Oxidative stress may increase production of superoxide and nitric oxide, leading to formation of prooxidant peroxynitrite to cause vascular dysfunction. Having found nitrotyrosine residues, a marker of peroxynitrite action, in placental vessels of preeclamptic and diabetic pregnancies, we determined whether vasoreactivity is altered in these placentas and treatment with peroxynitrite produces v...

The primary mechanism underlying pre-eclampsia (PE) remains one of the most burning problems in the obstetrics and gynecology. In this study, we performed an expression profiling screen and detected 1312 genes that were differentially expressed (p<0.05 and fold change >1.5) in PE placentas, including LEP and SH3PXD2A. After validating the microarray results, we conducted the quantitative methyl...

Factors controlling complement activation appear to exert a protective effect on pregnancy. This is particularly important in women with thrombophilia. The aim of this study was to determine the transcript and protein levels of complement decay-accelerating factor (DAF) and membrane cofactor protein (MCP) in the placentas of women with acquired and inherited thrombophilia. Also, we assessed imm...

BACKGROUND Maternal diabetes mellitus not only has severe deleterious effects on fetal development, but also it affects transmission to the next generation. However, the underlying mechanisms for these effects are still not clear. METHODS We investigated the methylation patterns and expressions of the imprinted genes Peg3, Snrpn, and H19 in mid-gestational placental tissues and on the whole f...

TROPHOBLAST RETRIEVAL AND ISOLATION FROM THE CERVIX (TRIC) FORNON-INVASIVE PRENATAL GENETIC DIAGNOSIS AND PREDICTION OFABNORMAL PREGNANCY OUTCOMEby RANI B. FRITZAugust 2015Advisor: D. Randall Armant, Ph.D.Major: Physiology (Reproductive Sciences Concentration)Degree: Doctor of PhilosophyThe placenta is vital for the shortand long-term health of the fetus, and...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship between oxygen sensitivity of trophoblast and hypoxia in preeclamptic placenta by the study on the expressions of hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl 4-hydroxylase (PHD) and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) in placentas from normal pregnant women and patients with pre-eclampsia. METHODS Subjects were chosen from the in-patients or the out-patients from May ...

BACKGROUND Gestation is a critical window for neurodevelopmental vulnerability. This study examined whether the presence of trophoblast inclusions (TIs) in the placenta could serve as a predictor for children at elevated risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHODS Placentas were obtained from 117 births in the MARBLES (Markers of Autism Risk in Babies-Learning Early Signs) cohort of fami...

Fetal growth is critically dependent on energy metabolism in the placenta, which drives active exchange of nutrients. Placental oxygen levels are therefore vital, and chronic hypoxia during pregnancy impairs fetal growth. Here we tested the hypothesis that placental hypoxia alters mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETS) function, and sought to identify underlying mechanisms. We cultured hu...