[Expression of long chain fatty acid oxidase in maternal and fetal tissues in preeclampsia-like mouse model in mid-gestation].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the protein expression and distribution of long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (LCHAD) in various maternal and fetal tissues in preeclampsia-like and normal pregnant mouse models during the middle trimester.

METHODS: C57BL/6J mice were divided into preeclampsia-like experimental group with Nw-nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester injection and normal pregnancy control group with normal saline injection. Samples were taken at Day 14 of gestation. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the LCHAD protein expression and distribution in various maternal and fetal tissues.

RESULTS: The mean arterial pressure was (115.6 ± 3.3) mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa) in experimental group and (96.2 ± 4.9) mmHg in control group (P < 0.05). The urine protein contents were (97.0 ± 4.3) µg/g body weight/24h in experimental group and (60.8 ± 4.9) µg/g body weight/24h in control group (P < 0.05). In both groups, LCHAD protein was expressed in maternal liver, kidney, heart and placenta tissues during the middle trimester. And maternal hepatic tissue, myocardial tissue, renal tubule and spongiotrophoblast showed a strong positive expression, placental labyrinth layer a moderate positive expression and glomerulus a weakly positive expression. LCHAD expression of maternal liver and placenta decreased significantly in experimental group (P < 0.05). At Day 14 of pregnancy, LCHAD was expressed in fetal liver, kidney, heart, lung tissue and neural retina. And renal tubule, pulmonary epithelial tissue and neural retina showed a strong positive expression, fetal liver a moderate positive expression and myocardial tissue and glomerulus a weakly positive expression. There was no significant inter-group difference in fetal tissues.

CONCLUSION: LCHAD is expressed and distributed widely in maternal and fetal tissues during the middle trimester. And it may play an important role in maternal metabolism and placenta-fetus development during pregnancy. There is an abnormal protein expression LCHAD in maternal liver and placenta with preeclampsia-like changes.