Placental bed apoptosis is increased in pregnant women with pre-eclampsia versus normotensive pregnant women

abstract

We hypothesised that apoptosis in the placenta is increased in pregnant women whose pregnancies were complicated by pre-eclampsia as compared to normal pregnant women. Biopsy samples were obtained by punch biopsy from placental beds in 15 pre-eclamptic and 15 normotensive pregnant women during cesarean section. Apoptosis in syncytiotrophoblasts, syncytial cluster, extravillous cytotrophoblast, and decidual and stromal cells were evaluated by caspase-3, bax and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end-labelling (TUNEL) immunohistochemical methods. A significant involvement was observed via caspase-3 and TUNEL methods in the syncytiotrophoblasts, syncytial cluster and extravillous cytotrophoblast cells of the pre-eclamptic group versus normotensive group (p < 0.001). Caspase-3 method found significantly increased involvement in the pre-eclamptic group versus normotensive group (p < 0.001). Although bax method found significantly increased involvement in syncytiotrophoblasts in the pre-eclamptic group versus normotensive group (p < 0.001), no significant difference was found between the groups in terms of involvement of other cell groups (p > 0.05). Apoptosis in the placental bed is increased in pre-eclamptic woman.

Keywords:

• Apoptosis
• pre-eclampsia
• placental bed
• caspase-3
• TUNEL method

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Funding information

This study did not receive any specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sector.