Telomerase and proliferative activity in placenta from women with and without fetal growth restriction

Objective: To analyze telomerase and proliferative activity in placenta fro m women with and without fetal growth restriction (FGR). Methods: Telomerase activity was analyzed in 30 first-trimester chorionic v illi specimens (group A) and in 28 second- and third-trimester placenta spe cimens (group B) from women without FGR. Telomerase activity also was analy zed in 11 placenta specimens from women with asymmetric FGR (group C). The proliferative activity of these 69 specimens was assessed by immunohistoche mical staining, using the MIB-1 monoclonal antibody. Results: Telomerase activity was detected in 28 (93.3%) of 30 chorionic vil li specimens and in 18 (64.3%) of 28 placenta specimens without FGR. In con trast, no telomerase activity was exhibited in the placenta specimens from any of the 11 women with asymmetric FGR by telomeric repeat amplification p rotocol assay. Telomerase activity also was detected by in situ telomeric r epeat amplification protocol assay in trophoblastic cells from women withou t FGR but not in trophoblastic cells from women with asymmetric FGR. Thus, telomerase activity was detected significantly more often in groups A and B than in group C (P < .01). The rate of proliferative activity, evident as positive MIB-1 staining in trophoblastic cells, in groups A and B (28.1 +/- 1.7% and 7.0 +/- 2.9%, respectively) was significantly higher than that in group C (1.9 +/- 0.6%; P < .01). Conclusion: Telomerase and proliferative activity were minimal in placenta from women with asymmetrical FGR, suggesting placental senescence with asym metrical FGR.(C) 1999 by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecolo gists.