[Expression of pentraxin-3 in placentas and its relationship with severe preeclampsia]

To explore the expression of pentraxin-3 (PTX3) in placentas from patients with severe preeclampsia and the relationship between PTX3 and the pathogenesis of severe preeclampsia.

Fifty-three pregnant women who delivered from October 2010 to March 2011 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University were included in the study. Twenty-three women with severe preeclampsia were chosen as the preeclampsia group, and thirty healthy pregnant women were identified as the control group. All the women received cesarean section. The location of PTX3 protein in placentas was studied by immunohistochemical SP method. Quantitative real-time PCR technique and western blot analysis were employed to assay the levels of PTX3 mRNA and protein in placentas, respectively.

(1) The location of PTX3 protein in placentas: PTX3 protein was expressed in placentas from both groups, and there was no difference of PTX3 distribution between normal and preeclamptic placentas. PTX3 was mainly located in perivascular stroma, decidual cells and terminal villi. Neutrophilic infiltration was observed in the preeclamptic placentas. (2) The expression of PTX3 mRNA and protein in placentas:the level of PTX3 mRNA in placentas from the preeclampsia group was higher than that in the control group (1.98 ± 0.54 vs. 0.87 ± 0.27, P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the level of PTX3 protein was significantly elevated in the preeclampsia group (1.42 ± 0.29 vs. 0.56 ± 0.25, P < 0.01).

The high expression of PTX3 in placentas from the preeclamptic patients suggests that PTX3 may be involved in the pathologic process of preeclampsia.