Expression And Clinical Significance Of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor In Placenta With Intrahepatic Cholestasis Of Pregnancy

Objective To investigate the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in placenta and its relationship with placental weight and the newborns' weight in patients with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP).Methods The expression of VEGF in 50 placentas from normal pregnancy (normal group) and 102 placentas from ICP (ICP group) was detected by immunohistochemistry.Results The distribution of VEGF in placenta was found in villous trophoblast, villous blood vessels and villous stroma in both groups. But the levels of expression were significant difference; light expressed in ICP group about 71.6%, moderate was 19.6% and strong was 8.8%. In normal placenta light expression was only 24%, the moderate was 46% and strong was 30%. The level of VEGF was significantly lower in ICP group than that in normal group (P<0.01). Placental weight and the newborns' weight in patients with ICP [(455±55)g, (3170±510)g respectively ] were also significantly decreased compared with normal group [(567±95) g, (3465±493) g respectively ], but the newborns' length had no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion The decrease of VEGF in placenta from ICP may be related to inadequate blood vessel formation and the abnormal invasions of trophoblast and may play a rule in the cause of ICP. These results suggest that the reduced expression of VEGF in placenta of patients with ICP may be one of the important factors responsible for decreased placental vascular density and fetal intrauterine growth restriction.