Expression of survivin in early villus and decidua and its implication

To investigate the expression and implication of survivin protein and mRNA in decidua and villus and the effects of mifepristone on its expression, survivin levels in decidua and villus collected from 15 normal early pregnant women and 15 early pregnant women pretreated with 150 mg mifepristone and 400 micrograms misoprostol were assessed by immuno-histochemical techniques and reverse transcriptional-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Our results showed that survivin proteins were stained in the cytoplasm of trophoblasts and decidual cells and in the nuclei of some of the decidual glandular epithelial cells. The expression was strongest in the trophoblasts and decidual glandular epithelial cells. The expression values in the villus and decidua were (14.56 +/- 2.44) and (10.46 +/- 2.81) respectively for normal pregnant and (8.45 +/- 2.08), (7.33 +/- 1.91) for those pretreated with mifepristone respectively (P < 0.05). The transcription of survivin mRNA in villus and decidua of those pretreated with mifepristone decreased significantly compared with those in the normal pregnant women (P < 0.05). It is concluded that survivin can be expressed in the decidua and villus and mifepristone inhibits its mRNA transcription and protein expression, which could possibly be one of the factors inducing decidual and villous apoptosis.