Objective:
Recurrent miscarriage (RM) is one of the most common clinical problems in
reproduction. The aims of the current study were to evaluate the expression of ERK and Akt pro-
teins in human trophoblastic tissue and to assess the significance of MAPK and PI3K-Akt signal
pathways in the progression of unexplained recurrent miscarriage.
Study design:
A case-control
study.
Setting:
Women Health Hospital, Assiut, Egypt.
Materials and methods:
All pregnant women
presented with first-trimester inevitable miscarriage with a history of RM, defined as three or more
spontaneous consecutive first-trimester miscarriages before 12 weeks’ gestation, were included in
the study (RM group). Age-matched healthy women who had at least one normal pregnancy with
no history of miscarriage were included as a control group at the time of delivery. A sample of
trophoblastic tissue was taken for Western blot test to evaluate the level of phospho-ERK and
Akt (active forms) proteins in trophoblastic tissue.
Results:
The study included 20 women in each
group. There were non-significant differences between both groups as regards maternal age, BMI,
passive smoking and family residence. There were significantly lower levels of p-ERK and p-Akt in
the RM group as compared to the control group (
p
= 0.001).
Conclusion:
The activation of ERK
and Akt pathway plays a significant role in RM. The data suggest that decreased expression of
p-ERK and p-Akt occurs less frequently during RM may play a role in this process. This suggests
that p-ERK and p-Akt may be markers of RM

Expression of ERK and Akt proteins in women with unexplained first-trimester recurrent miscarriage. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/308780788_Expression_of_ERK_an… [accessed Oct 2, 2016].