Search

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the immunohistochemical expression of Aquaporin 3 (AQP3) in placentas of pregnant women with premature rupture of membrane (PROM) and to explore AQP3-related interactors and signaling pathways using in silico approaches. Material and Method: Placental samples from 21 healthy (control) pregnant women and 21 pregnant women diagnosed with PROM were processed for routine histological tissue preparation. Sections were immunostained with AQP3 and analyzed under light microscope via ImageJ software. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of AQP3 was constructed with Cytoscape (version 3.10.2). Nodal centrality indexes (degree, closeness and betweenness) were computed through CentiScaPe plugin. The Enrichr tool was utilized to perform pathway enrichment analysis for 15 central genes. Results: AQP3 immune activity was significantly decreased in the plasma membrane of the trophoblastic cell layer of the PROM group compared to control group. According to network centrality analysis, AQP subfamily proteins predominantly play central roles in the AQP3 network; Major Intrinsic Protein of Lens Fiber (MIP), Glycerol-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase 2 (GPD2), Glyceraldehyde-3- Phosphate Dehydrogenase (GAPDH), Glycerol Kinase 2 (GK2), GK, and Actin Beta (ACTB) with additional central interactors including proteins. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) signaling pathway was obtained as the most significantly enriched pathway. Conclusion: Alterations in AQP3 expression level in the PROM group compared with the control group may contribute to disturbances in water transport and cellular homeostasis in placental tissues and in silico potential interaction between AQP3 expression and PPAR signaling suggest the role of AQP3 in cell metabolism in PROM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Preeclampsia is a pregnancy complication with a high morbidity and mortality rate. Bax is a proapoptotic protein and in recent years, 14-3-3 tau proteins are considered as key regulators of many processes, such as apoptosis. In this study, we investigated the expression of phospho-tau and Bax in preeclampsia apoptosis immunohistochemically. Materials and Methods: Placental tissues of 25 healthy and 25 preeclamptic pregnant were included in the study. Placental samples were fixed with 10% neutral buffered formalin. Routine paraffin wax tissue protocol was used. Results: According to histological micrograf, the trophoblastic cells in the villi were normal in the control group. Mild dilatation in blood vessels was seen. Hyalinized and necrotic areas in chorionic villi and an increase in fibrinoid tissue in root villi were detected in preeclampsia sections. Phospho-tau and Bax primary antibodies were used for immunohistochemical evaluation. The sections from of the preeclampsia group were highly positive for syncytiotrophoblasts and villous connective tissue. It was also statistically different from the control group (p<0.05). Conclusions: When we evaluate the results shows that phospho-tau and Bax may be determinant proteins in the apoptosis pathway of preeclampsia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]