Expression And Clinical Significance Of Organic Anion Transporting Polypeptides-8Gene In Placenta Syncytiotrophoblast Of Intrahepatic Cholestasis Of Pregnancy

Objective To explore the expression and clinical significance ofOrganic Anion Transporting Polypeptides-8(OATP8) gene on placentaassociated with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy(ICP).Methods Placenta were collected from ICP women who delivered fromSeptenber2010to March2011in the First Affiliated Hospital ofChongqing Medical University,including mild pregnant women as mildICP group (n=8)and severe pregnant women as severe ICP group(n=8).Then8healthy pregnant women who delivered in the samegestational age were chosen as control group. The location of OATP8protein in placenta was studied by Immunohistochemical SABc method,.OATP8mRNA level was determined by reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)technique and western blot quantifiedOATP8protein expression level. Results (1) OATP8was located in the placental syntrophoblasticcytomembrane of control group and mild ICP group，stained light tanand mainly on the cytomembrane; in severe ICP group, OATP8alsolocated in placental syntrophoblastic cytomembrane while mainly in thecytomembrane with dark tan staining.(2)The mRNA expression ofOATP8in control group, mild ICP group，severe ICP group were0.13±0.01、0.21±0.02及0.32±0.04, respectively. OATP8in severe ICPgroup was significantly higher than those in control and mild ICP group，which reached statistical significance （P<0.05）. The difference ofmRNA between control group and mild ICP group was statisticalsignificance（p<0.05）.(3) The OATP8protein level in control group, mildICP group,severe ICP group were （0.58±0.05）、（0.82±0.07）及（1.02±0.10）， respectively. OATP8protein expression in the severeICP group was significantly higher than another two groups,whichreached statistical significance （P<0.05）.And there was statisticalsignificance between mild group and control group （p<0.05）.Conclusions In ICP pregnant patients,OATP8protein expression levelin placental syntrophoblastic cytomembrane increases, which maycontribute to the scavenging process of bilirubin or bile acid.