Correlation between Protein-with-Molecular-Weight-53 (p53), Burkit Cell Lymphoma 2 (Bcl2), and Fas Ligand (FasL) and Vascular-Cell-Adhesion-Molecule-1 (VCAM-1) mRNA Expression Levels in a Pathogenesis Study of Preeclampsia

Abstract

Objective: To determine the role of protein-with-molecular-weight-53 (p53), burkit cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2), Fas ligand (FasL) mRNA, and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), known as the apoptosis-related molecular pathway, in preeclamptic patients. Methods: Observation on the correlation between the mRNA levels of p53, Bcl2 and FasL and VCAM-1 in 31 subjects at 28-42 weeks gestational age was performed in this study using the real time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: The results showed that p53 mRNA increased (>1.2350 ng/μL) in the preeclampsia group compared to the normal pregnancy group (p=0.010), Bcl2 mRNA was lower (≤0.9271 ng/μL) in the preeclampsia group than the control group (p=0.041). There was also a tendency of increased FasL mRNA expression (>0.5509 ng/μL) in the preeclampsia group compared to the normal pregnancy group (p=0.300). The level of VCAM-1 elevated (>890.08 ng/mL) in the preeclampsia group compared to the normal pregnancy group (p=0.001). In preeclampsia, the correlation between the Bcl2/p53 ratio and VCAM-1 was r=0.541 (p=0.002), whereas the correlation in normal pregnancy was r=0.099 (p=0.595). Conclusions: There are correlations between the mRNA expression levels of p53 and Bcl2 as an intrinsic pathway of apoptosis along with the VCAM-1 levels in the incidence of preeclampsia. However, no correlation is found between FasL mRNA expression and the incidence of preeclampsia.

Bax mRNA Expression as A Potential Biomarker of Placental Apoptosis in Early-onset Preeclampsia

“…(11) B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family gene regulation is essential in the activation of apoptosis in the placenta of preeclampsia patients. (12,13) Anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 associated X-protein (Bax) genes exhibit the most significant impact on placental apoptosis. (14) The simultaneous examination of Bax and Bcl-2 gene expressions allows the analysis of the balance of proapoptosis and anti-apoptosis effects, thereby making it easier to explain the phenomenon of susceptibility of a cell to apoptosis.…”