TY - JOUR AB - Chronic venous disease (CVD) is the response to a series of hemodynamic changes in the venous system and the onset of this disease is often triggered by pregnancy. Placental tissue is particularly sensitive to the characteristic changes which occurs in venous hypertension. In this regard, changes in the extracellular matrix (ECM), that occur to adapt to this situation, are fundamental to controlling elastogenesis. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to analyze the changes that occur in the mRNA and protein expression level of proteins related to elastogenesis in the placental villi of women diagnosed with CVD, in the third trimester of pregnancy. An observational, analytical and prospective cohort study was conducted, in which the placenta from 62 women with CVD were compared with that in placenta from 52 women without a diagnosis of CVD. Gene and protein expression levels were analyzed using reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The results showed a significant decrease in the gene and protein expression level of EGFL7 in the placental villi of women with CVD. By contrast, significant increases in the gene and protein expression level of ECM‑related proteins, such as tropoelastin, fibulin 4, fibrillin 1 and members of the lysyl oxidase family (LOX and LOXL‑1) were also found in the placental villi of women with CVD. To the best of our knowledge, the results from the present study showed for the first time that CVD during pregnancy was associated with changes in the mRNA and protein expression level in essential components of the EGFL7‑modulated elastogenesis process in placental villi. AD - Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, 28801 Madrid, Spain Ramón y Cajal Institute of Healthcare Research, 28034 Madrid, Spain University Center for The Defense of Madrid, 28047 Madrid, Spain Service of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Section of Fetal Maternal Medicine, Central University Hospital of Defence‑University of Alcalá, 28047 Madrid, Spain AU - Ortega,Miguel,A. AU - Asúnsolo,Ángel AU - Fraile‑Martínez,Oscar AU - Sainz,Felipe AU - Saez,Miguel,A. AU - Bravo,Coral AU - De León‑Luis,Juan,A. AU - Alvarez‑Mon,Miguel,A. AU - Coca,Santiago AU - Álvarez‑Mon,Melchor AU - Buján,Julia AU - García‑Honduvilla,Natalio DA - 2021/08/01 DO - 10.3892/mmr.2021.12195 IS - 2 JO - Mol Med Rep KW - chronic venous disease pregnancy extracellular matrix elastogenesis EGFL7 PY - 2021 SN - 1791-2997 1791-3004 SP - 556 ST - An increase in elastogenic components in the placental villi of women with chronic venous disease during pregnancy is associated with decreased EGFL7 expression level T2 - Molecular Medicine Reports TI - An increase in elastogenic components in the placental villi of women with chronic venous disease during pregnancy is associated with decreased EGFL7 expression level UR - https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2021.12195 VL - 24 ER -