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The immunohistochemical evaluation of VEGF in placenta biopsies of pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia

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Abstract

Objective

The study was designed to determine the protein levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the placenta biopsies of patients with preeclampsia and compare with normal controls.

Design

Prospective cohort study.

Methods

The placental biopsies were obtained from ten patients with preeclampsia and ten patients of control group at the time of delivery. Avidin–biotin-peroxidase immunohistochemistry was then performed to identify levels of VEGF protein within the tissue and a semi-quantitative method was devised to score the amount of staining present in the sample. Two histopathologists who were blinded to the groups were asked to score each sample for the intensity of staining and the number of cells stained in a randomly selected per high-power fields of each sample. The resulting “H-score” was computed as a product of intensity and percent of cells stained.

Results

The VEGF expression was significantly higher in placenta biopsies of preeclamptic patients compared to that of controls (271.2 ± 22.65 vs. 201.9 ± 12.33, P = 0.000).

Conclusion

Immunostaining of VEGF is significantly higher in placenta biopsies of patients with preeclampsia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Bornova, Izmir, 35100, Turkey

    Fuat Akercan, Teksin Cirpan, M. Cosan Terek, Sermet Sagol & Nedim Karadadas

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Celal Bayar University Faculty of Medicine, Manisa, Turkey

    H. Tayfun Ozcakir

  3. Department of Histology and Embryology, Celal Bayar University Faculty of Medicine, Manisa, Turkey

    Gulsen Giray

Authors
  1. Fuat Akercan
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  2. Teksin Cirpan
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  3. M. Cosan Terek
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  4. H. Tayfun Ozcakir
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Correspondence to Teksin Cirpan.

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Akercan, F., Cirpan, T., Terek, M.C. et al. The immunohistochemical evaluation of VEGF in placenta biopsies of pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia . Arch Gynecol Obstet 277, 109–114 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-007-0430-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-007-0430-5

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