[Comparative immunohistochemical evaluation of vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptors in the placental villi in gestational diabetes mellitus and type 1 diabetes]

Abstract

The authors performed a comparative immunohistochemical study of placental vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors (VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2 and VEGFR-3) in gestational diabetes mellitus and type 1 diabetes. The expression of VEGF and its receptors was ascertained to be increased in the placental terminal and stem villi, mostly in type 1 diabetes. The changes found in the immunophenotype of terminal and stem villi suggest that the placenta is damaged and this may accordingly lead to intrauterine growth disturbances in the fetus and further to diseases in the neonatal infant.