WESTERN BLOT DETERMINATION OF CASPASE-3 APOPTOTIC ACTIVITY IN COMPLETE HYDATIDIFORM MOLE AND PERSISTENT TROPHOBLASTIC DISEASE

Abstract

Objective: Complete hydatidiform mole is a gestational trophoblastic disease. It has the potential for malignant transformation. The precise mechanism of pathogenesis remains poorly understood but it has been suggested that defects in apoptosis may play a role. Most complete hydatidiform moles spontaneously regress after suction evacuation. However, about 8-30% of these patients will develop persistent trophoblastic disease and require chemotherapy. Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is a biological process that plays a fundamental role in embryonic development, cellular differentiation, and the maintenance of tissue homeostasis. Caspases, a family of cysteine proteases plays a central role in execution of apoptosis. The aim of this study was to assess apoptotic activity of caspase-3 in complete hydatidiform mole and to compare this with persistent trophoblastic disease. Materials and Methods: In this study, we used Western blot determination of caspase-3 activity to detect apoptosis in samples taken from 3 patients with complete hydatidiform mole, 2 patients with persistent trophoblastic disease and in the placentas of 3 healthy pregnant women as controls. Results: A dramatic increase in the level of caspase-3 activity was found in 3 patients with complete hydatidiform mole and 2 patients with persistent trophoblastic disease as compared to controls. On the other hand, the band levels of active caspase-3 were found to be lower in patients with complete hydatidiform mole than persistent trophoblastic disease group. Conclusion: Apoptosis is important in the pathogenesis of complete hydatidiform mole and may be considered as a prognostic indicator for predicting the clinical behavior of complete hydatidiform mole.