Are there any differences between the distribution of placental bed leukocyte subtypes and plasma cytokine levels of preeclamptic and healthy pregnants?

Objectives: Preeclampsia [PE] is associated with impaired decidual leukocyte and plasma cytokine balance compared with normal pregnancy. We aimed to investigate maternal plasma levels of Interferon-gamma [IFN-g], Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha [TNF-a], Transforming Growth Factor-beta [TGF-b], Interleukin-4 [IL4], IL6, IL10, IL17, IL35, suppressor of Cytokine Signalling-3 [SOCS3] and placental bed leukocytes in preeclamptic and healthy pregnants

Materials and Methods: This study was conducted with 40 preeclamptic and 40 normotensive pregnants. Cytokine levels were studied with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. CD8, CD56 and CD163 antigens were analysed by immunohistochemical study on placental bed biopsies

Results: In preeclamptic women; IFN-g and TGF-b levels were significantly higher and IL-35 levels were significantly lower than those of controls. CD8, CD56 and CD163 positivity of preeclamptic group were not significantly higher than those of controls. CD8 staining showed negative correlation with plasma IL17 levels. CD163 staining showed negative correlation with TNF-a/IL4 ratio. TNF-a/IL4 ratio showed minimal influence on placental bed CD163 staining

Conclusion: Slightly increased placental bed CD8, CD56 and CD163 positive leukocytes and increased plasma IFN-g, TGF-b and decreased plasma IL35 levels of preeclamptic pregnants indicate an aberrant cell mediated immunity in PE. We could not say yet that this condition is whether result or reason. New studies are needed to discuss our results

Comparison of pre-procedural anxiety and depression scores for patients undergoing chorion villus sampling and amniocentesis: An alternative perspective on prenatal invasive techniques

To compare the pre-procedural anxiety and depression levels of patients undergoing chorion villus sampling [CVS] and amniocentesis [AC]. Patients referred to our department for fetal karyotype analysis with a positive first or second trimester screening test for aneuploidy between January 2013 to June 2015 were included. CVS and AC procedures were performed in patients with gestation periods of between 11-14 and 16-20 weeks, respectively. Anxiety was evaluated using the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory [STAI], and depression was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory II [BDI-II]. A total of 1,400 patients were included. Compared to first trimester controls, patients undergoing CVS had significantly higher STAI-state and BDI-II results. Likewise, patients undergoing AC had higher STAI- state and BDI-II scores than controls in the second trimester. In terms of STAI-trait results, no difference was found between the groups. Our results also showed that, compared to AC group, patients undergoing CVS had similar STAI-state, STAI-trait and but higher BDI-II scores. We conclude that evaluating the stress and depression levels of these patients should be one of the routine procedures in pregnancy follow-up

Investigation of apelin expression in endometriosis

Apelin is a mitogenic peptide; it has functions in vessel formation and cell proliferation. In this study we aimed to evaluate the serum and tissue levels and local expression pattern of apelin in eutopic and ectopic endometrium from patients with and without endometriosis and to compare the proliferative and secretory phase differences. Thirty women with endometriosis and 15 women without endometriosis undergoing surgery for benign indications as control group were included in the study. Serum and tissue concentrations and proliferative and secretory phase expression patterns of apelin were evaluated in the ectopic and eutopic endometrium using immunoassay and immunohistochemistry methods. The results were compared with Mann-Whitney U test. The p-values smaller than 0.05 were considered as statistically significant. Apelin expression was detected in eutopic and ectopic endometrium of women with endometriosis and endometrium of control group. Intense immunoreactivity of apelin was observed in glandular cells of eutopic and ectopic endometrial tissues of women with endometriosis and endometrium of control group during secretory phase [p<0.01]. In both groups, tissue concentrations of apelin were higher than of the serum [p=0.03] but, there were no significant differences between the two groups for tissue and serum concentrations of apelin. Apelin expression showed cyclic changes in eutopic and ectopic endometrium. Its expression may be related to menstrual changes of angiogenesis in endometrium of women

Distribution of arylamine N acetyltransferase 2 [NAT2] genotypes among Omanis

To determine the genotypes of arylamine N-acetyltransferase [NAT2] among 127 unrelated apparently healthy Omanis. Identify the most common known polymorphisms of NAT*2 gene namely, G191A, C282T, C341T, C481T, G590A, A803G and G857A using PCR-RFLP analysis. Eleven allele variants [3 alternative] and 30 different genotypes were determined. The commonest alleles were found to be NAT*5B, NAT2*6A and NAT*4 with corresponding frequencies of 0.362, 0.248 and 0.189 respectively. The overall frequency of rapid acetylator alleles was 0.25. A new allele variant containing G590A, C282T and T341C polymorphisms was found in one subject [was named NAT2*5J]. The commonest genotypes were found to be 5B/5B, 5B/6A, 4/5B, 4/6A with frequencies 0.165, 0.157, 0.118, 0.110 and 0.079 respectively

Genotypes and allele frequencies of angiotensin converting enzyme [ACE] insertion/deletion polymorphism among Omanis

To describe the angiotensin converting enzyme [ACE] genotype frequencies among Omani Arabs. A polymerase chain reaction [PCR] test, based on separation of different size DNA fragments, was developed to test the presence or absence [polymorphism] of a small DNA deletion in the ACE gene. The subjects were 124 Omani Arab students of Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat. The frequency of the I allele was 0.29, while that of the D allele was 0.71. The gene frequency distribution did not deviate from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The frequency of D allele among Omanis is similar to that among other Arabs and Africans, but differs significantly from that among the Japanese and Chinese

polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism [PCR-RFLP] test to detect the common mutation [35 delG] in the connexin-26 gene

To develop a polymerase chain reaction [PCR] based test for the detection of a common frame-shift mutation [35delG] in the connexin-26 [GJB2] gene, and to investigate the status of this mutation in Oman. A PCR test, based on sitedirected mutagenesis, was developed for the 35delG mutation. A mutagenesis primer generated an EcoN I site in a short [87 bp] DNA fragment amplifi ed from the connexin-26 gene. The EcoN I site is generated only if the 35delG mutation is present. Thus, a restriction fragment length polymorphism [RFLP] analysis of the amplifi ed DNA fragment with EcoN I allowed us to detect the 35delG mutation in the connexin 26 gene. After validating the test using quality control DNA samples, which contained the 35delG mutation in either homozygous or heterozygous form, 120 healthy subjects and 35 unrelated Omani patients with nosyndromic autosomal recessive deafness [NARD], were screened for 35delG mutation. The mutation was not present in any individual tested. We have been able to develop a new PCR-RFLP test for detecting the 35delG common mutation in the connexin 26 gene. Our preliminary results from application of this test on a limited number of Omani patients indicate that the 35delG mutation may not be associated with NARD in Oman