Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No. 7 Front Kangfu Street, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
Reprod Sci. 2013 Aug;20(8):981-9. doi: 10.1177/1933719112472740. Epub 2013 Jan 15.
The Wnt signaling pathway is a conserved pathway and plays a crucial role in regulating trophoblast functions. Abnormal expression of the Wnt pathway may result in the dysfunction of the trophoblast that can contribute to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia (PE). However, published data regarding the association between Wnt pathway and PE in human pregnancy is rare.
The aims of this study were to investigate the expression pattern of Wnt2 and secreted frizzled-related protein 4 (sFRP4) in the third trimester human placenta and to evaluate the relationship between changes in placental Wnt2 and sFRP4 expression and severe PE.
The expression of Wnt2 and sFRP4 in normal and severe PE placentas was examined using immunohistochemistry (IHC), real-time polymerase chain reaction, and Western blot.
Compared to the controls, the relative expression of Wnt2 messenger RNA was remarkably downregulated in the PE placentas, while there was no significant difference in sFRP4 between the 2 groups. The IHC indicated that Wnt2 and sFRP4 were expressed predominantly in the villous syncytiotrophoblast and the extravillous trophoblast, whereas Wnt2 in the control group showed higher staining intensity than in the PE group, and sFRP4 in the PE group had a higher staining intensity than in the control group. Furthermore, the results of the Western blots were consistent with the IHC.
The Wnt signaling pathway was detected in human third trimester placentas, and the decreased placental expression of Wnt2 and increased placental expression of sFRP4 may be associated with the pathogenesis of severe PE.
Wnt 信号通路是一条保守的通路，在调节滋养细胞功能方面起着至关重要的作用。Wnt 通路的异常表达可能导致滋养细胞功能障碍，从而导致子痫前期（PE）的发病机制。然而，关于人类妊娠中 Wnt 通路与 PE 之间的关联的已发表数据很少。
本研究旨在探讨 Wnt2 和分泌型卷曲相关蛋白 4（sFRP4）在妊娠晚期人胎盘中的表达模式，并评估胎盘 Wnt2 和 sFRP4 表达变化与重度 PE 的关系。
采用免疫组织化学（IHC）、实时聚合酶链反应和 Western blot 检测正常和重度 PE 胎盘中 Wnt2 和 sFRP4 的表达。
与对照组相比，PE 胎盘中 Wnt2 信使 RNA 的相对表达显著下调，而两组之间 sFRP4 无显著差异。IHC 表明 Wnt2 和 sFRP4 主要表达于绒毛合体滋养细胞和绒毛外滋养细胞，而对照组中 Wnt2 的染色强度高于 PE 组，PE 组中 sFRP4 的染色强度高于对照组。此外，Western blot 的结果与 IHC 一致。
在人类妊娠晚期胎盘检测到 Wnt 信号通路，胎盘 Wnt2 表达降低和 sFRP4 表达增加可能与重度 PE 的发病机制有关。
