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Human placental transthyretin in fetal growth restriction in combination with preeclampsia and the HELLP syndrome

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Abstract

Fetal growth restriction is a serious, still poorly understood pregnancy-related pathology often associated with preeclampsia. Recent studies speculate on the role of human transthyretin, a carrier protein for thyroxin and retinol binding protein, in the etiology of both pregnancy pathologies. Objective was to investigate the localization and abundance of transthyretin (TTR) in placentas of pregnancies suffering from fetal growth restriction with and without preeclampsia and HELLP. This was a retrospective case control study on human paraffin-embedded placentas from pregnancies with a gestational age at delivery between the 24th and 34th week of gestation. 16 placentas were included in this study, 11 cases and 5 from normotensive pregnancies as controls. Cases were divided into three groups: four from early onset idiopathic intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), four from early-onset severe preeclampsia (PE), and three from early-onset IUGR with preeclampsia plus HELLP syndrome. Distribution and abundance of TTR were investigated by means of immunohistochemistry. Semi quantitative analysis of TTR staining of placental sections revealed that TTR was mostly expressed in the villous trophoblast covering placental villi. Only weak staining of TTR in villous stroma could be detected. The comparison of placentas revealed that in pure IUGR and severe PE there is a much stronger TTR reactivity compared to controls and cases with IUGR + PE + HELLP. Concluding, the study showed that TTR is dysregulated in cases of IUGR and severe early onset preeclampsia. Interestingly, TTR expression is not affected in cases with HELLP syndrome that reveal the same staining intensities as age-matched controls.

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Acknowledgments

The study was conducted with founds of the association “Verein zur Förderung der Forschung auf dem Gebiet der Gestosen an der Universitäts-Frauenklinik Münster e. V.”. The authors thank Ms. M. Marciniak and Prof. R. Lellé (Gerhard-Domagk-Institut für Pathologie and Klinik und Poliklinik für Frauenheilkunde und Geburtshilfe, Universitätsklinikum Münster) for precious logistic and scientific support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany

    Arrigo Fruscalzo, R. Schmitz & W. Klockenbusch

  2. Institute of Pathology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany

    G. Köhler

  3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Udine, Udine, Italy

    A. P. Londero

  4. Institute of Cell Biology, Histology and Embryology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria

    M. Siwetz & B. Huppertz

  5. St. Franziskus-Hospital, Hohenzollernring 72, 48145, Münster, Germany

    Arrigo Fruscalzo

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  1. Arrigo Fruscalzo
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  2. R. Schmitz
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  3. W. Klockenbusch
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  4. G. Köhler
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  5. A. P. Londero
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  6. M. Siwetz
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  7. B. Huppertz
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Correspondence to Arrigo Fruscalzo.

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Fruscalzo, A., Schmitz, R., Klockenbusch, W. et al. Human placental transthyretin in fetal growth restriction in combination with preeclampsia and the HELLP syndrome. Histochem Cell Biol 138, 925–932 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-012-0997-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-012-0997-1

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