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To investigate tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α expression and its relationship with serum bile acids in placental trophoblasts from patients with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP).

Human placenta, including normal pregnancies (n = 10) and patients with ICP (n = 10), were collected at term and subject to TNF‐α measurements. Bile acid‐induced TNF‐α expression and cell apoptosis were evaluated in cultured syncytiotrophoblasts in vitro.

ICP placental trophoblasts displayed apoptotic histological abnormalities. TNF‐α levels in ICP tissue were significantly greater than those of controls as measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot. Levels of placental TNF‐α mRNA were positively correlated with serum bile acid concentration in ICP patients. In vitro, lithocholic acid (LCA) significantly enhanced TNF‐α mRNA at both doses, by 2.07‐fold at 15 μm and by 3 …