Expression of P-cadherin (cadherin-3) and E-selectin in the villous trophoblast of first trimester human placenta.
OBJECTIVE
Although trophoblastic invasion has a critical role in human placental development, very little is known about them. The aim of the present study was to localise the expression of P-cadherin (cadherin-3) and E-selectin in first trimester placenta.


METHODS
This study was conducted on 140 patients who had applied to Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Haydarpaşa Education Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology between 2005 and 2006. The patients were divided into three groups: ectopic pregnancy group (Group 1), spontaneous abortion group (group 2) and curettage group (group 3 and/or control group). Patients with a history of systemic diseases (such as thrombophilia), a disease or anatomical diagnosis that may cause recurrent abortion or an aetiological factor for ectopic pregnancy were excluded from the study. Paraffin blocks were stained with E-selectin and P-cadherin in accordance with the procedure. Demographic characteristics of patients (patient age, gravida, parity, number of previous abortions, and last menstrual period) and staining intensities were compared using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) among groups.


RESULTS
According to the average scale score of P-cadherin staining of cells, the three groups were statistically different from each other (p=0.0001). This difference stems from statistically significantly lower scores in the spontaneous abortion group than in both the ectopic pregnancy group (p<0.001) and the control group (p<0.001). E-selectin immunostaining showed no positive staining in the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
In placental trophoblasts, decreased P-cadherin immunoreactivity plays a role in the aetiopathogenesis of spontaneous abortion.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Kasımpaşa Military Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
Hüseyin
H
Sahin
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Ankara Military Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Yaşam Kemal
YK
Akpak
Department of Pathology, Haydarpaşa Education Hospital, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, İstanbul, Turkey.
Ufuk
U
Berber
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Haydarpaşa Education Hospital, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, İstanbul, Turkey.
Ismet
I
Gün
Department of Pathology, Haydarpaşa Education Hospital, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, İstanbul, Turkey.
Dilaver
D
Demirel
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Haydarpaşa Education Hospital, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, İstanbul, Turkey.
Ali Rüştü
AR
Ergür
Adhesion molecules; E-selectin; P-cadherin; human trophoblast; placenta