Evaluation of VEGF in placental bed biopsies from preeclamptic women by immunohistochemistry

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine VEGF protein with immunohistochemical staining in placental bed biopsies of preeclamptic pregnancies in comparison to normal controls. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. METHODS: The placental bed biopsies were obtained from 12 patients with preeclapmsia and ten patients for a control group at the time of cesarean delivery. Tissue samples of the placental bed were examined for VEGF protein distribution with avidin-biotin-peroxidase immunohistochemistry. Two blinded histopathologists were asked to score each sample for the intensity of staining and the number of cells stained in a randomly selected HPF of each sample. The resulting "H-score" was computed as a product of intensity and percent of cells stained. RESULTS: VEGF expression was significantly lower in both the myometrium and stroma of the preeclamptic group compared to the control group (77.2 +/- 25.4 vs 134 +/- 44.3, p = 0.007; 194.1 +/- 20.7 vs 170.2 +/- 17, p = 0.017, respectively). CONCLUSION: VEGF expression is significantly lower in placental bed biopsies of preeclamptic pregnancies.