Nitric Oxide Synthase Expression in Placental Tissue in Iron Deficiency Anemia

One of the most important pathogenetic mechanisms of pregnancy complications are disregulation changes caused by the functioning disturbance of the nitric oxide depending (nitrergic) systems. Hypoxia occuring in iron deficiency anemia affects the activity of guanylate cyclase, which is an oxygen acceptor and intimately depends on the nitric oxide production. Thus, iron deficiency acts as a trigger for mediation violation of nitrergic system. The objective of the study was to evaluate the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in placental tissue of the patients with iron deficiency anemia. The research was conducted at the maternity home № 2 (Odessa) and pathomorphology department of SI "IPAG NAMSU", Kyiv). 20 pregnant women were examined. They were divided into two groups: I (control group) included10 women with physiological pregnancy and childbirth and II (experimental group) included 10 women suffering from iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy. The level of eNOS expression was assessed with the use of immunohistochemical method. The expression of eNOS in placental tissue of women giving birth who had signs of iron deficiency anemia during the whole period of gestation, decreases in both the cytoplasm of syncytium villi and endothelium of fetal capillaries, and cytoplasm of vascular endothelial decidua. The described changes in the expression of eNOS may act as prerequisites for the development of endothelial dysfunction and associated pathological conditions during pregnancy.