Placental T-Cadherin Correlates With Trophoblastic Invasion Anomalies: Placenta Percreta and Fetal Growth Restriction.

In this study, we compared the placental T-cadherin staining intensity of pregnant women with placenta percreta (PP) and asymmetrical fetal growth restriction (FGR) compared with healthy control pregnancies. Placental T-cadherin levels of the placenta of 86 pregnant women in total, 25 with FGR, 30 with healthy pregnant subjects, and 31 with PP, were examined using monoclonal anti-T-cadherin (CDH13) antibody for immunohistochemical examination. In immunohistochemistry, H -scores were used for each group to compare the expression of T-cadherin in extravillous trophoblast (EVT) cells. T-cadherin H -score of EVTs was highest in the FGR group and the lowest in the PP group. The difference in H -score between the FGR group and the control group was not statistically significant ( P =0.344). The difference between the PP group and the other 2 groups was significant ( P <0.0001). Multivariable linear regression analysis with a stepwise elimination method was performed in order to identify demographic and clinical parameters with significant effects on the T-cadherin H -score of EVTs. The estimation results identified only the disease group as a significant predictor of the H -score of EVTs ( R2 =0.340, P <0.0001). The highest T-cadherin H -score of EVTs was found in the FGR group and the lowest in the PP group. The low T-cadherin H-score values in the PP group suggest that low T-cadherin EVTs may be associated with increased placental invasion. Likewise, despite the statistical insignificance, a higher T-cadherin H -score of EVTs in FGR compared with controls implies a decreased invasiveness of the placenta in FGR.

Effect of ukrain on ischemia/reperfusion-induced kidney injury in rats.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the potential protective effect of ukrain on an experimental kidney injury model induced by ischemia and reperfusion (IR) in rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 24 male Sprague-Dawley rats were equally and randomly separated into three groups as follows: group-1: controls (C; only laparotomy); group 2: renal ischemia-reperfusion (IR; occlusion of the renal artery for 30 min and 2 h of reperfusion); and group 3: ukrain treatment and IR applied group (U + IR; occlusion of the renal artery for 30 min and 2 h of reperfusion; ukrain was intraperitoneally administered 1 h before the IR process). RESULTS: Serum total oxidant status (TOS) and total antioxidant status (TAS) levels were measured. The oxidative stress index was determined by calculating the TOS/TAS ratio. TAS serum levels significantly increased, and TOS serum levels also prominently decreased in U + IR group, when compared with the IR group (P < 0.001). Mean NGAL level was remarkably higher in IR group, when compared with the U + IR group (P < 0.001). Caspase-3 messenger RNA (mRNA) expression level increased in IR and decreased in U + IR group (P < 0.001). Bcl-xL serum and mRNA expression levels increased in the U + IR group (P < 0.001). In addition, serum iNOS and mRNA expression levels increased in IR group and decreased in U + IR group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Data established from the present study suggest that ukrain may exhibit protective effect against IR-induced kidney injury and that antioxidant activity primarily modulates this effect.