Toll Like Receptors Gene Expression In The Placenta And Fetal Membrane Of Pregnancy Complicated With Syphilis

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by treponema pallidum, it is dangerous for pregnancy woman and fetus. Placenta is an exceptional innate immunity organ for fetus, which plays an important role in resistance outside pathogen invading. Toll like receptors (TLRs) is a kind of pathogen pattern-recognition receptor family in the immune system, which can activate the innate immunity and participate in specific immune response. The function of TLRs in the placenta and fetal membrane has not been known. And the role of TLRs in the placenta and fetal membrane of pregnancy complicated with syphilis is still unknown.The original aims of this study was 3-fold—1) to detect TLR2 and TLR4 cellular distribution in human placenta and fetal membranes; 2) to show the changes in TLR2 and TLR4 expression in the development of human placenta and fetal membranes; 3) to describe the changes in TLR2 and TLR4 expression at human placenta and fetal membranes of pregnancy complicated with syphilisExperiment 1:TLR2 and TLR4 cellular distribution and expression in the development of human placenta and fetal membranes[Materials and Methods] Human placenta and fetal membrane (n=5)of gestation 6-12 weeks, 12-24weeks and 24-36 weeks were used to extract the total RNA and synthesize cDNA. RT PCR was undertaken to quantitate the TLR2 and TLR4 gene mRNA expression, Western blotting was used to detect TLR2 and TLR4 protein in the palcenta and fetal membranes. And immunohistochemistry were undertaken to show the TLR2 and TLR4 cellular distribution in normal human placental and fetal membranes.[Result] TLR2 and TLR4 messenger RNA was found in human placenta and fetal membranes. Western analysis with TLR2 and TLR4 antibody yielded positive results for placenta and fetal membranes with one band site around 50KD. TLR2 is expressed at syncytotrophoblast of placenta, cytotrophoblast of chorion and epithelial cell of amnion. And the pattern of TLR4 expression in human placenta and fetal membranes is same as the pattern of TLR2 expression. In the development of human placenta and fetal membranes, both TLR2 and TLR4 were expressed at lowest level in mid-trimester placenta and fetal membranes.Experiment 2:TLR2 and TLR4 expression in human placenta and fetal membrane of pregnancy complicated with syphilis[Method] human placenta and fetal membranes of normal late pregnancy (n=5) and of late pregnancy complicated with syphilis (n=5) were collected to extract the total RNA and synthesize cDNA. RT PCR was undertaken to quantitate the TLR2 and TLR4 gene mRNA expression. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect TLR2 and TLR4 protein in the placenta and fetal membranes of pregnancy complicated with syphilis.[Results] There was a significant increase in mRNA expression in human placenta and fetal membranes of pregnancy complicated with syphilis for TLR2. (P＜0.05; P＜0.05), compared to normal pregnancy, while a significant increase in TLR4 mRNA was also observed (P＜0.05, P＜0.05).[Conclusion] Our results demonstrated that both TLR2 and TLR4 expression at human placenta and fetal membranes. In the development of human placenta and fetal membranes, both TLR2 and TLR4 were expressed at lowest level in mid-trimester. Forever, there was a significant increase in mRNA expression in human placenta and fetal membranes of pregnancy complicated with syphilis for TLR2 and TLR4. (P＜0.05, P＜0.05; P＜0.05, P＜0.05). These findings suggest that TLRs may play an important role in molecular pathophysiology of placenta of pregnancy complicated with syphilis.