Alteration of trophoblastic tissue apoptosis and their role in toxoplasmosis induce miscarriage

Abstract EN

Toxoplasma gondii (T.

gondii), a common protozoan parasite.

T.

gondii infection occurs worldwide and it is one of the most common infections in humans.

The infection is mainly acquired by ingestion of undercooked or raw meat containing viable tissue cysts or by ingestion of food and water that is contaminated with oocysts shed by cats.

In addition, it has been established that T.

gondii can be transmitted from a recently infected mother to her fetus.

During pregnancy the primary infection may lead to severe if not fatal complications for the fetus.

These direct effects can lead to spontaneous miscarriage, stillbirth or congenital anomalies.

Apoptosis in villous trophoblast is increased in pregnancy complications such as Toxoplasmosis infection.

From our study we found that Toxoplasma gondii downregulated apoptosis when caspase 3 and caspase 9 levels were investigated using immunohistochemistry technique.

Aims of Study : So the aims of this search are to investigate the levels of Caspase 3 and Caspase 9 expression within T.

gondii infected trophoblastic cells and their association with infection.

Method : Fifty patients (aborted women), Their range age between (16−46) years, were included in this study.

All patients sera were subjected to Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) to detect specific Toxoplasma gondii IgM and IgG.

In addition, trophoblastic tissues from the same patients were taken to confirm the infection of the T.

gondii and to evaluate the expression of caspase 9 and caspase 3 using immunohistochemstry method.

Results : Immunehiostochamical technique is more sensitive than ELISA in diagnosis of T.

gondii when 18 patients were positive for Toxoplasmosis by immunohistochemistry While in ELISA only 16 patients were positive for specific anti–Toxoplasma IgM.

The levels of Caspase3 and caspase 9 were downregulated in infected group.

Conclusion : Caspase 9 expression and Caspase 3 expression are significantly highly decreased in women with spontaneous miscarriage in T.

gondii positive group compared to patients control group indicating that Toxoplasma gondii downregulated apoptosis.