In rec ent years, studies suggest that epithelial cadherin (E-cadherin) and cyclooxygen ase-2(COX-2) play intricate roles in the process which involved in the tropho blastic regulation. E-cadherin is a sticky calcium protein, and is an integral par t of the sugar protein superfamily,which can promote calcium-dependent cell-ce11adhesion. COX-2is an important rate-limiting enzyme in the synthesis proce ss of prostaglandins(PGs), which is referred to as the "rapid response gene".I n most organizations of the intrinsic normal physiological state COX-2is not detected, but when the cells receive the appropriate stimulus (such as endotoxi n, oncogenes, cytokines, and tumor-promoting agent), it may be induced in its formation process to involve in inflammation and the atherosclerotic process.It has been considered that COX-2can make use of different ways to promote c ell invasion and metastasis.There are a large number of studies have shown that in malignant tumors the expression of E-cadherin decrease while the expression of COX-2increase. During to the similarity invasion process of trophoblast in pregnancy and tumor cell, the study of the roles of E-cadherin and COX-2in the development process of pre-eclampsia become particularly important.ObjectivesIn our study the expressions of E-cadherin and COX-2in placentas were detected by immunohistochemical SP method, and to analysis the expression levels in the placentas of patients and theirs relationship with neonatal weights. To explore theirs roles in the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia and the mechanisms that affect neonatal weight.Materials and Methods1The study objects(1) Grouping method:Choosing70cases of primiparas mature pregnant woman from October2011to July2012, who were hospitalized in the obstetrics of Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Province. Their gestational age were after37weeks.24cases of mild pre-eclampsia patients were considered as MPE group and26cases of severe pre-eclampsia patients were considered as SPE group. Selecting20cases of normal healthy pregnant women in the same period of hospitalization as the control group.(2) Screening criteria:Times of onset of MPE group and SPE group were after34weeks pregnant,which is known as late-onset pre-eclampsia.All patients were singleton pregnancies,and had been excluded from pregnancy idiopathic diseases (such as low thyroid function during pregnancy, gestational diabetes, intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, and chronic surgical diseases, et al), the original onset disease (such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, et al) and pregnancy complications (such as polyhydramnios or oligohydramnios, premature rupture of membranes, placenta previa, placental abruption et al).The manners of termination of pregnancy in all subjects are cesarean section.(3) Diagnostic criteria:The diagnostic criterion of mild pre-eclampsia and severe pre-eclampsia were referenced to the7th edition "Obstetrics and Gynecology "which published by People’s Health Publishing House editored by Le Jie. 2Research methods:(1) When the placentas were delivered we immediately took the opposite sides of the umbilical cord attached to the parts of maternal surface sizes of about1cm x1cm x1cm placental tissues,and avoided the large blood vessels and calcifications. The specimen were rinsed by normal saline until clean, and were fixed in10%formalin solution.Then they were embedded in paraffin and were cut into4μm slices. We used immunohistochemistry SP method in the placental tissues to detect the expression of E-cadherin and COX-2. Image acquisition and analysis system were used to determine the expressions of two proteins, which were respresented by the mean optical density value of the semi-quantitative.(2) When the neonatals were born, we used conventional measurement methods to measure the neonatal weights recording accurate measurement to grams (g).(3) The processing of experimental results analysised by SPSS17.0statistical software. General measurement data were displayed by x±s; the quantitative data were compared using ANOVA analysis; correlation analysis using Pearman correlation analysis;P<0.05was considered as statistically significant difference.Results1The differences of each group in age, gestational age, basal blood pressure and body mass index were not statistically significant (P>0.05).2The average optical density of the expression of E-cadherin in placentas of the control group, the MPE group, the SPE group were respectively105.88±3.25,127.33±2.80and139.29±3.92. Pairwise comparisons among the three groups, the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05).3The average optical density of the expression of COX-2in placentas of the control group, the MPE group, the SPE group were respectively101.88±6.97,105.17±6.11and117.57±7.30. The difference between the SPE group and the control group was statistically significant (P<0.05). But when the MPE group compared with the control group and the SPE group compared with the MPE group, the differences were not statistically significant (P>0.05).4The neonatal weights of the control group, the MPE group, the SPE group were respectively (3658.00±309.87) g,(3308.50±355.11) g and (3018.14±344.98) g. Pairwise comparisons among the three groups, the difference were statistically significant (P<0.05).5The expressions of E-cadherin were gradually increased accompanied by the progress of pre-eclampsia. The expression of COX-2increased significantly only in the SPE group.The varies of the expression of COX-2were fluctuated, but they were showed an overall increasing trend. Both in the the MPE group and the SPE group the expressions of E-cadherin and the expressions of COX-2were positively correlated, respectively (r=0.564, P<0.05; r=0.765, P<0.05); there was no significant correlation in the control group. The expressions of E-cadherin and neonatal weights in the MPE group, SPE group were negatively correlated, respectively (r=-0.575, P <0.05; r=-0.784, P<0.05); there was no significant correlation in the control group. The expressions of COX-2and neonatal weights in the MPE group, SPE group were negatively correlated, respectively (r=-0.617, P<0.05; r=-0.862, P<0.05); there was no significant correlation in the control group.Conclusions1The expressions of E-cadherin in late-onset mild pre-eclampsia and late-onset severe pre-eclampsia placenta were abnormal high expression,so we can speculate that E-cadherin take part in the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia.2The expressions of COX-2in late-onset severe pre-eclampsia placenta compared with normal pregnancy increased significantly, while no significant difference in the late-onset mild pre-eclampsia.We can speculate that COX-2may be involved in the pathogenesis of late-onset severe pre-eclampsia.3The expressions of E-cadherin and COX-2in placentas was no correlation in normal pregnancy, but when pre-eclampsia occurred, they began to show positive correlations, so we can consider that the correlations were because they and pre-eclampsia affect each other.4In late-onset pre-eclampsia, negative correlations between the expressions of E-cadherin and COX-2in placentas were showed, while their relationship with neonatal weight were not obvious in normal pregnancy. |
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