title: Vascular endothelial growth factor, its receptors, and the tie receptors in the placental bed of women with preeclampsia, diabetes, and intrauterine growth retardation.
abstract: Placental bed vascular function is compromised in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia (PE), intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), and maternal diabetes mellitus (DM). We performed an immunohistochemical analysis of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), its receptors (VEGFR) -1 and -2, and the Tie-1 and -2 receptors in cryostat tissue sections of the placental bed from healthy women (n = 5) and women with PE (n = 5), IUGR (n = 5), and DM (n = 5). VEGF immunoreactivity was stable between the study groups. VEGFR-1 immunoreactivity in the myometrial vascular smooth muscle cells was strongest in the controls. In the myometrial cells, the strongest VEGFR-2 immunoreactivity was seen in women with IUGR. In the decidual vascular endothelial cells, the strongest Tie-1 immunoreactivity was observed in healthy women and in those with DM. Alterations in the placental bed expression of VEGFR-1, VEGFR -2, and Tie-1, but not of VEGF and Tie-2, may be associated with PE, IUGR, or DM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Biomedicum Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Piia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vuorela
authors.forename: Erja
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Halmesmäki
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010920:Placenta / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011254:Pregnancy in Diabetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D042810:Receptor, TIE-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D042787:Receptor, TIE-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042810:Receptor, TIE-1; D042787:Receptor, TIE-2; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2