Expression of androgen receptor in human placentas from normal and preeclamptic pregnancies

To elucidate the expression of androgen receptor (AR) in human placenta from normal and preeclamptic (PE) pregnancies.

This study was performed at the Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Academic Medical Center. Forty normal pregnant women at 37.0 +/- 0.89 weeks' gestation and 40 women with preeclampsia at 35.9 +/- 1.33 weeks' gestation were included in this study. Serum testosterone was measured before delivery. Immunochemical methodology was employed in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections from the placentas of all subjects. AR expression was evaluated in placentas collected from 15 normal pregnant women and 12 PE women.

Women with preeclampsia had an elevated serum testosterone level (0.52 +/- 0.13 vs. 0.34 +/- 0.11 ng/mL; p < 0.01). The expression of AR in both placentas was confirmed using immunohistochemistry and was primarily present in the nucleus and cytoplasm of syncytiotrophoblasts and stromal cells. There was a significant increase in AR mRNA expression in PE placentas compared with normal placentas.

These data suggest that the increased AR expression may alter AR-mediated function on syncytiotrophoblasts and stromal cells in PE placentas, and be a possible mechanism for its association with preeclampsia.