[Expression of Gas6 in placenta and decidua tissues and its relationship with the pathogenesis of preeclampsia]

To investigate the expression of growth arrest-specific protein 6 (Gas6) in the placenta and decidua tissues and its relationship with the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.

All the patients were recruited in Qilu Hospital of Shangdong University from October 2013 to June 2014. Among them, thirty-two women with early-onset severe preeclampsia who received cesarean section were assigned to the preeclampsia group, and thirty healthy pregnant women who received cesarean section were defined as the control group. Blood glucose, blood lipids, platelet count, D-dimer levels and other clinical indicators of the two groups were detected. Immunohistochemistry of SP was conducted to identify the localization of Gas6 protein in the placenta and decidua tissues. And reverse transcription (RT)-PCR was performed for quantitative analysis of Gas6 RNA expression in placentas. The correlations between placental Gas6 mRNA levels with clinical indicators were analyzed.

(1) The gestational age at delivery, blood pressure, serum albumin, platelet count and birth weight of fetuses showed statistically significant differences between the two groups (P < 0.05). (2) The Gas6 protein expressed in the cytoplasm and nucleus of the syncytiotrophoblasts and decidual cells in the placenta and decidual tissues of the two groups. (3) The Gas6 mRNA expression elevated significantly in the placenta of preeclampsia group (0.60 ± 0.38) when compared to that of the control group (0.34 ± 0.22; P < 0.05). (4) The expression of Gas6 mRNA was positively related with body mass index, diastolic blood pressure, systolic blood pressure, free fatty acids and creatinine (P < 0.05), while it was negatively associated with serum albumin (P < 0.05).

The high expression of Gas6 in the placenta and decidua tissues may be related to the pathogenesis of severe preeclampsia.