Changes in reactive oxygen species, superoxide dismutase, and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α levels in missed abortion

This study aimed to investigate changes in the expression levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) in the trophoblasts of patients who had experienced missed abortions. The missed abortion group included 28 patients with missed abortions. The control group was comprised of 35 women who had elected to undergo surgically induced abortion in their first trimester, and whose embryos were confirmed to be alive before surgery. No woman in either group had any known causative factor for missed or spontaneous abortion. As soon as the diagnosis of "missed abortion" was definitively made, the chorionic trophoblast was obtained by induced abortion operation. The same method was used for individuals in the control group, who were at 7-10 weeks of pregnancy. Levels of ROS, SOD, and HIF-1α in the chorionic trophoblasts from women in both groups were examined within 1 hour by fluorescent staining, chemiluminometry, and enzyme immunoassay methods. The SOD and HIF-1α levels were lower and the ROS level was higher in the trophoblasts from women in the missed abortion group compared to levels in the control group (P < 0.05). ROS, SOD and HIF-1α levels in the chorionic trophoblasts from patients with missed abortion are altered compared to levels in control patients. Changes in these factors should be evaluated further for their potential role in missed abortion.