Browsing by Subject "Placenta"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    The differential expression of Kiss1, MMP9 and angiogenic regulators across the feto-maternal interface of healthy human pregnancies: implications for trophoblast invasion and vessel development
    (Public Library of Science, 2013) Matjila, Mushi; Millar, Robert; van der Spuy, Zephne; Katz, Arieh
    Genes involved in invasion of trophoblast cells and angiogenesis are crucial in determining pregnancy outcome. We therefore studied expression profiles of these genes in both fetal and maternal tissues to enhance our understanding of feto-maternal dialogue. We investigated the expression of genes involved in trophoblast invasion, namely Kiss1, Kiss1 Receptor (Kiss1R) and MMP9 as well as the expression of angiogenic ligands Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-A ( VEGF-A) and Prokineticin-1 ( PROK1 ) and their respective receptors (VEGFR1, VEGFR2 and PROK1R ) across the feto-maternal interface of healthy human pregnancies. The placenta, placental bed and decidua parietalis were sampled at elective caesarean delivery. Real-time RT-PCR was used to investigate transcription, while immunohistochemistry and western blot analyses were utilized to study protein expression. We found that the expression of Kiss1 (p<0.001), Kiss1R (p<0.05) and MMP9 (p<0.01) were higher in the placenta compared to the placental bed and decidua parietalis. In contrast, the expression of VEGF-A was highest in the placental bed ( p<0.001 ). While VEGFR1 expression was highest in the placenta (p<0.01), the expression of VEGFR2 was highest in the placental bed (p<0.001). Lastly, both PROK1 (p<0.001) and its receptor PROK1R (p<0.001) had highest expression in the placenta. Genes associated with trophoblast invasion were highly expressed in the placenta which could suggest that the influence on invasion capacity may largely be exercised at the fetal level. Furthermore, our findings on angiogenic gene expression profiles suggest that angiogenesis may be regulated by two distinct pathways with the PROK1/PROK1R system specifically mediating angiogenesis in the fetus and VEGFA/VEGFR2 ligand-receptor pair predominantly mediating maternal angiogenesis.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    Maternal, infant and placental size at birth : a study of firstborn, term infants and their mothers in Cape Town
    (1984) Woods, David Lawrance; Malan, A F
    This study was conducted to document the size of primigravid women and their infants and placentas born at term in the Coloured community of Cape Town. It also explored the relationship between maternal, infant and placental size at birth. One thousand nine hundred and fifty seven firstborn infants delivered at term to Coloured women by the Peninsula Maternity Service during 1975 and 1976 were examined. The birth weight, crown-heel length and head circumference of each infant were measured, the gestational age assessed and the ponderal index of weight to length calculated. In addition the standing height, delivery weight and postdelivery weight of 395 of their mothers were measured and the Quetelet index of weight to height determined. The trimmed weight and chorionic plate area of 992 of the study infants' placentas were also measured and the placental thickness calculated.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    Stevens Johnson Syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis: maternal and foetal outcomes in twenty-two consecutive pregnant HIV infected women
    (Public Library of Science, 2015) Knight, Lauren; Todd, Gail; Muloiwa, Rudzani; Matjila, Mushi; Lehloenya, Rannakoe J
    Introduction Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) form a spectrum of a rare and life-threatening cutaneous drug reaction. SJS/TEN in pregnancy poses largely unknown risk factors and outcomes for both the mother and foetus compared to the general population. METHODS: We conducted a study of consecutive pregnant women admitted to single tertiary referral centre in South Africa with SJS/TEN over a 3 year period. They were all managed by the same medical team using the same protocols. We evaluated their underlying illnesses, offending drugs and the course of pregnancy and outcomes to determine factors influencing maternal and foetal outcomes. RESULTS: We identified twenty-two women who developed SJS/TEN while pregnant, all of them HIV-infected. Their median age was 29 years. The majority 16/22 (73%) had SJS, the milder variant of the disease affecting < 10% body surface area. Nevirapine was the offending drug in 21/22 (95%) cases. All 22 of the mothers survived with 3/22 (14%) developing postpartum sepsis. Pregnancy outcomes were known in 18/22 women and 9/18 (50%) babies were delivered by caesarean section. There were 2 foetal deaths at 21 and 31 weeks respectively and both were associated with post-partum sepsis. Postnatal complications occurred in 5 cases, 3 involving the respiratory system and the other two being low birth weight deliveries. Eight placentae and one foetus were sent for histology and none showed macroscopic or microscopic features of SJS/TEN. On follow-up, only 12/20 children were tested for HIV at 6 weeks post-delivery and none of them were HIV-infected. All had received prophylactic ARVs including nevirapine. CONCLUSIONS: TEN, the severe form of the disease, was associated with poorer foetal outcomes. SJS/TEN-associated mortality is not increased in HIV-infected pregnant women. Maternal SJS/TEN does not seem to commonly manifest in the foetus.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    Utero-placental blood flow in hypertensive pregnancy and the effect of nifedipine administration
    (1987) Lindow, S W; Davey, D A
    Nifedipine, in a 5mg sublingual acute administration, causes a significant fall in the systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure in a mixed group of pregnant hypertensives. A concurrent, significant rise in the pulse rate was seen. The utero-placental blood flow index, which is a measure of utero-placental blood flow, was not significantly reduced following the administration of Nifedipine or a placebo. The utero-placental blood flow index was found to be a consistent measure of utero-placental blood flow in resting patients. In the absence of serious side-effects it can be concluded that Nifedipine is a safe therapy in the acute treatment of hypertensive states in pregnancy.