Expressions of TGF-beta receptors in human placenta and regulation of HIF-1alpha expression in cell lines.
Published: 2004
Language: eng
Number of pages: 125
Description: Transforming growth factor beta3 (TGF-beta3) and hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) are important regulators of trophoblast differentiation during human placental development. The overexpression of HIF-1alpha and TGF-beta3 has been associated with preeclampsia; a pregnancy related disease, characterized by shallow trophoblast invasion. In the present study, I have investigated the expression of two TGF-beta type I receptors (ALK-1 and ALK-5) in human placentae throughout pregnancy. During early placentation, temporal changes in ALK-1 expression but not ALK-5, parallels that of TGF-beta3. In addition, both ALK-1 and ALK-5 were overexpressed in preeclamptic placentae. In this study, I also examined oxygen regulation of HIF-1alpha expression in different cell lines. The results showed that different cell lines demonstrated different HIF-1alpha expression pattern when they were exposed to hypoxic condition. This result is important for the design of future experiments that may use these cell models to study the role of HIF-1 in oxygen-regulated TGF-beta3 transcription.
Notes: Adviser: Isabella Caniggia.

Thesis (M.Sc.)--University of Toronto, 2004.

Electronic version licensed for access by U. of T. users.

Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 42-06, page: 2082.

MICR copy on microfiche (2 microfiches).