Objective: To investigate the expression of HIF-1alpha mRNA and HIF-2alpha mRNA in placentas of pregnant women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy(ICP).
Methods: Twenty samples of placentas from pregnant women with ICP and 20 samples of normal term placentas were selected. The expression levels of HIF-1alpha mRNA and HIF-2alpha mRNA were measured by RT-PCR.
Results: There was no statistically significant difference in respect to the expression levels of HIF-1alpha mRNA and HIF-2alpha mRNA between the two groups of samples (P > 0.05).
Conclusion: Under hypoxic conditions, HIF-1alpha and HIF-2alpha proteins are not transcriptionally regulated at the mRNA level but are probably regulated at the post-mRNA level.