Increased Apoptosis in Chorionic Trophoblasts of Human Fetal Membranes with Labor at Term

Hassan M. Harirah, Mostafa A. Borahay, Wahidu Zaman, Mahmoud S. Ahmed, Ibrahim G. Hager, Gary D. V. Hankins

The Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, USA.
The Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.

DOI: 10.4236/ijcm.2012.32027                

Abstract

Objective: To determine the association of apoptosis in the layers of human fetal membranes distal to rupture site with labor at term. Study Design: Fetal membranes were collected from elective cesarean sections (n = 8) and spontaneous vaginal deliveries (n = 8) at term. The extent of apoptosis within fetal membrane layers was determined using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase deoxy-UTP-nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay and western blots for pro-apoptotic active caspase-3 and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2. Results: Apoptotic index in chorionic trophoblasts of membranes distal to rupture site obtained after vaginal delivery was 3-fold higher than those obtained from elective cesarean (11.57% ± 4.98% and 4.05% ± 2.4% respectively; p = 0.012). The choriodecidua layers after vaginal deliveries had higher expression of the pro-apoptotic active caspase-3 and less expression of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 than those obtained from elective cesarean sections. Conclusions: Labor at term is associated with increased apoptosis in chorionic trophoblast cells of human fetal membranes distal to rupture site.

Keywords

Apoptosis; Membranes; Chorion; Trophoblasts; Labor

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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