CYTOCHROMOXIDASE ACTIVITY IN SYNCYTIOTROPHOBLAST OF PLACENTAL VILLI IN PREGNANT WOMEN WITH CYTOMEGALOVIRUS INFECTION

Abstract

In this paper we evaluated the activity of cytochrome oxidase and counted the number of apoptotic syncytiotrophoblast nuclei in 25 placentas obtained at delivery in pregnant women with 36-37 weeks gestation period who had been diagnosed with recurrent cytomegalovirus infection at 30-34 weeks. A statistically significant reduction has been found in the amount of reaction products for cytochrome oxidase in the presence of increased number of apoptotic nuclei of syncytiotrophoblast with a peak at 1:1600 titer of IgG antibodies to cytomegalovirus (p<0.05). During intersystem analysis of mutually dependent variables, an inverse relationship has been established between the number of apoptotic nuclei of syncytiotrophoblast and parameters of cytochrome oxidase activity in recurrent cytomegalovirus infection during pregnancy. The results suggest the involvement of mitochondrial factors - cytochrome oxidase and its deficiency in the development of metabolic dysfunction, including dysfunction at DNA level that increase appearance of apoptotic changes in the nuclei of placental syncytiotrophoblast. On the one hand, this fact is a probable reflection of tissue hypoxia, on the other - it indicates the initiation of intracellular enzymatic mechanisms of apoptosis, causing the development of placental insufficiency.