Microvessel density and VEGF expression in pituitaries of pregnant women.
OBJECTIVE
In pregnant women, the pituitary is enlarged and the prolactin (PRL) secreting cells increase in size and number. This PRL cell hyperplasia is associated with hyperprolactinemia. The aim of the present work was to investigate adenohypophysial vascularization and immunoexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in pituitaries of pregnant and post-partum women and compare the results with age-matched adenohypophyses of nonpregnant women who had no endocrine diseases.


METHODS
Pituitaries (n=18) obtained by autopsy from female patients of reproductive age who had died during pregnancy, after abortion or during post-partum were immunostained for CD-34 and VEGF using the streptavidinbiotin- peroxidase complex method.


RESULTS
The results showed that microvessel densities and VEGF immunoexpression in the adenohypophyses of pregnant and post-partum women were similar to those found in the control pituitaries.


CONCLUSIONS
It can be concluded that pituitary enlargement and PRL cell hyperplasia in pregnant women may occur without neovascularization and increased VEGF immunoexpression.
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Pathology, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. rotondof@smh.ca
Fabio
F
Rotondo
Angelo
A
Rotondo
Mark
M
Jentoft
Bernd W
BW
Scheithauer
Luis V
LV
Syro
Jorge H
JH
Donado
James E
JE
Tarara
Kalman
K
Kovacs
D000028:Abortion, Induced; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D055806:Microvessels / Q000502:physiology*; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D009929:Organ Size; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000098:blood supply / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D011184:Postoperative Period; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000502:physiology*; D014015:Tissue Banks; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
D018952:Antigens, CD34; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A