Glicanos de la vellosidad trofoblástica en la anemia ferropénica y la preeclampsia grave

Glycoproteins attached to cell membrane of syncytiotrophoblast are in close contact with maternal blood, thus these molecules could participate in cell-to-cell communication and biological functions involving ligand-receptors in the maternal-fetal interphase. The attached glycans are involved in the stability, folding and exportation of the protein towards the cell membrane. The objective of this study was to characterize the glycan profile of third trimester placental villi obtained from pregnant women with early-onset severe preeclampsia and gestational anemia compared with normal pregnant women. Protein extracts from placental villi were used in lectin blot assays. -2,3 N- and O-linked sialic acid was over-expressed in villous of severe preeclamptic placentas measured by MAA lectin staining. High mannose glycans and Gal-GlcNAc patterns were also increased in severe preeclampsia compared with the other groups. These findings can explain changes in the cell membrane expression of glycoproteins.