Placental apoptosis in preeclampsia

Objective: To determine whether preeclampsia is associated with an increase in placental apoptosis and differential expression of mediators of apoptosis. Methods: Placental samples from 31 preeclamptic women and 31 normotensive controls were analyzed using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling staining. Expression of Pas, Fas ligand, Bcl-2, and Bar was assessed using immunohistochemistry. Results: The median percent apoptotic nuclei was significantly higher for the study group than for the controls (0.49 versus 0.19; P = .001), as was the median percent apoptotic nuclei in the trophoblast nuclei (0.33 versus 0.09; P < .01). Pas ligand expression was significantly less and Fas expression significantly greater in the villus trophoblast among the study subjects compared with controls. There was no difference in the expression of Pax or Bcl-2 between groups. Conclusion: Placental apoptosis and altered expression of Fas and Pas ligand in trophoblast might influence pathogenesis or sequelae of preeclampsia. ((C) 2000 by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologisis.).