Placental expression of insulin-like growth factor-I, fibroblast growth factor-basic, and neural cell adhesion molecule in preeclampsia

Objective. To investigate placental expression of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), fibroblast growth factor-basic (FGF-b), and neural cell adhesion molecule (N-CAM) in preeclampsia. Study design. An immunohistochemical analysis using IGF-I, FGF-b, and N-CAM antibodies was conducted on 4% paraformaldehyde-fixed placental tissues of preeclamptic patients (N=14) and normotensive pregnant subjects (N=10). Immunostaining patterns of chorionic villi and amniochorionic membranes were assessed. Results. Significantly increased FGF-b and N-CAM immunoreactivities in cytotrophoblasts and increased FGF-b immunoreactivity in capillary endothelium of chorionic villi of preeclamptic subjects were noted. Significantly increased FGF-b and decreased N-CAM immunoreactivities in extravillous trophoblasts and decidual cells of amniochorionic membranes obtained from preeclamptic subjects were demonstrated. Additionally, a significantly increased IGF-I immunoreactivity was shown in decidual cells of preeclamptic cases. Conclusion. Investigation of the regional distribution of IGF-I, FGF-b, and N-CAM at the maternal-fetal interface establishes a better understanding of cell-specific altered growth processes, which may be associated with the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.