| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||
Regular article |
a Department of Anatomy & Human Biology, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia
ABSTRACT
Apoptosis, or physiological cell death, is elevated in the placenta of human pregnancies complicated by fetal growth retardation, suggesting that placental apoptosis may be a key factor in the overall control of feto-placental growth. The present study used DNA internucleosomal fragmentation analysis to characterize apoptosis in the two morphologically and functionally distinct regions of the rat placenta, the basal and labyrinth zones, during the last week of pregnancy (Days 16, 22, and 23). In addition, because glucocorticoids are potent inhibitors of feto-placental growth and can stimulate apoptosis in other tissues, we examined whether dexamethasone treatment in vivo induces placental apoptosis. DNA fragmentation was clearly evident in both placental zones at each stage of pregnancy, with higher levels evident in the basal zone compared with the labyrinth zone on Days 22 and 23. TUNEL analysis, which identifies dying cells in situ, demonstrated positive staining of cells in the basal zone, particularly giant trophoblast cells. Dexamethasone treatment increased DNA fragmentation in the basal zone but not the labyrinth zone. Similarly, maternal treatment with carbenoxolone, which can enhance local concentrations of endogenous glucocorticoid by inhibition of 11ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, also increased DNA fragmentation in the basal zone but not in the labyrinth zone. These effects of dexamethasone and carbenoxolone on placental apoptosis were associated with reduced placental and fetal weights. In conclusion, this study shows that apoptosis occurs in both zones of the rat placenta, particularly in the basal zone near term, and is elevated after increased glucocorticoid exposure in vivo. These data support the hypothesis that placental apoptosis is an important player in the regulation of feto-placental growth, and establish the rat as a useful model to study the endocrine control of placental apoptosis.
First decision: 18 January 2000.
1 Supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (project grant 970132).
2 Correspondence. FAX: 61 8 9380 1051; bwaddell{at}anhb.uwa.edu.au
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  A. E. Michael and A. T. Papageorghiou Potential significance of physiological and pharmacological glucocorticoids in early pregnancy Hum. Reprod. Update, September 1, 2008; 14(5): 497 - 517. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M G Gnanalingham, P Williams, V Wilson, J Bispham, M A Hyatt, A Pellicano, H Budge, T Stephenson, and M E Symonds Nutritional manipulation between early to mid-gestation: effects on uncoupling protein-2, glucocorticoid sensitivity, IGF-I receptor and cell proliferation but not apoptosis in the ovine placenta Reproduction, October 1, 2007; 134(4): 615 - 623. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 D. P. Hewitt, P. J. Mark, and B. J. Waddell Glucocorticoids Prevent the Normal Increase in Placental Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Expression and Placental Vascularity during Late Pregnancy in the Rat Endocrinology, December 1, 2006; 147(12): 5568 - 5574. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
P. J. Mark and B. J. Waddell P-Glycoprotein Restricts Access of Cortisol and Dexamethasone to the Glucocorticoid Receptor in Placental BeWo Cells Endocrinology, November 1, 2006; 147(11): 5147 - 5152. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 D. P. Hewitt, P. J. Mark, A. M. Dharmarajan, and B. J. Waddell Placental Expression of Secreted Frizzled Related Protein-4 in the Rat and the Impact of Glucocorticoid-Induced Fetal and Placental Growth Restriction Biol Reprod, July 1, 2006; 75(1): 75 - 81. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R. Ishimura, T. Kawakami, S. Ohsako, K. Nohara, and C. Tohyama Suppressive Effect of 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin on Vascular Remodeling That Takes Place in the Normal Labyrinth Zone of Rat Placenta during Late Gestation Toxicol. Sci., May 1, 2006; 91(1): 265 - 274. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
C. S. Wyrwoll, P. J. Mark, T. A. Mori, I. B. Puddey, and B. J. Waddell Prevention of Programmed Hyperleptinemia and Hypertension by Postnatal Dietary {omega}-3 Fatty Acids Endocrinology, January 1, 2006; 147(1): 599 - 606. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. P. Hewitt, P. J. Mark, and B. J. Waddell Placental Expression of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors in Rat Pregnancy and the Effect of Increased Glucocorticoid Exposure Biol Reprod, January 1, 2006; 74(1): 23 - 28. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 N. Nanashima, J. Asano, M. Hayakari, T. Nakamura, H. Nakano, T. Yamada, T. Shimizu, M. Akita, Y. Fan, and S. Tsuchida Nuclear Localization of STAT5A Modified with O-Linked N-Acetylglucosamine and Early Involution in the Mammary Gland of Hirosaki Hairless Rat J. Biol. Chem., December 30, 2005; 280(52): 43010 - 43016. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R. Ain, L. N Canham, and M. J Soares Dexamethasone-induced intrauterine growth restriction impacts the placental prolactin family, insulin-like growth factor-II and the Akt signaling pathway J. Endocrinol., May 1, 2005; 185(2): 253 - 263. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. Salvi, C. Fiore, V. Battaglia, M. Palermo, D. Armanini, and A. Toninello Carbenoxolone Induces Oxidative Stress in Liver Mitochondria, Which Is Responsible for Transition Pore Opening Endocrinology, May 1, 2005; 146(5): 2306 - 2312. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
H. Yamauchi, K.-i. Katayama, M. Ueno, K. Uetsuka, H. Nakayama, and K. Doi Involvement of p53 in 1-{beta}-D-Arabinofuranosylcytosine-Induced Trophoblastic Cell Apoptosis and Impaired Proliferation in Rat Placenta Biol Reprod, June 1, 2004; 70(6): 1762 - 1767. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 T J. McDonald, K. L. Franko, J. M. Brown, S. L. Jenkins, P. W. Nathanielsz, and M. J. Nijland Betamethasone in the Last Week of Pregnancy Causes Fetal Growth Rtardation but Not Adult Hypertension in Rats Reproductive Sciences, December 1, 2003; 10(8): 469 - 473. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. Lonergan, D. Aponso, K. W. Marvin, R. J. A. Helliwell, T. A. Sato, M. D. Mitchell, T. Chaiwaropongsa, R. Romero, and J. A. Keelan Tumor Necrosis Factor-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand (TRAIL), TRAIL Receptors, and the Soluble Receptor Osteoprotegerin in Human Gestational Membranes and Amniotic Fluid during Pregnancy and Labor at Term and Preterm J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., August 1, 2003; 88(8): 3835 - 3844. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. R. Lareu, M. D. Lacher, C. K. Bradley, R. Sridaran, R. R. Friis, and A. M. Dharmarajan Regulated Expression of Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein 3 in the Rat Corpus Luteum Biol Reprod, June 1, 2003; 68(6): 2232 - 2240. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
N. Alfaidy, S. Gupta, C. DeMarco, I. Caniggia, and J. R. G. Challis Oxygen Regulation of Placental 11{beta}-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase 2: Physiological and Pathological Implications J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., October 1, 2002; 87(10): 4797 - 4805. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
K.-i. Katayama, M. Ueno, H. Takai, N. Ejiri, K. Uetsuka, H. Nakayama, and K. Doi Ethylnitrosourea Induces Apoptosis and Growth Arrest in the Trophoblastic Cells of Rat Placenta Biol Reprod, August 1, 2002; 67(2): 431 - 435. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. N. Berg, A. M. Dharmarajan, and B. J. Waddell Glucocorticoids and Progesterone Prevent Apoptosis in the Lactating Rat Mammary Gland Endocrinology, January 1, 2002; 143(1): 222 - 227. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
F. Gaytan, C. Morales, C. Bellido, and J. E. Sanchez-Criado Selective Apoptosis of Luteal Endothelial Cells in Dexamethasone-Treated Rats Leads to Ischemic Necrosis of Luteal Tissue Biol Reprod, January 1, 2002; 66(1): 232 - 240. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
