Nitric oxide metabolism in the human placenta during aberrant maternal inflammation (original) (raw)
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European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 2000
Nitric oxide (NO) has a relaxant effect on uterine smooth muscle and may be implicated in maintaining uterine quiescence during pregnancy. In order to investigate the role of nitric oxide in human parturition, we have measured NO metabolite levels in maternal and fetal compartments in association with labor, both at term and preterm. We have also examined the localization and distribution of NO synthase (NOS) isoforms in placentas and fetal membranes after term and preterm delivery by means of immunohistochemistry. Although no differences were present in maternal and fetal blood and in maternal urine among groups, we found that NO metabolite concentrations were higher in amniotic fluid collected from women in labor than in non-laboring patients, both at term (15.461.6 vs. 6.860.6 mM/mg creatinine) and preterm (16.762.0 vs. 7.060.8 mM / mg creatinine). Ir-bNOS staining appeared to be decreased in fetal membranes collected after spontaneous labor at term and preterm. In contrast, a stronger staining for iNOS was detected in trophoblast cells of fetal membranes from women in labor than in those from non-laboring women. We suggest that NOS isoenzymes in fetal placental tissues are differently regulated and might play different roles during pregnancy.
Nitric oxide synthesis in placenta is increased in intrauterine growth restriction and fetal hypoxia
Collegium Antropologicum, 2008
In order to study the possible role of nitric oxide (NO) in the human placenta, we measured the concentration of its stable metabolite nitrite (NO 2-) in the placentas of women with normal pregnancies and those from pregnancies complicated by intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) with or without fetal hypoxia. We have measured nitrites by the Griess reaction in 15 placentas from IUGR pregnancies and 12 controls. Cerebroumbilical ratio (C:U) was recorded by color Doppler ultrasound and values below 1 were considered to be a predictor for fetal hypoxia. NO 2 levels measured in pathological placentas were increased for at least 93 % as compared to control. Subjects from pregnancies complicated by IUGR and fetal hypoxia had increased NO 2 as compared to the placentas from pregnancies with IUGR and normal fetal oxygenation. NO production in placenta is increased in pregnancies with IUGR. This effect is more pronounced in those with compromised fetal oxygenation.
Expression of nitric oxide synthase isoforms in the human placenta is not altered by labor
Endocrine journal, 2003
Nitric oxide has various biological activities including smooth muscle relaxation, anti-inflammatory activity, anti-coagulatory activity. As the human placenta is known to express nitric oxide synthases, this study investigated the possible effect of labor on the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in human placental tissues at term. Both eNOS and iNOS mRNA expression in placental tissues in labor were significantly higher than those in the amnion, chorion laeve, decidua vera and myometrium. The eNOS mRNA and protein expressions in placental tissues in labor (n = 12) were 1.6023 +/- 0.1652 (eNOS/GAPDH, mean +/- SEM) and 12.8 +/- 1.3 arbitrary units (AU), respectively, which were similar to those not in labor (n = 10), 1.5806 +/- 0.2042 (eNOS/GAPDH) and 11.4 +/- 1.8 AU. The iNOS mRNA and protein expressions in the placental tissues in labor were 1.2831 +/- 0.2436 (iNOS/GAPDH) and 10.7 +/- 2.1 AU respectively, similar to th...
Compensatory feto-placental upregulation of the nitric oxide system during fetal growth restriction
PloS one, 2012
Fetal Growth Restriction is often associated with a feto-placental vascular dysfunction conceivably involving endothelial cells. Our study aimed to verify this pathogenic role for feto-placental endothelial cells and, coincidentally, demonstrate any abnormality in the nitric oxide system. Prenatal assessment of feto-placental vascular function was combined with measurement of nitric oxide (in the form of S-nitrosohemoglobin) and its nitrite byproduct, and of the endogenous nitric oxide synthase inhibitor asymmetric dimethylarginine. Umbilical vein endothelial cells were also harvested to determine their gene profile. The study comprised term pregnancies with normal (n = 40) or small-for-gestational-age (n = 20) newborns, small-for-gestational-age preterm pregnancies (n = 15), and bi-chorial, bi-amniotic twin pregnancies with discordant fetal growth (n = 12). Umbilical blood nitrite (p<0.001) and S-nitrosohemoglobin (p = 0.02) rose with fetal growth restriction while asymmetric di...
Nitric oxide biosynthesis during normal pregnancy and pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia
Medicinski glasnik : official publication of the Medical Association of Zenica-Doboj Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2017
Aim To investigate biosynthesis in nitric oxide (NO) during normal pregnancy and in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia. Methods This prospective cross-sectional study included 80 patients hospitalized at the Department of Women's Health, Neonatology and Perinatology Cantonal Hospital in Zenica. Serum NO concentration in 20 non-pregnant women, 40 healthy pregnant women and 20 pregnant women with preeclampsia aged 17-40 years were measured. The group of healthy pregnant women were divided into 4 subgroups by gestational age. For each woman with preeclampsia, a healthy pregnant control was matched for age, parity and gestational age. Serum NO concentrations were determined after reduction of nitrates to nitrites using the Griess reaction. Results NO concentrations during second trimester of pregnancy (37.2±1.7µM; p<0.05) and third trimester of pregnancy (40.9±2.8μM; p<0.05) were significantly higher in healthy pregnant women than in non-pregnant women (29.3±1.7μM). Serum...
Nitric oxide synthase activity in human trophoblast, term placenta and pregnant myometrium
Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E, 2003
To investigate the possible role of nitric oxide (NO) produced locally or intramurally in the quiescence of the pregnant myometrium, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity was measured in samples from first trimester (villous, and non villous-trophoblast), term placenta and pregnant myometrium. Trophoblast tissue was obtained from psychosocial termination of pregnancy (9-12 weeks' gestation) whereas placenta and myometrium, from the same patient, at deliveries by Caesarean section. NOS activity was measured in both cytosolic and particulate fractions by the formation of 14C-citrulline from 14C-arginine. Western immunoblotting was used to identify the endothelial NOS (eNOS) and neuronal (nNOS) isoforms. The activity of NOS in particulate fractions from all preparations was considerably higher than the cytosolic fractions. Activity in all fractions except the myometrium was highly Ca-dependent. More than 50% of particulate NOS from the myometrium was Ca-independent. NOS activity was...