Pregnant women have high serum concentrations of sex steroid hormones, which are major regulators of paracrine and autocrine responses for many maternal and placental functions. The main purpose of this study was to compare patients with preeclampsia and patients with uncomplicated pregnancies in terms of serum steroid hormones (estradiol [E2], progesterone [P4], dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate [DHEAS], and testosterone [T]) throughout pregnancy and the levels of cord blood and placental steroid receptors during the third trimester. Quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry were used to determine the levels of steroid hormones in the serum and cord blood and the placental levels of estrogen receptor-α (ERα), ERβ, androgen receptor (AR), and progesterone receptor (PR). There were 45 women in the uncomplicated pregnancy group and 30 women in the preeclampsia group. Serum levels of T were greater and serum levels of E2 were reduced in the preeclampsia group, but the two groups had similar levels of P4 and DHEAS during the third trimester. Cord blood had a decreased level of DHEAS in the preeclampsia group, but the two groups had similar levels of P4, E2, and T. The two groups had similar placental mRNA levels of ERα, ERβ, AR, and PR, but the preeclampsia group had a higher level of ERβ protein and a lower level of ERα protein. Immunohistochemistry indicated that the preeclampsia group had a greater level of ERβ in the nucleus and cytoplasm of syncytiotrophoblasts and stromal cells. Women with preeclampsia had lower levels of steroid hormones, estrogen, and ERα but higher levels of T and ERβ. These molecules may have roles in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.

中文翻译：

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先兆子痫妇女性类固醇激素及其受体的水平

孕妇血清中的性类固醇激素浓度高，这是许多母体和胎盘功能的旁分泌和自分泌反应的主要调节剂。这项研究的主要目的是比较整个妊娠期间和妊娠期子痫前期患者和妊娠单纯性患者的血清类固醇激素（雌二醇[E2]，孕酮[P4]，硫酸脱氢表雄酮[DHEAS]和睾丸激素[T]）。妊娠晚期脐血和胎盘类固醇受体的水平。使用定量实时逆转录PCR，蛋白质印迹和免疫组化方法确定血清和脐带血中类固醇激素的水平以及雌激素受体α（ERα），ERβ和雄激素受体（AR）的胎盘水平，以及孕激素受体（PR）。单纯性妊娠组有45名妇女，子痫前期组有30名妇女。先兆子痫组的血清T水平较高，而E2水平则有所降低，但是在妊娠中期，两组的P4和DHEAS水平相似。子痫前期组脐血DHEAS水平降低，但两组P4，E2和T水平相似。两组子痫前期组的胎盘mRNA水平相似，但ERα，ERβ，AR和PR水平较高。 ERβ蛋白水平较高，而ERα蛋白水平较低。免疫组织化学表明，先兆子痫组合体滋养层细胞和基质细胞的核和细胞质中的ERβ水平较高。子痫前期妇女的类固醇激素，雌激素和ERα含量较低，但T和ERβ含量较高。