Pendrin Expression in Preeclampsia: A Prospective Immunohistochemical Staining Study on Placental Bed Biopsies

ABSTRACT

Introduction: To assess the pendrin expression density in placental bed biopsies from preeclampsia cases in comparison with healthy term controls. Material and Methods: A prospective case-control study with 106 placental bed biopsies obtained during cesarean deliveries. Pendrin expression was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining in different hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Results: Pendrin immunostaining frequency was higher in the hypertensive disorders group (p: 0.024), which was a result of the high frequency in the early-onset preeclampsia group. Uterine artery pulsatility indices were higher in pendrin positive patients than in the negatives in the case group. Gravidity was not found to affect the pendrin expression frequency in the placental bed. Conclusion: Placental ischemia seems to be an important determinant of pendrin expression in pregnant decidua. Increased pendrin density in early-onset preeclampsia could be a pathogenetic mechanism in or a part of the adaptational response to the development of the hypertension.

KEYWORDS:

• Pendrin
• placental bed biopsy
• preeclampsia
• hypertension
• chloride-bicarbonate exchanger

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by a grant from Dokuz Eylul University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit.

Declaration of interest

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

Funding

Dokuz Eylul University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit (187-SBKAEK).