Oxidative damage to pre-eclamptic placenta: Immunohistochemical expression of VEGF, nitrotyrosine residues and von Willebrand factor

Abstract

Objective: To determine the relationship of biomarkers of placental damage by oxidative stress in pre-eclamptic placenta. Methods: A case-control study was performed on a population of 14 pregnant women with PE and 12 women with normal pregnancies. Immunohistochemical expressions of VEGF, vWF distribution, (Na + K)-ATPase activity, and abundance of nitrotyrosine residues, were assessed in the placental tissue. Results: Women with pre-eclampsia showed increased VEGF expression and abundance of nitrotyrosine residues in placental villous, and plasma vWF levels (p < 0.05), whereas placental (Na + K)-ATPase activity were significantly reduced. The syncytiotrophoblast and the maternal space of pre-eclamptic placenta showed diminished and increased vWF expression, respectively, but no significant differences in its expression were found in the placental endothelium and stroma (p < 0.05). Conclusions: It could be suggested that increased oxidative stress and VEGF contribute to enhance the imp