ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate the gene expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in placenta of preeclampsia. MethodsPlacenta were obtained from women with normal pregnancies (n=15) and severe preeclamptic (n=15) after informed consent and under the approval of IRB of Kangwon National University Hospital. The severe preeclampsia was diagnosed as high blood pressure and proteinuria. High blood pressure was defi ned as systolic blood pressure of >160 mm Hg or diastolic pressure of >110 mm Hg and proteinuria was defi ned as urine protein of >2 g/24 hr. We investigated mRNA expression of HO-1, iNOS and eNOS in both groups by real time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. The Student's t-test was used for statistical analysis with SPSS ver. 12.0. P<0.05 was considered to be statistically signifi cant. ResultsThere were no signifi cant differences in maternal age (P=1.181) and gestational age (P=0.30) between the two groups. Fetal birth weight from women with preeclampsia was signifi cantly lower than that from normal pregnant women (P=0.002). We detected differences in mRNA expression of placenta between both groups. Expression of HO-1 was decreased in placenta of preelamptic pregnancies compared to that from normal. However, expression of iNOS and eNOS was higher in preeclamptic group compared to normal. ConclusionWe suggest that preeclampsia is associated with a decreased expression of HO-1 and increased expressions of iNOS and eNOS in placenta.

No abstract