Telomerase Activity In Human Placenta Tissues: Comparison Between Preeclampsia With and Without Fetal Growth Restriction

Jung, Young Nae; Kim, Sei Kwang; Chung, Hyun Cheol; Park, Kyu Hyun; Kim, Chang Han; Cho, Hyun Jung; Park, Yong Won; Cho, Jae Sung; Kim, In Kyu; Yang, Young Ho; Kim, Jae Wook

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
To analyze telomerase activity(TA) in human placenta tissues and to compare TA in preeclampsia with or without fetal growth restriction(FGR)
METHODS
Fourty-six placenta specimens were obtained from pregnant women between 29 and 41 weeks' gestation. TA of each specimen was analyzed including 21 specimens without either preeclampsia or FGR(Group 1), 9 specimens with preeclampsia but without FGR(Group 2), and 16 specimens with both preeclampsia and FGR(Group 3). TA was analysed by radioisotope PCR based telomeric repeat amplification protocol(TRAP) assay. TA was calculated and translated into arbitrary units by computer-assisted densitometry with the control of TA in 293 cell lines.
RESULTS
TA was expressed in 16 of 21(76.1%) in group 1, and in 3 of 9(33.3%) in group 2. In contrast, only 4 patients(25%) in group 3 expressed TA. Thus, TA was expressed significantly more often in group 1 than in group 2 and group 3(p=0.003). However, compared with group 2, expression of telomerase activity in group 3 was not reduced significantly(p>0.05).
CONCLUSION
TA was minimal in placenta from preeclamptic women with and without FGR, suggesting placental senescence and apoptosis may be associated with FGR and severe preeclampsia.