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01-02-2007 | Original Article

Expression of E-cadherin and its repressor Snail in placental tissue of normal, preeclamptic and HELLP pregnancies

Authors: Kareen Blechschmidt, Ioannis Mylonas, Doris Mayr, Barbara Schiessl, Sandra Schulze, Karl-Friedrich Becker, Udo Jeschke

Published in: Virchows Archiv | Issue 2/2007

Abstract

Incomplete invasion of extravillous trophoblasts (EVT) is thought to be associated with complications of pregnancy. Snail, a zinc-finger transcription factor represses the transcription of the cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of E-cadherin and Snail in placental tissue with preeclampsia or HELLP. Placental tissues were obtained from five patients with HELLP syndrome, seven patients with preeclampsia and seven patients after a normal term birth and analysed for Snail and E-cadherin immunoreactivity with specific monoclonal antibodies. Immunohistochemical staining of the placental tissue was analysed using an immunoreactivity score for the evaluation of staining intensity. In preeclamptic EVT, Snail immunoreactivity showed a significant 1.7-fold increase, accompanied by a significant 1.9-fold reduction of E-cadherin immunoreactivity. A 1.7-fold increase of Snail and in parallel a 1.3-fold reduction of E-cadherin was observed in EVT of HELLP placentas although without statistical significance. Loss of E-cadherin can be observed during epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), a key process in normal development and trophoblast differentiation. Snail represses the transcription of E-cadherin triggering a complete EMT. Results obtained in this study showed changes of Snail and E-cadherin immunoreactivity in preeclamptic placentas that could be accompanied with an altered EMT in trophoblasts.

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Title: Expression of E-cadherin and its repressor Snail in placental tissue of normal, preeclamptic and HELLP pregnancies
Authors: Kareen Blechschmidt
Ioannis Mylonas
Doris Mayr
Barbara Schiessl
Sandra Schulze
Karl-Friedrich Becker
Udo Jeschke
Publication date: 01-02-2007
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: Virchows Archiv / Issue 2/2007
Print ISSN: 0945-6317
Electronic ISSN: 1432-2307
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00428-006-0343-x

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Expression of E-cadherin and its repressor Snail in placental tissue of normal, preeclamptic and HELLP pregnancies

Abstract

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

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