Abstract
Growth and development of placentas in all pregnancy periods and that of fetuses in late pregnancy were inhibited after administration of interferon-γ (IFN-γ). Apoptosis can be detected by TUNEL at the maternal-fetal interface during normal rat pregnancy. Apoptosis locations at the maternal-fetal interface changed according to the period of pregnancy. The results of immunohistochemistry and the DNA ladder assay showed that IFN-γ could promote the apoptosis levels during the entire pregnancy, but it did not change the apoptosis locations. IFN regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1), FasL, and p53 expressions were modulated by IFN-γ during the entire pregnancy. In vitro cell proliferation assay indicated that IFN-γ could inhibit proliferation of human cytotrophoblast cells, and flow assay showed that this effect was mainly due to apoptosis induction. TUNEL and Hoechst staining also showed that IFN-γ could induce apoptosis of human cytotrophoblast cells. Expression of IRF-1 was induced and expression of active caspase-3 was promoted by IFN-γ treatment, but IFN-γ did not affect the expression of IFNGR and p53.
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