Hyaluronan in the nuchal skin of chromosomally abnormal fetuses.
Hum Reprod
; 15(5): 1155-8, 2000 May.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-10783369
ABSTRACT
Nuchal skin oedema at 10-14 weeks gestation, observed by ultrasonography as increased nuchal translucency (NT), is found in approximately 70% of fetuses with trisomies 21, 18 and 13 as well as those with Turner's syndrome. This study investigates the possibility that one mechanism for increased translucency is an altered composition of the skin with a higher concentration of hyaluronan; large amounts of hyaluronan can lead to excessive hydration of the extracellular matrix. We isolated the hyaluronic acid binding region (HABR) from aggrecan in the extracellular matrix of hyaline cartilage and used it in a biotinylated form in combination with a fluorescent probe as a marker for hyaluronan. Immunohistochemistry was then used to examine the nuchal skin of chromosomally abnormal and normal fetuses, obtained after termination of pregnancy. In fetuses with trisomy 21 there was a substantial increase in hyaluronan, whereas in trisomies 18 and 13 and Turner's syndrome the amount was similar to that in chromosomally normal controls. This finding suggests that hyaluronan may be implicated in the pathogenesis of increased NT in fetuses with trisomy 21, but the common phenotypic expression of increased translucency in different chromosomal abnormalities may be the consequence of other mechanisms.
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Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Pele
/
Aberrações Cromossômicas
/
Edema
/
Doenças Fetais
/
Ácido Hialurônico
Limite:
Female
/
Humans
/
Pregnancy
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Hum Reprod
Assunto da revista:
MEDICINA REPRODUTIVA
Ano de publicação:
2000
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Reino Unido