INVESTIGADORES
FARINA Mariana
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
HUMAN CHORIONIC GONADOTROPIN DOWNREGULATES AQP3 EXPRESSION IN HUMAN PLACENTA
Autor/es:
DI PAOLA M; MARTINEZ N; FARINA M ; MASKIN B; CASTRO PARODI M; DAMIANO A
Reunión:
Simposio; VI LatinAmerican Symposium on Maternal-Fetal Interaction & Placenta; 2015
Resumen:
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is crucial for a successful pregnancy.
It is involved in the differentiation of trophoblast cells, so its dysregulation
may affect the placental functions. Trophoblast abnormalities have a
central role in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia. High levels of hCG are
observed in preeclamptic women. Previously, we identified AQP3 and
AQP9 in the syncytiotrophoblast of human placenta. In subsequent experiments,
we observed that the increased expression of AQP9 found in
preeclamptic placentas correlated with high serum levels of hCG, suggesting
that this hormone may have a stimulatory effect on AQP9.
Regarding AQP3 expression little is known about its regulation in human
placenta.
Objective: To investigate the expression and localization of AQP3 in
normal and preeclamptic placentas, and its behavior at different concentrations
of hGC.
Methods: This study was approved by the ethics committee of the Hospital
Nacional Dr. Prof. Alejandro Posadas, Argentina and written consent
was obtained from the patients.
HCG serum levels were measured in all the pregnant women. AQP3
expression was analyzed by immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry
in normal and preeclamptic placentas. The effect of hCG on AQP3
expression was evaluated in normal placental explants cultured with
different concentrations of recombinant hCG.
Results: As expected, hCG serum levels were higher in preeclamptic
women than in normal ones. However, AQP3 protein expression was
significantly reduced in preeclamptic placentas. A similar decrease was
observed when explants were cultured with high levels of hCG. In all cases,
AQP3 localized in the apical membrane of the syncytiotrophoblast.
Conclusions: Our findings showed that high levels of hCG downregulate
AQP3 expression in the human placenta. Thus, in preeclamptic placentas, it
is possible that the decrease in AQP3 may be related to the increased levels
of this hormone. Further studies are needed to determine the role of AQP3
and the consequences of its dysregulation in preeclampsia.