학술논문
Cardiac gene expression of GATA-4 transcription factor in human trisomy 21 fetuses with increased nuchal translucency
Document Type
Article
Source
Prenatal Diagnosis; March 1998, Vol. 18 Issue: 3 p267-271, 5p
Subject
Language
ISSN
01973851; 10970223
Abstract
This study examines GATA-4 gene expression in cardiac tissue from fetuses with trisomy 21 presenting with increased nuchal translucency thickness at 10–14 weeks of gestation. mRNA was extracted from cardiac tissue after termination of pregnancy at 10–18 weeks of gestation in ten trisomy 21 fetuses and 29 normal controls. Northern and slot blots were performed and densitometric analysis of slot blots was used to determine the steady-state levels of expression of GATA-4. GATA-4 transcript levels were also compared with ANP and BNP, which have previously been measured in the same panel of samples. GATA-4 expression increased significantly with gestation but there was no significant difference between fetuses with trisomy 21 and controls. There was no significant association between GATA-4 expression and the steady-state level of transcripts for the natriuretic peptides. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.