Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1α Expression in Chorionic Tissue and Decidua of Women with Spontaneous Abortion at the First Trimester of Pregnancy

Abstract

Oxygen-regulated genes expression has important role in pre-implantation embryonic metabolism regulation. Hypoxia Inducible Factor (HIF) regulated by hypoxia oxygen tension is crucial for placenta development. But the data about its role in spontaneous abortion is very poor. Thus, we aimed to determine an expression level of HIF-1α in chorionic tissue and decidua at pregnancy. Samples of chorionic tissue and decidua were taken after surgical termination of normally progressing pregnancies in 5-9 week of gestation (n = 8) and spontaneous abortion in 5-9 week of gestation (n = 9). HIF-1α expression was analyzed using semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Compared with decidual tissue, the expression of HIF-1α was increased in chorionic tissue in condition of normally progressing pregnancy. HIF-1α expression in samples of both tissues is equal in spontaneous abortion. In same time the expression of HIF-1α was decreased (1,5 fold) in chorionic tissue for spontaneous abortion compared with control group. The results demonstrated that low HIF-1α expression level in chorionic tissue can be associated with spontaneous abortion in first trimester of pregnancy.