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http://dx.doi.org/10.5653/cerm.2013.40.1.33

Autophagy-related protein LC3 and Beclin-1 in the first trimester of pregnancy  

Chifenti, Barbara (Department of Translational Research on New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa Medical School)
Locci, Maria Teresa (Department of Translational Research on New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa Medical School)
Lazzeri, Gloria (Department of Translational Research on New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa Medical School)
Guagnozzi, Mariangela (Department of Translational Research on New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa Medical School)
Dinucci, Dino (BIOlab, Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa)
Chiellini, Federica (BIOlab, Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa)
Filice, Maria Elena (Anatomy and Pathology Department, Section 2 Santa Chiara Hospital-University Health Care System)
Salerno, Maria Giovanna (Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit 2, Santa Chiara Hospital-University Health Care System)
Battini, Lorella (Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit 2, Santa Chiara Hospital-University Health Care System)
Publication Information
Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine / v.40, no.1, 2013 , pp. 33-37 More about this Journal
Abstract
Autophagy is a degradation process that acts in response to environmental stressors. Recently, autophagy has been detected in normal term, preeclamptic and intrauterine growth-restricted placentas. The object of this work was to investigate the presence of autophagy in first trimester voluntary interruption of pregnancy placental villi by the expression of autophagy-related proteins, light chain 3 (LC3), and Beclin-1. In first trimester placental villi laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) analysis revealed LC3 and Beclin-1 immunoreactivity prevalently located in villous cytotrophoblasts. Using LSCM, LC3, and Beclin-1 were localized to the cytoplasm of the trophoblast layer in human full-term placentas. Beclin-1 expression and LC3 activation were confirmed by western blotting. These data emphasize that autophagy activation is different among cytotrophoblasts and syncytiotrophoblasts depending on the gestational age and thus we speculate that autophagy might play a prosurvival role throughout human pregnancy.
Keywords
Autophagy; Light chain 3; Beclin-1; Villi; Cytotrophoblasts; Syncytiotrophoblasts;
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