Increased Placental Telomerase mRNA in Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy

Abstract

Objective. We assessed hTERT mRNA levels in normal versus preeclamptic placental samples, examining hTERT expression levels in different clinical manifestations of hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. Methods. We performed a single-site, prospective case-control study of hTERT mRNA levels in placentas from term and preterm pregnancies with hypertensive disorders compared with unaffected pregnancies. Placental biopsies were collected from 61 patients (preeclamptic: 32; non-preeclamptic (control): 29). Total RNA from placenta was isolated and reversely transcribed to c‐DNA. A probe-specific real-time quantitative PCR assay was employed to determine the relative expressional levels of hTERT mRNA levels in these placentas from both unaffected and affected pregnancies with different categories of hypertensive disorders including preeclampsia, severe preeclampsia, eclampsia and HELLP syndrome (Hemolysis, Elevated Liver function tests, Low Platelet). Results. The average ratio of hTERT mRNA levels was 1.73 in the preeclamptic group and 1.02 for control group (p < 0.0001). The hTERT expression levels were elevated for each of the different categories of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy compared with control: HELLP syndrome 1.86, severe preeclampsia 1.81, eclampsia 1.71 and mild preeclampsia 1.63. In addition, hTERT levels were higher in severe than mild preeclampsia (p < 0.01). Conclusions. Elevated hTERT mRNA expression is observed in placentas from pregnancies with different clinical manifestations of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. The patho-physiological significance of this finding awaits further studies.

• Telomeres
• Telomerase
• Hypertensive Disorder of Pregnancy
• hTERT
• Preeclampsia
• HELLP syndrome

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We would like to thank Dr. Abraham Aviv from University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey for his editing and corrections of the manuscript. We would like to thank Traci Hutchins and Janet Ober-Berman from the department of Ob/Gyn at Temple University for their assistance in preparing this manuscript and for their continued support.