Placental apoptosis in preeclampsia, intrauterine growth retardation, and HELLP syndrome: an immunohistochemical study with caspase-3 and bcl-2.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the placental expression of caspase-3 and bcl-2 in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia, IUGR, and HELLP syndrome.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

A prospective case-control study was conducted on 50 pregnant women between December 2006 and August 2007 at Dr. Zekai Tahir Burak Women Health Research and Education Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. Placental tissue samples were obtained from 15 pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia, 15 pregnancies with normotensive IUGR, five pregnancies with HELLP syndrome, and 15 gestational age-matched normotensive pregnancies without intrauterine infection as a control group. The placental expression of caspase-3 and bcl-2 has been investigated by immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTS

Caspase-3 immunostaining score was significantly higher in each group when compared with the control group (p = 0.002). However there was no statistically signifant difference with bcl-2 immunostaining in each group when compared with the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

Apoptotic marker caspase-3 is significantly increased in the villous trophoblasts of patients with preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome, and IUGR indicating increased placental apoptosis.