We found significantly higher levels of casp9, ache, appb, and psen1 mRNAs and significantly lower levels of ptn, nrf2, slc2a1a, cd74a, cd74b, and ece1 mRNAs in the HF group compared to the Cont group (Fig. 3); the level of psen2 mRNA tended to be higher and those of psd95 and bdnf mRNAs tended to be lower in the HF group than in the Cont group, but these differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.052, p = 0.069, and p = 0.054, respectively). Here, CASP9 is linked to hydrops fetalis.