EXPRESSION OF AQUAPORIN-3 (AQP3) IN HUMAN PREECLAMPTIC PLACENTA

SZPILBARG NATALIA; ANUD, CAROLINA; SIERRA, MATÍAS; REPPETTI, JULIETA; MEDINA, YOLLYSETH; DAMIANO, ALICIA E

Buenos AIres

Congreso; Reunion Conjunta de Sociedades de Biociencia; 2017

Trophoblast apoptosis is exacerbated in preeclampsia. Recently, we have reported that the blocking of aquaporin 3 (AQP3) abrogates the apoptotic response of the trophoblast. In this context, we hypothesized that changes in placental AQP3 are required to trigger the programmed cell death.Our aim was to determine the expression of AQP3 in normal and preeclamptic placentas. This study was approved by the ethics committee of the Hospital Nacional Dr. Prof. A. Posadas. We performed semiquantitative western blot and PCR and immunohistochemistry to examine mRNA levels, protein expression and localization of AQP3 in normal and preeclamptic placentas. We demonstrated that AQP3 protein expression was reduced 45% compared to normal placentas (n =13, *p < 0.05), AQP3 mRNA decreased 62% (n =13, *p < 0.05). Regarding AQP3 localization, it was found in apical membrane of syncytiotrophoblast in normal placentas, but it was undetectable in preeclamptic placentas. Our results show that the expression of AQP3 is dramatically reduced in preeclamptic placentas. At the light of our results we speculate that the decreased expression of AQP3 might be an adaptive response of the placenta to reduce trophoblast apoptosis which is related to the clinical manifestations of preeclampsia.