Investigation On The Relationship Between Placental Inhibin-activin-follistatin System And Pregnancy Agression

Objective By studying the changes of inhibin-activin-follistatin system in placenta across human pregnancy, immunohistochemistry was used to investigate the expression changes of inhibinA,inhibinB,activinA,activinB and FS with pregnancy development.Methods 90 placenta were collected from normal women undergoing first and second trimester terminations and term ceasaren delivered women. The localization and expression of inhibinA,inhibinB activinA, activinB and follistatin were studied by histochemistry and image analysis.Results1. The positive staining of inhibinA were evident in syncytiotropho -blast ,cytotrophoblast and endothelial cells of villous vessels in placenta of all women.The positive staining of inhibinA were increased progressively throughout three trimester. There are significant differences between the first and second trimester (P< 0.01), the second and third trimester(P < 0.01) ,the first trimester and third trimester (P < 0.01). A positive relative correlation was seen between the expression of inhibinA in the placental and the pregnancy weeks (r=0.97,P< 0.01) .2. The positive staining of inhibinB could be seen in syncytiotro -phoblast ,cytotrophoblast and endothelial cells of villous vessels in placenta of all women. There are no significant differences between the first, second and third trimester (P > 0.05). A negative relative correlation was seen between theexpression of inhibinB in the placental and the pregnancy weeks (r=-0.466, P < 0.01) .3. The positive staining of activinA were evident in syncytiotro-phoblast ,cytotrophoblast and endothelial cells of villous vessels in placenta of all women. There are significant differences between the first and the second trimester (P<0.01), the first and third trimester(P < 0.01). But the difference between the second and third trimester is not different (.P>0.05). A positive relative correlation was seen between the expression of inhibinA in the placental and the pregnancy weeks (r=0.804, P < 0.01)4. The positive staining of activinB were faint in syncytiotro-phoblast ,cytotrophoblast and endothelial cells of villous vessels in placenta of all women. There are no significant differences between the first, second and third trimester (P > 0.05).No relative correlation was seen between the expression of inhibinB in the placental and the pregnancy weeks (r=0.31,P > 0.05)..5. The positive staining of follistatin could be seen in syncytiotro-phoblast ,cytotrophoblast and endothelial cells of stem villous vessels in placenta of all women. There are no significant differences between the first , second trimester and third trimester^ > 0.05). A negative relative correlation was seen between the expression of follistatin in the placental and the pregnancy weeks(r=-0.38, P<0.05) .Conclusion1. Inhibin-activin-follistatin system is mainly present in placental villous syncytiotrophoblast, cytotrophoblast and endothelial cells of stem villous vessels. The identical upregulation of placental inhibinA and activinA gonging with pregnancy developement. The expressions of inhibinB,activinB and FS were not significantly changed. The dynamic balance of inhibin,activin and follistatinsystem is important for the normal development of pregnancy.2.It is inferred that inhibin,activin and foilistatin or their inhibitor may used in clinical to prevent or treat with some pregnancy complications,such as IUGR,PIH, recurrent abortion,et al.