Comparison of placental expression of basic fibroblast growth factor and insulin-like growth factor-1 in placentae of normal, pregnancy-induced hypertension, and preeclamptic pregnancies in Iraqi mothers

Abstract

Background: Many pathological insults are associated with elevation of blood pressure levels during pregnancy resulting in a difficult pregnancy and a poor outcome on both mother and baby. Objective: In this study, we examine the histological and immunohistochemical markers of the placentae in cases of hypertension in pregnancy and preeclampsia and compared them to a placenta of normal pregnancy among a random sample of Iraqi pregnant women. Materials and Methods: Ninety women divided into three groups, 30 in each, selected with straightforward pregnancies (Group A), mothers with pregnancy-induced hypertension (Group B), and preeclamptic mothers (Group C) were chosen from the indoor patients of the gynecology and obstetrics department of Al-Khansaa teaching hospital in Mosul for placental tissues examination. Histological examination was done by using hematoxylin and eosin stain (H & E), and immunohistochemistry was achieved by using immunohistochemical markers named: insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF) markers, which are expressed in placental tissues. Results: Different changes were observed in the placentae affected when compared with normal one, such as syncytial knots formation, thickening of trophoblastic basement membrane, cytotrophoblastic cellular proliferation, fibrinoid necrosis, endothelial proliferation, calcified and hyalinised villous spots, villous edema, and atherosis of the uteroplacental arteries. Significant immunohistochemical changes were obtained when compared with normal placentae where elevation of both b-FGF and IGF-1 in preeclamptic placentae was observed when compared to hypertensive and control cases. Conclusion: Significant changes appeared in the placentae of hypertensive and preeclamptic mothers, both in histological and immunohistochemical examinations.