Placental Apoptosis in Pregnancies with Intrauterine Meconium Passage

Ayşe Korkmaz; Gülsevin Tekinalp; Olcay Oran; Murat Yurdakök; Şule Yiğit; Melda Çağlar; Zuhal Akçören; Lütfü Önderoğlu; Duygu Uçkan

doi:10.1055/s-2005-863788

American Journal of Perinatology, Table of Contents

Am J Perinatol 2005; 22(3): 133-138
DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-863788

Placental Apoptosis in Pregnancies with Intrauterine Meconium Passage

Ayşe Korkmaz¹ , Gülsevin Tekinalp¹ , Olcay Oran¹ , Murat Yurdakök¹ , Şule Yiğit¹ , Melda Çağlar² , Zuhal Akçören² , Lütfü Önderoğlu³ , Duygu Uçkan⁴

¹Neonatology Unit, Hacettepe University, İhsan Doğramacı Children's Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
²Pediatric Pathology Unit, Hacettepe University, İhsan Doğramacı Children's Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
³Perinatology Unit, Hacettepe University, İhsan Doğramacı Children's Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
⁴Pediatric Hematology Unit, Hacettepe University, İhsan Doğramacı Children's Hospital, Ankara, Turkey

Abstract

ABSTRACT

In this study we investigated the presence of placental apoptosis in pregnancies with intrauterine meconium passage. Placental tissue samples at term were obtained from 15 normal and 15 pregnancies with intrauterine meconium passage. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling method was applied to confirm apoptosis in all placental samples. The mean apoptotic ratio was significantly higher in placentas of pregnancies with intrauterine meconium passage when compared with normal ones (0.37 ± 0.06% and 0.29 ± 0.07%, respectively; p < 0.01). The mean apoptotic ratios in trophoblastic and stromal cells were significantly higher in placentas of pregnancies with intrauterine meconium passage than normal placentas (0.47 ± 0.10% and 0.36 ± 0.11% [p < 0.05] and 0.29 ± 0.07% and 0.22 ± 0.07% [p < 0.05], respectively). Increased placental apoptosis in pregnancies with intrauterine meconium passage could be a causative factor in the pathophysiology of the disorder or a direct effect of meconium on placental cells.

KEYWORDS

Meconium - placenta - apoptosis

Full Text

References

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Ayşe KorkmazM.D.

Kıbrıs Sk. No: 1/18, 06690 A

Ayrancı, Ankara, Turkey